Lingnan University Registry’s GenAI Email Automation System commended by the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2024
Ms Margaret Cheung (second left), Registrar of Lingnan University, receives the Certificate of Merit of the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2024 together with Mr Roy Chan (second right) and Mr Alvin Kwan (left) from the Registry.
We proudly announce that the GenAI Email Automation System developed for the Registry at Lingnan University has received the Certificate of Merit from the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2024: Smart Business Award (Solution for Business and Public Sector Enterprise). Only one Certificate of Merit was given along with the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, to the more than 50 entries, placing the GenAI Email Automation System in the top four for the Smart Business Award (Solution for Business and Public Sector Enterprise). This prestigious prize is given by the Digital Policy Office and supported by the Hong Kong Computer Society. The Hong Kong ICT Awards recognise and promote outstanding information and communications technology (ICT) innovations, encouraging excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT professionals and enterprises.
Ms Margaret Cheung, Registrar, Mr Roy Chan, Manager, and Mr Alvin Kwan, Assistant Manager, were presented with the certificate at the awards presentation ceremony on 22 November 2024. The Registrar expressed her gratitude, and said that this rewards the constant efforts of her team. The GenAI Email Automation System has substantially improved the Registry’s efficiency in overseeing emails from its stakeholders and others in the wider community, and excellent service.
Before putting the email automation system into action, the Registry handled over 70,000 emails a year manually. Frontline staff members were responsible for sorting and categorising incoming emails, which were then forwarded to the appropriate staff for a response. Since April 2024, incoming emails have been automatically processed. The new system classifies incoming emails based on their content, provides a summary of lengthy emails, and drafts a relevant reply. It also considers the tone and other elements of emails in order to prioritise them. Where necessary, staff verify and modify the drafts before sending them out.
The system has processed over 5,000 emails, resulting in a reported 40% reduction in time spent on email inquiries, according to an internal survey. This automation has increased the Registry’s operational efficiency and allowed staff to develop new skills and focus on more complicated tasks.