Jointly organized by The China Institute of Education Policy and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the "First Summit on University Social Responsibility" has brought together more than 200 participants including higher education leaders and scholars at home and abroad. This event is also one of the major celebration activities of PolyU 75th Anniversary.

The First Summit on University Social Responsibility's opening ceremony was opened today (13 November) officiated by Ms Yan Jun-qi, Standing Committee of NPC, and Director of China Institute of Education Policy; Dr Ai Hong-ge, Representative of the Ministry of Education, PRC; Mr Kevin Yeung, Under Secretary for Education, HKSAR Government; Mr Roy Chen, ZeShan Foundation; Professor Roy Chung, Chairman of PolyU Court, and Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President. 

At the ceremony, Professor Roy Chung said, "During this two-day Summit, we hope participants could share their views on the challenges and opportunities brought by university social responsibility, analyze related issues and discuss the way forward."

Supported by Zeshan Foundation, the two-day First Summit on University Social Responsibility kicked off on 13 November. Higher education leaders and elite scholars from Mainland China, Taiwan and around the globe share their views on the relationship between university development and social responsibility in an era of Globalization, as well as exchanging views on government policies, systems and practical experiences. 

The first-day Summit was held at Hotel ICON, with honorable speakers Professor Liu Chuan-sheng, University Council Chairperson of Beijing Normal University; Professor Hwung Hwung-hweng, President, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; Professor Su Guaning, President Emeritus, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; and Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President, to give insights on the first plenary session themed "Fostering University Social Responsibility: Challenges and Opportunities", which was chaired by Professor Pang Li-juan, Associate Dean, China Institute of Education Policy.

The second plenary session held on the same day themed "Developing All-round Education and Nurturing Social Responsibility: Sharing of Regional Experience", speakers included Professor Nigel Thrift, Vice Chancellor and President, University of Warwick, United Kingdom; Emeritus Professor Mark S. Wainwright AM, Immediate Past Vice Chancellor & Honorary Visiting Professor, The University of New South Wales, Australia; Prof. Robert Hollister, Director, Talloires Network, Tufts University, USA; Professor Pei Gang, President, Tongji University and Professor Daniel Shek, Chair Professor of Applied Social Sciences, Department of Applied Social Sciences, PolyU. The session was chaired by Professor Kang Ke-jun, Vice President of Tsinghua University.

The three plenary sessions to be held tomorrow are inspiring as well, which themed "Implementing All-round Education and Social Responsibility Programmes: Innovative Pedagogical Approaches", "Case Studies of All-round Education and Social Responsibility Programmes: Insights from Students" and "Case Studies of All-round Education and Social Responsibility Programmes: Insights from Programme Leaders".

Speakers of the sessions include Professor Michael Sherraden, Youngdahl Professor of Social Development and Director, Center for Social Development, Washington University in St. Louis; Professor Wong Yuk-shan, Vice-President for Administration and Business, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Professor Zhou Hai-tao, Deputy Director of Institute of Higher Education, Faculty of Education of Beijing Normal University and  Dr. Alwin Wong, Director, Institute for Entrepreneurship of PolyU.

Guests and scholars will visit service learning projects in Hong Kong and experience local culture from tomorrow afternoon to evening, explore service learning projects via interactions with community service organizations, and taste Hong Kong's unique vibrant living culture through cultural immersion activities.