Service-Learning and Leadership Office

[𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧] 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟑 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

We are thrilled to share that for the third consecutive year, PolyU students have travelled to Yunnan to make a lasting impact!

PolyU students teamed up with peers from Shenzhen University to visit a local primary school. Together, they brought Chinese history and culture to life for the young children through an innovative, immersive teaching model. Students designed thematic and interactive cultural courses inspired by Chinese literacy classics and historic architecture. A few days of ‘unforgettable’ lessons sparked meaningful cultural exchange and inspired everyone to revisit and apply traditional values to their everyday life!

[𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧] 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲!

PolyU students visited Yunnan Sanxin Vocational and Technical College to host experiential workshops for local youths in minority regions. Rather than typical classroom lectures, they brought financial literacy to life! Through engaging activities, they helped middle and vocational school students build a foundation in wealth and master practical money management skills. Equally important, they equipped these young minds with essential knowledge on how to identify and avoid financial fraud, empowering them to protect themselves and their families in the future.

[𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧] 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 '𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞' 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧!

130+ PolyU students and staff journeyed to Yunnan to share vision screening and eye care education with close to 3,000 local school children!

PolyU students participating in the service-learning project led by School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University did much more than conduct vision screening. Stepped out of the classroom and into the community, they contributed to improving vision health and gaining practical insights into local social and healthcare challenges.

These hands-on experiences help shape compassionate, socially responsible professionals ready to make a difference in the world!

Service-learning not only empowers students to apply their knowledge to real-life challenges but also fosters civic responsibility and sharpens skills to understand community needs. Of course, behind every impactful service project are teachers—helping students develop their capacity, build trust, and turn ideas into meaningful actions.

In a recent webinar, “Service-Learning in Higher Education for a Shared Future – Best Practices in Service-Learning Part II: Focus on Teachers and Students”, hosted by the Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO) and the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Asia-Pacific Community of Practice (APCoP), experts Dr Luke Terra and Professor Ciqi Mei shared unique insights on the dynamic role of teachers and students in service-learning.

Visit https://polyu.hk/eqHCL for more information on IARSLCE Asia-Pacific CoP, and keep an eye on our upcoming activities!

Our largest group ever in Yunnan! Excitement is high as 400+ students and teachers from 7 service-learning subjects set out on a chartered high-speed rail journey to Yunnan today! They are ready to welcome their week-long hands-on service-learning and turn classroom lessons into real community impact!

We are !

Every enriching and meaningful service-learning journey begins with careful planning, dedicated effort and preparation. Pre-trips to Rwanda were made some time ago to set the stage for our upcoming exciting projects this summer. Visiting Rwanda always feels familiar, and we couldn’t be happier to be returning.

From the classrooms to the communities!

PolyU students planned and organized activities in Cambodia with the aim of transcending borders with technology and bridging the digital divide. They conducted workshops to teach underprivileged students the concepts of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. And in the process, our students did much more than sharing their technical knowledge – they empowered local children with tools for the future, and they created beautiful bonds with the people there!

It has been incredible to watch our students grow in their service-learning journey!

We are overjoyed to be expanding our service-learning initiatives through partnerships with Yunnan University and Yunnan Minzu University! By joining hands, we will devise ambitious plans to give our students even greater opportunities to contribute to the world around them and embrace life-changing learning experiences. We will support our educators to move forward with strategies and innovative ideas to implement new service projects. We can't wait to see the meaningful changes they will bring to communities near and far.

Joins us live on 29 April 2026 for a webinar “Service-Learning in Higher Education for a Shared Future | Best Practices in Service-Learning Part II: Focus on Teachers and Students”!

Date: 29 April 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:30 – 11:45am (Hong Kong Time: UTC+8)
Mode of delivery: online via ZOOM
Speakers: Dr Luke TERRA, Stanford University, United States and Prof. Ciqi MEI, Tsinghua University, China
Registration: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=YPc3j4exgUm4L-Xcb1vPRL97QVcJucNDgWRw_RF7LWpURVVDTkkwUjdBSzZYQlozWDI0V0RJTllGSS4u&route=shorturl or by scanning the QR code
Registration Deadline: 27 April 2026 (Monday), Hong Kong Time: UTC+8

This webinar is hosted by the Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO) and the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Asia-Pacific Community of Practice (APCoP). It is a sequel to an earlier one last February which focused on institutions and community partners.

Visit https://polyu.hk/eqHCL for more details on IARSLCE Asia-Pacific CoP activities

13+ years. 46,900+ students. Accumulated over 1.87 million service hours. Spanning a pool of local and non-local service locations in China, South-East Asia and Africa.

Our commitment is to advance service-learning and youth leadership. We prepare students to become civic-minded professionals with leadership skills, cross-cultural capability, global perspective, and a heart to serve.

We are !

🎥 Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/sgOyFn-Lf2A to learn how we keep moving forward! Like and Share to spread this!

Service-learning is our passion! 13+ years. 46,900+ students. Accumulated over 1.87 million service hours. Spanning a pool of local and non-local service locations in China, South-East Asia...