EdUHK Researchers Achieve Excellence across Diverse Fields
Researchers at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) have received notable accolades and remarkable accomplishments in recent weeks, in the fields of psychology, financial education, English learning and leadership training.
Among them, Dr Jiang Da, an Associate Professor at the Department of Special Education and Counselling (SEC), has been elected as Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and received two prestigious research awards in November.
Dr Jiang’s election as a Fellow of GSA is in recognition of her long-standing and outstanding contributions to the fields of gerontology and psychology. Moreover, Dr Jiang has won the The Seisoh Sukemune/Bruce Bain Encouragement of Early Career Research Award, presented by the International Council of Psychologists (ICP). ICP praised Dr Jiang’s contributions in finding effective ways to improve wellbeing and reducing loneliness among older adults. Notably, Dr Jiang is the third researcher from Hong Kong to receive this honour. Dr Jiang has also been awarded the Research Award 2024 by the Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association (HKPGA). This recognition underscores her impactful research contributions to the psychology of aging.
Also in November, the Business Studies Team of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies won the Corporate Financial Education and ESG Leadership Gold Award 2024. Presented by the Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK), the award recognises commercial firms, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs) – such as schools, professional bodies, charities, and social enterprises – as well as individuals, for their contributions in providing public financial education to the community on a pro bono basis.
Additionally, a range of research projects led by multiple researchers at EdUHK have made significant progress, with some officially launched and others successfully completed.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Financial Education Programme, created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, was officially launched on 20 November. This initiative was co-created by EdUHK, The University of Chicago, the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, CoCoon Foundation, and Solomon Learning Group. The programme aims to provide quality financial education to primary school students in Hong Kong, nurturing their financial literacy from an early age. The EdUHK team, led by Professor Christina Yu Wai-mui from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies, includes Professor Chow Kee-li, Dr. Tan Wei-qiang, Dr. Alex Zhu Yue-feng, Dr. Eric Law Kim-fai, and Dr. Ray Lee Kwok-wai. All of them are experts who promote the development of financial education within the academic and school sector.
Also, a talent and sector development programme funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust – the JC InnoPower Education Fellowship – was officially launched in October and will run for 15 months. The project supervisor is EdUHK’s Adjunct Research Chair Professor of International Educational Leadership, Professor Allan Walker, and Dr Lu Jia-fang, Acting Head and Associate Professor at the Department of Education Policy and Leadership (EPL), is the project leader. The Fellowship programme provides leadership education and mentorship support for school principals and other leaders, supplemented by seed funding. Through training and learning models, it brings together new, active, and recently retired educators to form a community of practice by sharing experiences and professional expertise. This fosters innovation and collaboration within schools, accelerating the transformation of Hong Kong's education system into one that is future-ready and inclusive.
The Jockey Club Project RISE led by the Director of the Centre for Child and Family Science at EdUHK, Professor Kevin Chung Kien-hoa, has entered its second phase in July upon the completion of the first phase. The project continues to provide comprehensive support for local primary school students with English learning difficulties. The screening tool and teaching materials developed by the research team have already attracted applications from over 150 primary schools. Over the next five years, the programme aims to expand its support scope, targeting coverage of approximately 40% of primary schools in Hong Kong.
Professor Chung has served as a consultant for numerous large-scale research and development projects and was listed among the world's top 2% scientists according to the rankings released by Stanford University in 2023 and 2024.
EdUHK researchers engaged in 188 ongoing and newly approved projects, supported by about HK$178 million from the Research Grants Council and other funding bodies.
The President of the University, Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, said that this year marked the 30th anniversary of EdUHK, which was actively advancing educational innovation by providing comprehensive support for researchers and their projects, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasising practical application, and promoting a forward-looking, inclusive approach to education research and development. These efforts are designed to ensure that scholars' research makes a positive impact on the sustainable development of society.
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EdUHK Researchers Achieve Excellence across Diverse Fields
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