Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS11/H02/23
Project Title: The Future Development of Caregiving Policy and Practice in Hong Kong: International Perspectives and Local Initiatives
Principal Investigator: Prof CHONG Alice Ming-lin (Caritas)

Abstract

The proposed project aims at advancing policy formulation, research, teaching and learning, as well as service development, to support informal caregivers for frail elders and persons with disabilities in Hong Kong. Informal caregivers are usually family members, relatives or friends, who provide some form of ongoing and unpaid care to another person who requires assistance in daily tasks due to their frailty, cognitive and/or physical impairments. The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) has commissioned a consulting study to explore the needs and services required of these informal carers, and the government has indicated its readiness to implement the recommendations. Hong Kong does not have a caregiver policy per se, thus leading to a lack of systematic planning, as well as the review and allocation of relevant resources in caregiver support. At the same time, additional analyses are needed to identify the needs of carers from various backgrounds (e.g., those in different age groups or varying stages of life span development, or who serve people with different impairments, etc.,) and to assess the effectiveness of various initiatives. At present, there are quite a number of initiatives regarding caregiver support financed by charity foundations and carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). However, they are usually on a small scale and focus on a particular district or caregiver group.

This project will thus organize an international conference on caregiving policy and practice from international perspectives, two experience-sharing workshops (including one on the theme of at-risk caregivers and the other on mobilizing family and community support) and a seminar on sharing research projects in addition to research idea incubation for staff of the Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE) and Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU), as well as consultation sessions to be provided by invited experts via Zoom after their departure from Hong Kong.

Presentations by overseas experts on exemplar caregiver policies and practices in their countries or in the global context as well as experts in economics and health sector will provide important insights for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government in reviewing the need for policy formulation, as well as for academics, researchers and other stakeholders contributing to caregiver support through research and education. At the same time, this project will also invite the sharing of innovative initiatives in other economies and those financed by charity trusts and carried out by NGOs in Hong Kong, so as to provide inspiration to the welfare sector and human service professionals (such as social workers and nurses) to consider upscaling and enhancing these initiatives. Scholarly exchanges with international and local experts will encourage academics to consider how caregiving issues can be incorporated into the training of human service professionals such as social workers, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.

All these activities will contribute to promoting caregiving support through policy formulation, research studies, education and training, as well as service provision. At the same time, researchers, educators and students in higher education in Hong Kong in general, and those at CIHE and HKSYU in particular, will be inspired to incorporate the theme of caregiving support into their various scholarly activities.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS15/H04/23
Project Title: Advances in Play Therapy Research: An Intercultural Dialogue
Principal Investigator: Dr CONNOLLY John Patrick (Shue Yan)

