Lingnan University Holds Annual Public Lecture on Innovations and Urban Sustainability and Officially Launches its Doctor of Policy Studies Programme

Lingnan University (LU) held the annual public lecture on innovation and urban sustainability, which was co-organised by the Centre for Social Policy and Social Change and the Division of Graduate Studies, and officially launched its Doctor of Policy Studies (DPS) programme, the first and only professional doctorate in policy studies in the Greater China region, on 9 January 2019.

The annual public lecture titled “Transformative Innovation for Urban Sustainability”, delivered by Professor Adrian Smith and held at the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, delves into how the digital age witnesses the development of new forms of grassroot activism and bottom-up responses to the search for a more sustainable urbanism. Adrian Smith is Professor of Technology & Society at Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. In the well-attended lecture, he discussed the practical interpretations of promoting transformative innovation and how the various innovations can go beyond optimising and making efficient urban systems for mobility, energy, housing, production, leisure and so forth.

Indeed, these themes are of much relevance to the LU’s Doctor of Policy Studies (DPS) programme, the first professional doctoral programme in policy studies being launched in the Greater China region. The programme, with teaching by top scholars, talks by prominent former government officials and exchange sessions at renowned institutions such as the University of Bath and the University of Oxford, aims to train those academically-minded with a passion for public policy and intellectual exchanges, so that they can develop a deep understanding of the challenges faced in the domains of health, housing, labour, education, social welfare and many other policy areas.

Prof Joshua Mok Ka-Ho, Lingnan University’s Vice-President and the Director of Division of Graduate Studies, believes that the DPS programme can fill a gap in local higher education ― the nurturing of political talents. “There is a lack of such talents, and what we are offering is solid, systematic training that aimed at cultivating a higher level of thinking,” said Prof Mok. He is confident that graduates of the programme can add to the pool of eligible candidates for senior government positions and think tanks.

The Honorable Bernard Charnwut Chan, the Convenor of the Non-Official Members of Executive Council, echoed this view in a video interview and said, “I have served in public sector for almost two decades. In the areas of NGOs, education and public administration, I feel that there is a lack of in-depth training in research and higher-order thinking. This professional doctorate programme is so much needed in Hong Kong, especially now with the rapid development of the Greater Bay Area.”

The Centre for Social Policy and Social Change Annual Public Lecture - Transformative Innovation for Urban Sustainability cum the Official Launch of the Doctor of Policy Studies Programme will be followed by the International Symposium “Wellbeing and Inequality in the Digital Age” held at Lingnan Tuen Mun campus on 10-11 January 2019 in which questions such as “How will technological change impact on life chances, wellbeing and social inequality?”, “How is technology reshaping the social policy agenda?” and “What does new technology offer in terms of new ways to deliver policies and to better inform citizens?” are to be discussed.