Lingnan University receives Certificate of Appreciation at Project HERO recognition ceremony

Lingnan University was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation at the New Territories North Region Anti-Scam Month and Project HERO Recognition Ceremony held on 24 July. This accolade recognises the University's outstanding contributions to anti-scam initiatives. The project aims to enhance community awareness of scams by collaborating with the police and local businesses to help citizens - especially students - identify and prevent fraud. Representing Lingnan University at the event were Prof Li Donghui, Associate Vice-President (Experiential Learning Projects); Prof Peng Ling, Head of the Department of Marketing and International Business; Ms Angela Kwong Ching-man, Associate Director of Campus Development and Management; and Mr Horace Choi Chun-ho, Assistant Programme Manager of the Faculty of Business, who received the certificate to acknowledge their cooperative efforts and leadership in anti-scam endeavours.

In recent years, Lingnan University has actively supported anti-deception work, led by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing, and Mr Ernest Chan Chi-man, Vice-President (Administration), and included kits from the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) in its Integrated Learning Programme, a graduation requirement for undergraduates. The Information Technology Services Centre organised a Cybersecurity Awareness Day in March for the Tuen Mun community, and the University has also worked closely with the Tuen Mun Police Community Relations Office throughout the semester on a series of educational activities. This has yielded positive results, and reported monetary losses from fraud have dropped by more than 50 per cent this year.

The Faculty of Business has taken part in Project HERO since 2023, and organised the Lingnan University Business Case Competition with the police for two years running. In the competition, students apply theoretical knowledge, and learn to combine marketing strategies with real-life police anti-deception campaigns, strengthening fraud prevention awareness. Postgraduate students also conducted a market survey on university students’ scam perception, and provided practical recommendations for anti-scam strategies in order to help them understand scam tactics better, thus improving safety on campus.

In the new academic year, Lingnan University will continue to expand anti-scam consciousness on campus. Plans include adding ADCC learning kits and anti-fraud questionnaires to new student registration, working with the police to show anti-scam videos, and a promotional truck on campus.  This should boost student engagement and awareness, and create a safer learning environment.