Tech for Good Initiative - Teaching

Teaching and learning sit at the heart of the Tech for Good Initiative at the Centre for Civil Society and Governance of The University of Hong Kong (HKU).

The first edition of the course started in the Fall semester of 2021 when HKU scholars and experts from Meta (formerly known as Facebook) co-designed a new course called “Opportunities and Challenges in Digital Governance” (POLI8023 / SLGP7104). Later the course has also expanded to include guest lecturers from other leading industry players like Google and Microsoft. Currently, the course is open to students of HKU’s Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of International and Public Affairs (MIPA) and Master of Social Sciences in the field of Sustainability Leadership and Governance (MSLG) programs.

Learning Theme

Measures and tools for effective policy communications and civic engagement.

Analysis and case studies of policy solutions.

Issues of AI ethics, including privacy protection, data-as-property, misinformation, open data, and platform governance.

Challenges and opportunities that new and emerging technologies like Generative AI and the metaverse pose to public governance in the age of general political distrust and rising concern for sustainable development.

The potential of using Big Data and AI for enhancing citizen science, environmental monitoring, impact assessment, social innovation, community building, and collaborative governance.

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Overseas study tours
Students taking the course will have the opportunity to participate in a field trips to Silicon Valley, which will bring experiential learning opportunities to students, especially those who are interested in developing their own public policy and public administration careers so they can learn from the practitioners and policymakers from the front line. Students will also have the opportunities to interact with senior executives of major tech and media companies and government officials and conduct additional fieldwork.
Course co-ordinator from
The University of Hong Kong
George Chen
George Chen
Honorary Senior Fellow Centre for Civil Society and Governance
Guest speakers
Raina Yeung
Raina Yeung
Director of Privacy and Data Policy, Engagement, APAC, Meta
Timothy Tam
Timothy Tam
Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Hong Kong, Google
Wilson Yim
Wilson Yim
Principal, Head of Financial Services Public Policy, Hong Kong, AWS
Dr. David Chung
Dr. David Chung
Former Under-Secretary, Innovation and Tech, HKSAR Government
Meg Chang
Meg Chang
APAC Head for Content Regulation Policy, Meta
Maggie Tam
Maggie Tam
Public Policy Manager, Hong Kong, Meta
Fred Sheu
Fred Sheu
National Technology Officer, Microsoft Hong Kong
Howard Kwong
Howard Kwong
Chief Digital Officer, Prudential Hong Kong