Abstract

Since its origin in the early 1900s, the discipline of play therapy has gained meaningful visibility in Western countries, but is still less recognized by professionals and the public in Hong Kong, compared to other approaches that support child mental health, despite a growing body of evidence for its effectiveness for child development and treatment. Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) is the most influential manualized play therapy approach. To date, five meta-analytic studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CCPT interventions, one of which also included a systematic review. Ray et al. (2015) conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 23 randomized control trials (RCTs) conducted in school settings, finding that play therapy produced statistically significant outcomes for children with disruptive behavior, internalizing, self-efficacy, and academic problems. Lin and Bratton (2015) conducted a meta-analytic review of 24 RCTs of child-centered play therapy, and found it to be effective for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, caregiver-child relationship stress, and self-efficacy. A search of the Play Therapy Outcome Research Database shows a further 12 RCT studies conducted since 2015, although these have not been reviewed for rigor or consistent methodology here. Child-centered play therapy has been designated as a promising evidence-based mental health intervention by the Results First Clearinghouse (NREPP) and the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC). Though promising, there is still a gap in the evidence base compared to more established approaches such as behavioral intervention. This gap is highlighted by emerging trends in play therapy practice. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the social, cognitive, and physical development of a cohort of young children has become a focus of research attention. Together with this, the growth of online intervention and teleplay during the pandemic, in the context of broader digitalization opportunities for play-based intervention – such as virtual reality – are highlighted. A key question for practitioners and researchers in Hong Kong, is the application of this approach in the contemporary local context. While there is evidence showing the effectiveness of these approaches in Western populations, the applicability of these approaches has yet to be meaningfully studied locally. Although the cultural background of Hong Kong is diverse, the predominant culture is Chinese, and it is believed that Chinese family dynamics differ from those of Western families. This highlights the need to develop a locally relevant approach in Hong Kong, which can only benefit from dialogue between local practitioners and researchers, with prominent international figures in the field. The proposed project will involve a conference that is aimed at practitioners, researchers, and students in the field of play therapy, that will also be open to the public. Prominent international scholars or practitioners in play therapy will be invited. The conference will aim to meet several related goals. An education day (or rather half-day) will introduce key play therapy approaches (international and local) to audience members who would like to learn from well regarded figures within those fields. The first day of the conference will present the current state of the field and trends in play therapy, which will include teleplay and digitalization, and work with relevant populations. The second day will highlight research methodology in play therapy research and questions related to culture and the local and regional context, including work with parents and families. An informal meeting on the fourth day aims to consolidate growing collaboration and exchange. The impact of the proposed project goes beyond enhancing the skills of practitioners. It also aims at establishing a network of people interested in developing play therapy in the local community. The team will maintain a mailing list of this group to facilitate future communication. The dialogue between the international experts and the local parties will provide a base for future development. The conference proceedings will be published in an e-format, together with videos of the keynote speeches on the project’s webpage which will have use as future training materials, while the collected data will be potentially useful in future research.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS16/E01/23
Project Title: Bridging Art and Design with Technology: Explore the New Possibilities in Creativity
Principal Investigator: Dr HO Amic Garfield (HKMU)

Abstract

In recent years, the boundaries between art and design studies have become less rigid. Some artists are studying the shifting nature of art studies and erasing these boundaries. In contrast, designers are increasingly exploring design elements to meet changing user needs caused by advanced technology. The transdisciplinary nature of art and technology has fostered new approaches to artistic expression, including new media arts and digital arts. Meanwhile, the linkages between design and technology are putting forward advanced aspects of design experience, including design and emotion, data visualisation, and human interaction design. Technology has advanced from data computerisation to network-community interactions in past decades, providing an opportunity to further investigate the potential of the linkages between art and design under the influence of technology.

How does technology influence art and design studies? What are the potential benefits technology provides to art and design studies? How does advanced technology influence creativity?

Technology has changed how artists and designers work. It has enriched styles and interpretations with diverse materials and transformed the creative process (Kurtgözü, 2002). A new focus on art and design research in the context of diverse appeal and covered mechanical components has transformed how consumers/audiences interpret the art and designs they purchase/view. This new focus has improved how users/audiences use/appreciate art and design products by acting as an interface. The majority of artists and designers recognise that the human-centred designs and digital humanism concepts in art are both ethical disciplines (Shneiderman, 2020). This recognition has eventually grown to include a vision for art and design that is both comprehensive and spiritually rooted. Human-centred innovation is founded on the belief that research process improvements will increase empirical and theoretical understanding and enrich interactions between artists and designers as well as users and audiences. In other words, technology enhances art and design in cognition and sensation through creative messages.

