PolyU Hosts The Second Summit on University Social Responsibility, Inaugural International Conference on Service-learning and "PolyU Serves" Showcase

HONG KONG, Nov. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) will host a 5-day event from 19-23 November 2014, comprising The Second Summit on University Social Responsibility, Inaugural International Conference on Service-learning and "PolyU Serves" Showcase. Through these events, PolyU will establish an effective platform to connect and foster partnership among world renowned universities to share their insights in advancing university social responsibility (USR), generating social impact and driving sustainable development of the world. 

Officiating at the Opening Ceremony today (19 November) at Hotel Icon were the Honorable Eddie Ng Hak-kim, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government; Professor Roy Chung Chi-ping, PolyU Court Chairman; and Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President. During the Summit, university heads and participants exchanged views on dedicated topics: "Nurturing students to be socially responsible citizens", "Developing University Social Responsibility: strategies and models" and "Higher Education as a catalyst for Social Change". Speakers of the plenary sessions include renowned leaders in USR, including Professor Ye Jing-yi, Vice Chairman of University Council, Peking University, Professor James Thompson, Associate Vice President for Social Responsibility, The University of Manchester, and Professor Hau Lee, Thoma Professor of Operations, Information and Technology, Faculty Co-Director of SEED (Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies), Faculty Co-Director of Value Chain Innovation Initiative, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. They brought innovative and inspiring ideas, as well as strategies in the way forward in USR.

Subsequent to the Summit, PolyU stages the Inaugural International Conference on Service-learning in PolyU Campus on 20-21 November. It demonstrates PolyU's role and trend-setting model in service learning among institutions, in which PolyU's experts and students will unveil how service learning helps bring changes to the society through different learning subjects. Professor Andrew Furco, Associate Vice President for Public Engagement and Associate Professor of Higher Education, University of Minnesota, will deliver a Keynote Speech on "Research and Scholarship", and frontline academic practitioners and administrators from universities from US, Israel, Singapore and China will discuss and promote the scholarly development of the relevant theories, models, and tools of service-learning.

Taking place from 21-23 November, the "PolyU Serves Showcase" will exhibit PolyU's accomplishments in service learning and efforts in nurturing students "To Learn to Serve". Exhibitions, on-site demonstrations, games and workshops, students' sharing and direct services such as vision screening and health check for the public will be available to showcase how students integrates knowledge in serving the community.

Official website with full details: http://www.osl.polyu.edu.hk/usrsl2014.

Press contact:      

Ms Winnie Lam
Division Head (Public Affairs)
Communications and Public Affairs Office
Telephone: +852-2766-6377 / +852-9739-0807
E-mail : [email protected]

Ms Agnes Kwan
Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
Telephone: +852-2766-6374
E-mail: [email protected] 

SOURCE The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Related Links

http://www.osl.polyu.edu.hk/usrsl2014