Happenings

As one of the founding members of the Asia-Pacific Higher Education Network for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (APHEN-ICH), we are pleased to have attended the network’s International Field School hosted by the Mongolian National University of Arts and Culture (MNUAC) in partnership with ICHCAP and the APHEN-ICH Secretariat between 21-26 August 2025. Mongolian Nomadic Culture and its Management The Mongolian nomadic culture is deeply rooted in an intimate relationship with nature—traditionally, worshippers of Heaven, Sky and Earth, their beliefs are rooted in interdependence, as well as deep respect and protection for the land.  Their beliefs form an essential part of Mongolia’s intangible cultural heritage, including traditional practices and art form, such as songs, rituals and festivals. As part of the decentralised regional development policy of Mongolia, the Mongolia National Centre for Cultural Heritage identifies and leverages unique characteristics of each region to support and coordinate diversified development, cooperation and specialisation.  This allows a sense of uniqueness among different regions while pursuing a holistic regional vision. Reflecting on Hong Kong’s Rural Revitalisation️ Dr. Jessica Williams and Dr. Vivian Chu presented their work on “Rural Revitalisation: Collaborative Governance for Harnessing Cultural Heritage”.  CCSG advocates for a more holistic village cluster approach in rural revitalisation.  Having started our revitalisation efforts in Lai Chi Wo, we extended them to Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong, where our projects focus on identifying and building on natural and cultural assets of each village.  The effect is that the facilities, activities and resources offered by the villages can complement one another and collectively more value is generated for society.  This sparked lively discussion amongst the participants regarding policies and strategies to build more supportive environments for ICH transmission.

On 30 August 2025, the Centre for Civil Society and Governance hosted an engaging orientation at Bijas— a vegetarian restaurant on campus that adheres to inclusive employment and food waste reduction—to welcome the 2025-26 cohort of the MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership & Governance (SLG) programme. This event served as a valuable opportunity for incoming students to connect with their classmates and teachers, and gain essential information to prepare for their academic journey. The orientation began with a comprehensive introduction to the SLG programme, delivered by Dr. Vivian Chu and Dr. Winnie Law, Co-Directors of the MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership & Governance Programme. Dr. Chu emphasized the programme’s unique and dynamic curriculum, which is regularly updated to reflect the latest trends in sustainability leadership and governance. Ms. Kristy Peck from the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) offered students a description of the resources and opportunities available through the network and the value of signing up as student members. This was followed by Mr. Cliff Cheng, Executive Director of the International Association for Sustainable Economy (IASE), introduced the IASE and the International Sustainable Business (ISB®) Qualification Program. Mr. Cheng explained how the collaboration between the University and IASE enables students to obtain ISB I – Advisor Level certificate by completing SLGP, further enhancing their professional prospects in sustainability. Adjunct Professors and lecturers of the programme—including Professor Agnes K Y Tai, Professor Jeanne Ng, and Dr. Jessica Williams— had engaging conversations with students and invited students to reach out to them with questions on their courses. The event concluded by inviting interested students to take the initiative in forming a more systematic SLGP alumni group, with the vision of establishing a formal SLGP alumni association in the future. Overall, we hope to foster stronger connections among current students and alumni, encouraging ongoing engagement, knowledge sharing, and mutual support within the SLGP community. For those of you who missed the orientation, you may find the orientation materials in this Moodle post: https://moodle.hku.hk/course/section.php?id=1526536. For more details about our MSocSc Sustainability Leadership and Governance programme (SLGP), please visit https://ccsg.hku.hk/slgp/.      

The discussion forum was successfully held on 30th August 2025 at The University of Hong Kong, bringing together over 120 young talents from AmCham’s Future Leaders Program, as well as students and graduates from HKU’s MSocSc Sustainability Leadership and Governance programme to learn from sustainability experts and business professionals the driving factors as well as challenges in attaining meaningful and lasting sustainability change. The event began with welcoming remarks from Dr. Winnie Law, Deputy Director of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong, and Ms. Queenie Tsui, Director of Corporate Affairs, American Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong. Expert Sharing session Ms. Ellie Tang (Director, Sustainable Investing, Fidelity International), Mr. Carrel Kam (Director, Yung Kee Restaurant Group Ltd), and Ms. Melanie Kwok (Deputy General Manager, Sustainability & Innovation, Sino Group) showcased inspiring examples of corporate sustainability in diverse areas, including investment, retail, and property development. Their presentations highlighted unique approaches and best practices from their respective industries, sparking lively discussion and engagement among attendees. Key takeaways from the speakers: Investors are well-positioned to play strategic roles in shaping a more sustainable economy and society The potential for SMEs to turn constraints into possibilities through taking action in phases, developing partnerships and integrating different aspects of sustainability (from health and safety, culture and heritage to environmental impact) The importance of partnerships and interdisciplinary problem-solving for sustainability across companies and functional roles Panel discussion and Q&A The panel discussion and Q&A session saw enthusiastic participation, reflecting the audience’s strong interest and engagement in the topics of sustainability and business leadership. The speakers exchanged diverse perspectives and shared personal experiences on advancing sustainability within their respective fields. The event concluded with a motivating speech by Dr. Vivian Chu, Co-Director of the MSocSc Sustainability Leadership and Governance Programme & Lecturer at the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong, giving thanks to our generous speakers for enlightening us with their valuable insights. Looking forward to future collaborations with AmCham and another fruitful academic year for SLGP!