With a particular focus on creativity’s role in bridging art, design, and technology, this project aims to explore creativity and its intersection with art, design, and technology. This study also serves as an academic platform for discussing and sharing new insights. It strives to spread awareness of digital arts, design, and culture via a range of academic, professional, and cultural initiatives. Academics, researchers, practitioners, and others from all over the world working in the broadly defined fields of digital arts, culture, creative industries, education, and transdisciplinary methods have submitted a large number of cutting-edge works for this conference. A three-day conference titled ‘Bridging Art and Design with Technology: Explore the New Possibilities in Creativity’ will be held in 2024 Summer. This conference will provide the opportunity to exchange experiences, develop fresh ideas, and develop collaborative strategies for interested scholars, practitioners and other stakeholders. Fifteen scholars from both local and overseas regions will present their most current findings on important issues such as user-generated content, creative applications of art and design studies with digital technologies, and the impact of technology on art and design education. Additionally, academics and practising artists/designers from Hong Kong and overseas will share their practical creative insights into art and design studies and technology.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS15/H02/23
Project Title: Neuropsychological Underpinnings of Mental Health Across Lifespan: From the Young to the Old in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic
Principal Investigator: Dr LAM Yin-hung (Shue Yan)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of the general public, with both young and old individuals being put under severe psychological stress. The number of people seeking professional and psychiatric help is expected to increase which is increasing the financial burden incurred in healthcare systems (Marčinko et al., 2020). As the pandemic evolves, a growing amount of literature has reported on mental health and neuropsychological consequences across countries and age groups (Duan et al., 2020; Shevlin et al., 2020). For instance, recent studies (e.g., Ferrando et al., 2022) showed that COVID-19 has worsened the brain system and neuropsychological functions in those who were contracted, which leads to different mental health problems including mild cognitive impairment and depression. Moreover, increased stress and lack of social contact as well as limited basic resources (e.g., food) in the midst of the pandemic has also affected neural functions and mental health, which was unprecedented before the pandemic. It is hypothesized that the mental health consequences in COVID-19 survivors can be explained by the neuropsychological mechanism. In order to address the rising neuropsychological and mental health concerns, there is an emergent need for an investigation of the neuropsychological mechanisms pertaining to mental health problems, thereby helping develop post-pandemic mental health interventions.

To ameliorate the mental health and neuropsychological consequences as a result of the pandemic, it is crucial for all stakeholders in different sectors to make every effort to obtain a better understanding of the mental health implications for people across their lifespan. This proposed IIDS project will collaborate with different scholars who are experts in mental health, neuropsychology, and neuropsychiatry from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China, the United States, and New Zealand, and will also establish partnerships with different local institutions such as Tung Wah College and non-local universities such as the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Team members and keynote speakers from different local and non-local institutions will be engaged in promoting the conference and invitation of presentations within and beyond their affiliated institutions to increase the engagement of each institution involved. Specifically, this project will organize a two-day international conference on the theme of the neuropsychological mechanism of mental health across lifespan in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-day international conference will include eight plenary lectures, four oral sessions, and two poster sessions. The plenary lectures and oral sessions will involve a blend of empirical investigations and evidence-based practices from different approaches to facilitate intellectual exchanges between scholars and practitioners across various disciplines, thereby obtaining a better understanding of the neuropsychological mechanism of mental health in the face of pandemic as well as the efficacy of mental health and neuro-based interventions from developmental perspectives. At the end of each plenary lecture and oral session, there will be a panel discussion that will focus on the future development of integrated research and practice in fostering mental health across cultures and lifespans during and after the pandemic. There will be a breakfast reception and a professional connect hour on each conference day as well as a post-conference dinner which helps strengthen the connections of local researchers and practitioners with the plenary speakers and international scholars to establish potential research collaborations for promoting neuropsychological well-being.

This proposed IIDS project will benefit local and overseas scholars, students, and practitioners across various disciplines by enhancing the knowledge and understanding of how to promote mental health and neuropsychological functions from a developmental perspective. Interdisciplinary insights will be generated from in-depth and ongoing intellectual exchanges during and after the conference, helping scholars and practitioners to collaboratively develop rigorous scientific interdisciplinary research and potentially neuro-based mental health interventions. Ultimately, these measures can help prevent future mental health problems in different age groups as well as relieve the financial burden that was incurred during the time of the pandemic.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS24/B01/23
Project Title: Building and Sustaining Integrated Waste Management in Hong Kong
Principal Investigator: Dr LAU Yui-yip (PolyU SPEED)

