Technology
The Versailles Palace comes virtually to Hong Kong
- 2023-04-30
- Society
- By: Jemima BadajosEdited by: Mollie Hib
- 2023-04-30
Open from 19th April to 9th July, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum opens a virtual exhibiton of the renowned French estate, as part of the 14th French May Arts Festival, a month long cultural exchange event.
Hong Kong to invest in IT-education in bid to attract young talent
- 2023-02-22
- By: Elif Lale AYHANEdited by: Ming Min AW YONG
- 2023-02-22
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced in his budget speech today that HK$300 million would be provided to public secondary schools to continue subsidies for IT extracurricular activities. There has little increase in innovation and technology employment, from 41,580 employed in the field in 2018 to 46,730 in 2021, according to the Census and Statistics Department. Tommy Kwan, a secondary school teacher at YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College, said his school has recently introduced STEAM education, a concept that the government promoted last year to include art subjects that give more exposure to other aspects of technology, like AI art. ‘‘In our first semester, we taught 3D printing with some introduction to AI. The students enjoyed learning something new,’ he said. Kwan said that STEAM activities introduce new concepts to learning. ‘‘It’s not about textbooks or exams, it’s about exposure to new technology -- how to learn, how to create,’’ he said. “The limitation is that STEAM education is now only an activity and an extracurricular activity. But eventually, if one day our school incorporates STEAM education in classes, I think it will be a celebration,’’ he added. Shirley Tang, the business administration manager of Functioneight, an IT company in Hong Kong, attributes the lack of IT talent to low salaries. ‘‘The struggle is not because people are migrating to other places, it is because people are not willing to work for a low level of duty like troubleshooting,” she said. According to Statista, there was a 0.7% decrease in IT talents in Hong Kong, from about 126,000 in 2019 to 125,000 in 2020. Some university students, such as Tanya Asnani, 19, student at HKUST, are hopeful that monetary funding can pave the way for more opportunities for IT talent through internships and volunteering. “I think money can be …
GIES 2022: Four-day expo with free admission, Gerontech enterprise expects more support from the government
- 2022-11-06
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yuchen LI、Man TSEEdited by: Hamish CHAN
- 2022-11-06
With entrepreneurs expecting more support from the government on gerontechnology, Hong Kong’s largest public education event focusing on the technology relevant to the city’s ageing problem ended on Saturday. More than 180 exhibitors showcased over 700 products, covering medical, food, housing and transportation needs to the elderly, at the 6th Gerontech and Innovation Expo and Summit, GIES 2022, aiming to promote public awareness of the technology related to the elderly through exhibits. The exhibition was held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Wednesday to Saturday, with free entries to the public. “(In this exhibition) I can see so many products and even interact with them,” said Leung Shuk-bing, 82, a visitor. “It is interesting.” The self-sanitising door handle developed by the team of Li Kin-pong, the co-founder of Titanology Limited, an innovative technology company, has been adopted by a number of residential care homes. “We are pleased to have a chance to bring our products to the attention of the elderly and the community through this exhibition, ” said Li. Matthew Shum, a representative of two social enterprises which focus on elderly welfare, said he saw a more diverse age group in this exhibition than before. “Besides the elders, there are more students and caregivers participating in this year’s Expo,” said Shum. “That means the public awareness on the ageing problem, Gerontech and the Silver Economy in Hong Kong raised.” In Hong Kong, 28.6% of the population were aged 60 or above by the end of 2021, with the average life expectancy in 2022 being 85.16, according to the Census and Statistics Department. Shum said the government should not support the gerontech industry only, but to allocate resources properly to enhance the public recognition of the ageing problems. Li Kin-pong said the demand for gerontech would increase …