Lingnan University Successfully Hosted the Postgraduate Conference 2024: “Reimagining Postgraduate Studies in the New Digital Age”

Supported by the University Grants Committee Hong Kong, Lingnan University's School of Graduate Studies (GS) and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) impeccably organised the highly anticipated Postgraduate Conference on Interdisciplinary Learning on April 6, 2024. In collaboration with the School of Nursing at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the International Classroom for Postgraduate Research Methodology Enhancement at Lingnan University, this conference, held under the theme "Reimagining Postgraduate Studies in the New Digital Age," epitomised a remarkable scholarly endeavour. The conference drew an impressive attendance, attracting over 330 participants from diverse countries and regions, including Chinese Mainland, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Building upon the legacy of previous Postgraduate Conferences hosted by the GS, this event provided an exceptional platform for research and taught postgraduate students from across the globe to engage in meaningful exchanges, sharing their ongoing and prospective research endeavours, as well as transformative learning experiences, with distinguished scholars.

In his captivating opening address, Professor Sam Kwong, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence at Lingnan University, emphasised the imperative of collaborative research among emerging scholars. He underscored this as a central impetus behind the collaborative efforts of Lingnan University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which sought to provide a dynamic platform for postgraduate students worldwide to engage in fruitful dialogue and share their cutting-edge research.

The conference featured a distinguished lineup of three keynote speeches. The first keynote was delivered by Professor Chan  Wai-sum of the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, who eloquently expounded on the topic "Financing Long-term Care Risks in a Super-Ageing Society: The Case of Hong Kong," shedding light on the intricate challenges posed by the escalating long-term care (LTC) demands and the limited financing options available to an aging population in Hong Kong. The second keynote speech, titled "New Frontiers for Digital Health Equity in Community and Clinic," was delivered by Professor G.J. Melendez-Torres from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. Drawing on compelling empirical research, Professor Melendez-Torres elucidated the myriad possibilities offered by a digital health equity perspective, presenting emerging insights on how health systems can harness new technologies to maximise health equity for all in this digital era. The final keynote address was delivered by Professor Angela Leung Y.M.  of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who powerfully explored the potential of technology in compensating for losses and supporting healthy aging, exemplified by the intelligent interactive social robots (named Ka Ka) utilised in domestic settings.

Simultaneously, postgraduate students from diverse corners of the globe to present their cutting-edge research in two themed Panel Sessions. The first, led by Dr. Kin Cheung from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, explored the dynamics of “Formal and Informal Workers”, while the second, chaired by Dr. Betty Chung from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, delved into "Education and Digitalisation." The student presentations spanned a wide spectrum of theoretical discourse, methodological inquiry, and empirical investigations, exemplifying the rich tapestry of knowledge creation in postgraduate studies.

One of the most impressive features of this conference was the poster presentation sessions by the postgraduate students across five robust academic programmes, including: Doctor of Policy Studies, Master of Science in Health Analytics and Management, Master of Arts in International Higher Education and Management, Master of Cities and Governance and Master of Social Sciences in Health and Social Services Management. These sessions provided a dynamic and illustrative element to the discourse, allowing for a more interactive scholarly exchange.

Highlighting the event were the Best Paper Awards, celebrating the exemplary research achievements of postgraduate students. This year’s honourees, Jan Erron Rana Celebrado and Hu Jiaxing from the Research Postgraduate Programme at Lingnan University, received the prestigious accolades for their outstanding contributions. Professor Yau Yung, Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, presented the awards.

In the closing remarks, Professor Padmore Adusei Amoah, Assistant Professor of the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan University, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all attendees for their invaluable contributions to the resounding success of the conference. He also unveiled plans for forthcoming conferences, extending a cordial invitation to participants to join these future events and continue their engagement in shaping the frontiers of knowledge.