Abstract

Waste is a common problem in developed and developing countries, especially in Hong Kong, the ‘fast-paced lifestyle’ caused fast and convenience to be the major priorities for everything. People are more likely to make consumption to fulfil their desire immediately, and just throw it away when they think it is no longer necessary. Although the HKSAR government has taken action in promoting the ‘Using less, Wasting less’ concept and so to reduce and recycle waste in Hong Kong, the waste challenge is still very acute. According to the HKSAR Environmental Protection Department in 2022, waste is the third major source of carbon emissions and a major issue of limited landfill capacity and environmental impacts in Hong Kong. Among that, ‘Food waste’ is the major constituent that contributed to 30% of the municipal solid waste (MSW) disposed of in landfills in Hong Kong. The evolution of fast fashion in Hong Kong also resulted in 343 tonnes of the city’s textile waste going to landfills every day. These wastes are more likely created by industrial, commercial, and household activities. In addition, the volume of construction waste disposed of at landfills has risen by around 7%, which is perhaps because of relatively more demolition after the shutdown of shops and firms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is essential for the whole community to build and sustain proper waste management in order to maintain a sustainable and livable environment.

This project proposes to host a 2-day conference titled “Building and Sustaining Integrated Waste Management in Hong Kong”. Different industries are covered each day, and the focus is on the issues of waste generation, reduction, and management in Hong Kong 1) the food industry, plastic, and packaging industry, 2) the fast fashion industry, 3) the electric vehicle industry, and 4) the construction industry. And taking the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the entry points, deconstructing how waste management could effectively improve the waste problem and bring benefits in economic, social, and environmental aspects by achieving the SDG goals (e.g.: SDG 2, 6, 9, 11, 12 and 13). In total, 20 topics will be covered, and five speakers will be invited to speak for each day. Renowned overseas and local scholars, policymakers, industrial practitioners, associations, and experts in waste management will be invited to speak and present their current research, elaborate their point of view on Hong Kong waste management and produce innovative outputs.

The conference, workshops, and tours are committed to promoting the application of waste management in various industries with academic theories and industrial practices and exploring excellence and vocational skills in reducing and handling waste that supports the achievement of SDG goals and brings good impact on the economic, social, and environmental. Targeted audiences include university students, academics, environmentalists, associations, and industry practitioners. The general public is also welcome. Depending on the potential for global travel restrictions, the conference and workshops will be offered in-person and virtually. A guidebook and a website will be constructed, and all the conference presentation sessions and workshops will be recorded and uploaded online. The website serves as an archive to keep a record of the entire event and provide information for anyone interested in the mentioned topics. The key aim is to increase the awareness and support from the industries to discuss and share ways in facilitating integrated waste management development and encouraging clean recycling so as to achieve the SDG goals with the aim of nurturing a green lifestyle in the community.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS14/H02/23
Project Title: Food Security and Justice amid Geopolitical Challenges in a Polarizing World
Principal Investigator: Dr LI Chris Man-kong (HSUHK)

Abstract

Food, especially staples, is essential for people’s survival. It is therefore a basic political mission of every nation state to secure people’s sufficient access to the staple foods. Yet, the world trade of staple food is dominated by a few key players, most likely nation-states. For instance, the import and export of staple grains in some countries is still coordinated by state-owned enterprises, and many states retain tight control of the quotas for staple food, especially at times of local shortage. In turn, the lives of producers as well as consumers around the world are affected by these decisions. Food security for everyone is therefore also a matter of justice: how should the institutions of the world food system be structured, so that staple foods could be fairly and equitably distributed to secure people’s basic capabilities?

It has been widely agreed that, given the global integration of supply chains and trade routes, ensuring food security and justice requires efforts of coordination and cooperation in both national and international levels. Yet, we are living in an increasingly polarizing world, where geopolitical interests have started to eclipse the vision of global integration. For instance, the recent disruption of global supply chains by US-China trade disputes, COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War, in conjunction with the effect of climate change, constitute a ‘perfect storm’ in destabilizing people’s sufficient access to essential resources, including staple foods. Facing successive secular crises, initiatives for international cooperation seems to be a far cry from the globalizing past.

