The student conference for the Cultivating English Language and Digital Literacies for Future Leaders programme, funded by the Gifted Education Fund from the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government (EDB), was successfully held on 25 January 2025 at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). This event marked the culmination of a year-long initiative designed to enhance gifted students’ academic, digital, and professional workplace literacies.
The programme was organized by a dedicated team from the Department of English and Communication (ENGL), including Prof. Christy Qiu, Prof. Jenifer Ho, Prof. Jeffry Oktavianus, Dr Molly Pan, Dr Bruce Wang, and Dr Hassan Nejadghanbar, with support from student assistants Miss Nicole Wang and Miss Wenjing Zeng. It engaged 22 students from 17 Hong Kong secondary schools. Over four phases, students participated in courses on academic, digital, and workplace literacies, followed by individual research projects guided by ENGL academic advisors.
The conference featured presentations of students’ research projects and was attended by Mr Borromeo Li (EDB representative), Prof. Xiangen Hu (Director of PolyU’s Institute for Higher Education Research and Development), Prof. Eric Friginal (Head of ENGL), and over 30 teachers, parents, and guests. Through the programme, students significantly advanced their English literacy by mastering academic writing, critical reading, and effective communication. Their digital literacy was strengthened through hands-on experience with digital tools, multimedia creation, and data analysis. These skills, combined with enhanced creativity, critical thinking, and self-learning abilities, have prepared students to excel as future leaders in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
