Core Members

Professor Daniel T. L. Shek (PhD, FHKPS, SBS, BBS, JP) is Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), Chair Professor of Applied Social Sciences, and Li and Fung Endowed Professor in Service Leadership Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is also Advisory Professor of East China Normal University, Honorary Professor of Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Psychological Society.

Professor Shek was elected as Best Lecturer teaching the major courses in the Department of Social Work (1995-1996) and awarded the Exemplary Teaching Award from Faculty of Social Science (2002-2003) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was awarded several awards in Reimagine Education Awards (commonly known as “Oscars in Education”), including two Bronze Awards (2016), one Gold Award and one Silver Award (2017), and one Gold Award (2021).

Professor Shek has published widely, including more than 700 articles in international refereed journals. He is the Chief Editor of Applied Research in Quality of Life and past Consulting Editor of Journal of Clinical Psychology. He is a Series Editor of Quality of Life in Asia published by Springer. He is an Editorial Board member of many journals, including Children and Youth Services Review and Journal of Adolescent Health.

Professor Shek is a psychologist with research interests in positive youth development, family process, scale development, quality of life, programme evaluation, addiction and spirituality. He has led a research project entitled “P.A.T.H.S. to Adulthood: A Jockey Club Youth Enhancement Scheme” financially supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (HK$750 million). The project has been transplanted to schools in Mainland China with the financial support of Tin Ka Ping Foundation (HK$10M+). The project was rated as “world leading” in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020. He was awarded the Distinguished QOL Researcher Award by the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS) in 2017. Professor Shek is currently Vice-President for External Affairs and a member of the Board of Directors of the ISQOLS. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Positive Psychology Association.

Professor Shek has served on many high-level government advisory committees in the Hong Kong Government. He is currently Chairman of the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme, member of the Electoral Affairs Commission and member of the Research Grants Council of the University Grants Committee, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He is also Chairman of Society of Boys’ Centres.

In the 2022 Edition of Ranking of Top 1000 Scientists in the field of Psychology by Research.com, Professor Shek ranked #918 in the world and #3 in China.

• Bachelor of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong
• Doctor of Philosophy, University of Hong Kong