The conference thus aims to bring together experts of Global Justice, International Relations, and Political Economy to exchange their research findings and observations on the dynamics of staple food supplies and distributions in the context of recent geopolitical challenges, which have caused disruptions and restructuring of the global supply chains. The conference is organized around three perspectives on these issues: (i) the ethical perspective, about how state and non-state actors’ decisions are to be evaluated; (ii) the political perspective, about how the political incentives and consequences of the actors’ decisions could be isolated and analyzed; (iii) the economic perspective, about how the impacts on productive and financial sectors due to these geopolitical dynamics could be understood. Interdisciplinary contributions that integrate these perspectives are deemed necessary and especially welcome.

The conference will have a special session devoted to the issues of food justice in the East Asia context. It will also have a roundtable session inviting practitioners of NGOs, government agencies and international organizations to discuss the policy issues surrounding food justice, bringing academics and practitioners as well as the public into a dialogue. We will also invite groups of university students to present their works in a poster session with the same theme, to engage young people to also join this dialogue. After the conference, selected conference papers as well as the proceedings of the roundtable will be published as an edited book tentatively entitled ‘Food Security and Justice amid Geopolitical Challenges in a Polarizing World’.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS15/H03/23
Project Title: Reviewing digital technology-driven marketing communications and future research directions: A cross-disciplinary dialogue between academics and practitioners
Principal Investigator: Dr TONG Suk-chong (Shue Yan)

Abstract

For decades, the relationships among the functions of public relations, advertising, and marketing have long been discussed by scholars across disciplines. Stepping into the digital era, such a cross-disciplinary controversy gets complicated that the prevalent usage of digital-driven technology may bring a convergence of the three domains. This project attempts to enhance participants’ understanding of the emerging trends on the applications of digital-driven experiential technology (e.g., augmented reality, virtual reality, and extended reality) to marketing communications that bring convergence and/or divergence of public relations, advertising, and marketing from a theoretical perspective.

By facilitating dialogues between academics and practitioners, the project will offer three research seminars to explore the main theme of revisiting the significance and exploring the future directions regarding the practices of digital-driven technology, particularly experiential technology, in marketing communications. Three workshops concerning the emerging trends of experiential technology in affecting organization-consumer relationships in public relations, advertising, and marketing will provide both academics and practitioners with cutting-edge and hands-on experience to reflect on the challenges of digital practices and rethink the effectiveness of digital practices in public relations, advertising, and marketing. Prominent scholars, top practitioners, and experienced researchers will be invited to speak at the seminars and workshops to exchange insights with participants. The primary targets of this project are scholars, researchers, and practitioners from local and overseas institutions. Apart from seminars and workshops, other deliverables of the project (e.g., project website, online teaching manual, publications) will be beneficial to undergraduates and secondary school students, as well as the community.

Project Reference No.: UGC/IIDS25/M01/23
Project Title: Seminar Series on "Smart City with Nature-based Solutions – Discovering Urban Forestry and Landscape Ecology"
Principal Investigator: Dr ZHANG Hao (THEi)

Abstract

In the face of the urgent climate crisis, the ability of cities to withstand and recover from its impacts increasingly relies on the services provided by nature’s dynamic ecosystems. To cope with the rapid growth of cities and the effects of climate change, it is crucial to understand the complex relationships between humans and the natural environment in urban forests and landscapes. Thanks to advancements in landscape ecology and urban forest management, coupled with the applications of innovative assessment tools and technologies, we now have access to more timely and accurate data for decision-making in the sustainable management of urban cities.

The seminar series on "Smart City with Nature-based Solutions - Discovering Urban Forestry and Landscape Ecology" aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration that focuses on using data-driven solutions that incorporate nature-based services into urban management. This event will explore innovative research from various academic disciplines and showcase innovative studies and initiatives in urban forestry and landscape ecology. Distinguished academic researchers from Greater China and around the world will contribute their expertise, making these seminars a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and open dialogue among scholars, industry professionals, and policymakers in urban landscape ecology.