PolyU hosts impactful and far-reaching conferences on service-learning to enhance community engagement and academic collaboration
10 Dec 2024
Participating delegates and guests posed for a group photo.
PolyU President Professor Jin-Guang Teng welcomed all conference participants at the joint-opening of the two conferences.
Plenary Panel at the conferences, chaired by Professor Robert Hollister (first from left); The panel speakers included: Professor Nicole Webster (second from left), Professor Daniel T. L. Shek (second from right); Mr Jimi Caldea (first from right).
Panel Discussion of the 4th Cross-Strait, Hong Kong and Macau Service-Learning Conference 2024
At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), we see ourselves as contributing members of the international community who strive to embed service-learning into all aspects of our campus life and aspire to promote service-learning across the globe. We were delighted to host and celebrate the success of the 2024 International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Asia-Pacific Conference X International Conference on Service-Learning (ICSL), and the 4th Cross-Strait, Hong Kong and Macau Service-Learning Conference 2024 that took place concurrently in early December in Hong Kong. The two conferences drew in over 300 participants from universities, institutes and associations across the globe, and were vibrant hubs for sharing and teaming up in the service-learning world.
The 2024 IARSLCE Asia-Pacific Conference X ICSL, with a focus on the theme “Service-Learning in Asia-Pacific Contexts”, was a collaborative effort by the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Asia-Pacific Community of Practice, and the PolyU Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO). It was a confluence of two currents in the global service-learning community – the minds from the Asia-Pacific Region and those from the largest global community dedicated to research in service-learning. From 3 to 6 December, over 170 educators, researchers and practitioners joined diverse activities and dove deep into the cultural, social and contextual nuances of service-learning practices across the Asia-Pacific region, spotlighting the need to align them with global objectives, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Conference explored ten key thematic areas through keynote presentations, panel discussions, parallel sessions, lightning talks and poster presentations, highlighting the commitment required from faculty and community engagement professionals to drive successful service-learning programmes. We were confident in announcing that the Conference had established itself as a productive and proactive platform to promote impactful scholarly work in service-learning.
Taking place at the same time was the 4th Cross-Strait, Hong Kong and Macau Service-Learning Conference 2024, gathering participants from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Mainland China to explore service-learning as a transformative educational approach. This event was jointly organised by SLLO and the Cross-Strait, Hong Kong and Macau Service-Learning Network, with support from the Mirror Post and generous sponsorship from the Tin Ka Ping Foundation. The Conference welcomed close to 150 participants, who had far-reaching and in-depth discussions on various topics around the theme “Service Learning in the Context of Technological Advancement: Diversified Development and Social Innovation” and examined the value and functions of service-learning from a multidisciplinary perspective in the era of artificial intelligence.
Both conferences highlighted the critical need for ongoing dialogue among researchers, educators, practitioners and community professionals to enhance the impact of service-learning. Participants left the event inspired, ready to forge new partnerships and engage in evidence-based practices that advance the field. The warm response the two conferences received underscores PolyU’s commitment to being at the forefront of educational innovation and community engagement and taking the lead in advancing service-learning.
