PolyU Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation joins hands with Shaw Foundation to pioneer STEAMS programme, integrating social elements into I&T education

With Innovation and Technology (I&T) providing a key impetus for the future development of Hong Kong, nurturing a new generation of I&T talent with innovative thinking and diverse capabilities is of great importance. The Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (J.C.DISI) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been supported by funding of HK$16 million from The Shaw Foundation to launch the five-year “Shaw STEAMS for Good” programme (the Programme), designing novel I&T teaching activities for upper primary and junior secondary students. The Programme’s launch ceremony, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with participating schools, was held today at the University campus.

The Programme has adopted STEAMS, a pioneering concept in education which integrates “Social” components, such as social innovation and design thinking, into the framework of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education. It aims to encourage students and educators to actively engage with and bring positive impact to society by leveraging their knowledge, taking forward the aspiration of “Education for Good.” Over the next five years, the Programme is expected to collaborate with 12 core schools, while also benefitting 30 network schools, and more than 900 teachers and 2,600 students.

At the Ceremony, witnessed by Prof. Miranda LOU, PolyU Executive Vice President, and Dr Raymond CHAN, Chair of The Shaw Foundation, the MoU was signed by Prof. LING Kar-kan, PolyU Interim Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) and Director of J.C.DISI, and the representatives of the five schools that have participated in the pilot programme. The schools are Good Hope School (Secondary Section), HKFYG Lee Shau Kee Primary School, Shatin Pui Ying College, Shun Tak Fraternal Association Seaward Woo College and Wah Yan College Hong Kong.

At the Ceremony, Prof. Miranda Lou stated, “PolyU is dedicated to world-leading innovation and scientific research, advancing and transferring knowledge, and upholding a strong sense of social responsibility for the benefit of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. We sincerely thank The Shaw Foundation for their generous support, enabling us to share our belief of ‘Education for Good’ with primary and secondary schools. This initiative will enhance the capabilities and resources of educators, while broadening students’ research perspectives from an early age and empowering them to become socially responsible future leaders.”

Dr Raymond Chan added, “The Foundation’s philanthropy vision is grounded in the principle that ‘Give a man grain, and you feed him for a day; teach him to farm, and he will harvest for a lifetime’. We believe education is not only about nurturing talents but is also a driving force for social progress. A valuable attempt for the Foundation in advancing innovation and science education, the Programme is the first in Hong Kong to incorporate a ‘Social’ dimension into STEAM education, enriching it into STEAMS. It aspires to equip students with I&T knowledge while, at the same time, fostering their sense of social responsibility and commitment to community service. I would like to express my gratitude to the pilot anchor schools, whose enthusiasm and forward-thinking vision will help pave the way for a new chapter in developing STEAMS education in Hong Kong.”

Elaborating on the Programme’s vision, Prof. Ling Kar-kan remarked, “J.C.DISI is dedicated to driving social change through the ‘Inno for Good’ initiative which focuses on six key innovation areas: Community for Good, Design and Service for Good, Care for Good, Aging for Good, STEAM for Good and Tech for Good. The Programme integrates design thinking and experiential learning pedagogy, providing students with task-oriented learning opportunities with a focus on real social issues. This ensures students are not only equipped with professional knowledge and technology skills, but are also enabled to apply their learning to practice and thus more fully unleash their potential.”

Supported by the PolyU Global Engagement Office and a group of social innovation experts and academics in emerging fields like low-altitude economy and future food from the University, the Programme will design a series of student workshops, organise various activities outside the classroom, and develop the Learning/Living Lab as an immersive STEAMS learning space, the student-led “Shaw STEAMS for Good: Youth Summit,” and more. It will also propose a comprehensive STEAMS curriculum and establish an online STEAMS resource-sharing hub for educational purposes.

For more information of and the application for the “Shaw STEAMS for Good” programme, please visit: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/disi/shaw-steams-for-good/.

***END***