Making online education effective and engaging has been a policy priority in the higher education (HE) sector since the COVID-19 pandemic arose in 2020. Based on an online survey and qualitative interviews, we examine experiences of HE students and teachers in Hong Kong, and provide recommendations that can enable countries/economies to leverage on the good practices of online education to rejuvenate HE in the post-COVID era. We find a need for greater institutional support beyond its current availability. Students’ perception of online education is less optimistic than what such labeling as “digital natives” suggests. However, with time, online education is being viewed more positively. Teachers find their online education workload to be higher. More female teachers cite difficulties in balancing work and life, while older teachers report more technological difficulties. Since many respondents come from public affairs programs, which emphasize interaction in the classroom, the findings suggest that a rethinking of pedagogical strategies of public affairs education is required. Copyright © 2022 The Author(s).

Despite the increasing number of studies on educational leadership during COVID-19, little attention has been paid to the intersections of different educational experiences and perspectives of school leaders, students, and their families that occur both inside and outside of schools. Drawing on eight case studies of public primary schools in Hong Kong, this article explores the challenges and strategies of online learning with a focus on effective leadership practices for supporting economically disadvantaged students during COVID-19. To incorporate the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, a series of questionnaires were distributed to principals (n = 8), teachers (n = 150), parents (n = 775), lower primary students (n = 855), and upper primary students (n = 850) and interviews were conducted with principals (n = 8), teachers (n = 37), parents (n = 32), and students (n = 62). Findings indicated that school leaders and teacher teams demonstrated strategic leadership practices prioritising and responding to the needs and constraints of economically disadvantaged students and their families. The present study draws attention to leadership encouraging collaboration among schools, families, and the wider community, which has become necessary during the shift to online learning during COVID-19. Copyright © 2022 The Author(s).

This study in the research domain of higher education sustainability addresses issues of policy and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in and through Hong Kong public universities. The purpose of the study was to critically analyze the problématique of achieving the SDGs by the Hong Kong higher education sector. The study used a post-empiricist qualitative design with Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis and an embedded case study methodology in order to explore the issues of the SDGs policy and implementation in eight public Hong Kong universities. The concept of sustainability ensoulment and the Higher Education Institution Sustainability Model served as a theoretical grounding for the interpretative analysis. The interpretive results showed a broad range of university responses and governmental support for SDGs despite small number of universities, and a score of authentic SDGs-related efforts, which were fully embedded into the educational mission of the universities. The essence from the interpretive analysis of the data suggests that the universities’ authentic attainment of the SDGs requires a ‘salutary detachment’ from putting excessive priorities on superficial sustainability standards and considering universities’ global ranking league tables as their principal goal. The study provides a structured discussion within five thematic areas: (1) regional-dominant sustainability challenges; (2) financing structure and independence; (3) institutional organization; (4) extent of democratic processes; and (5) communication and interaction with society. The research argues that a genuine SDGs attainment originates from what universities know best and regard as their threefold mission—research, teaching and knowledge transfer—to effectively generate global citizens with full ensoulment of the SDGs spirit and values, and thus, turning universities into authentically sustainable institutions. Copyright © 2022 Education Research Institute, Seoul

The proliferation of screen-free programmable robotics allows teachers to implement age-appropriate integrated activities that can promote child learning and development. However, very scarce is known about the challenges of using programmable robots as a tool to empower children in minority communities. This mixed-methods case study examined a Free Quality Kindergarten situated in a low-income public housing estate in Hong Kong to explore the affordances and challenges of robot programming (RP) in early childhood education (ECE). Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated through videotaped observations, child assessments and teacher interviews to journey with the teaching team as they managed to implement the newly introduced RP curriculum. Child assessment evidence revealed that there was a statistically significant improvement in CT scores over 6 weeks of RP activities, while the pretest–posttest change of child self-regulation scores was nonsignificant. Video analysis results further revealed that children's interaction level with the robot kit significantly predicted the change of self-regulation over time. Qualitative results are presented to explicate the micro, meso and macro conditions that constrain the implementation of RP curriculum, including the following: (a) teachers' limited TPACK in RP education, (b) a disconnect between the RP curriculum and the school-based curriculum, (c) limited resources and (d) the Confucian tradition and cultural barriers. These illustrate the intricacies involved in the implementation of RP education to empower marginalized children in under-resourced ECE settings. This study will help bring systemic change to the ECE field by uncovering ecological difficulties in integrating new technologies to promote inclusiveness and sustainability for the future. Copyright © 2022 British Educational Research Association.

Self-financing higher education institutions (SfHEIs) in Hong Kong help boost the local higher education participation rate, but they are labeled as second-tier opportunities for those with academic weaknesses. Students at SfHEIs may develop a negative self-concept that deteriorates their academic performance and psychological wellness. Therefore, it is critical to understand their self-concept and how it is built. From the narrative perspective, a self-concept is the storied experiences or stories that are lived; therefore, this study employs narrative inquiry using 15 SfHEI students to represent the general pattern of the participants’ experiences. This study proves that students at SfHEIs tend to view themselves as losers or inferiors based on their low self-evaluations of their Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) results, SfHEIs, and career futures. Additionally, this study sheds new light that the loser identity is historically developed from childhood during interactions with parents and teachers, as parents and teachers continuously reinforce the message that enrollment at a publicly funded university is the only way to achieve success in life. Copyright © 2022 by the authors.

依西方早期對宗教（Religion）一詞的常見定義，乃是：「對超乎人類控制力量的信仰與崇拜，尤其指涉位格神或諸神」。然而，作為宗教的定義，則此種定義方式，明顯與世界的宗教現況不合。因之，美國的神學家與哲學家保羅．田立克（Paul Tillich）與牟宗三先生，均提出以「終極關懷」（ultimate concern）來重新定義信仰。筆者必須指出，依這種對「終極關心」對宗教作重新的定義。我們可以借用中國傳統的一句老話──「開宗立教」，來描述宗教（尤其東方宗教）的展示模式。中國宗教的最基本模態，乃是以下兩方面構成的：其一、關懷宇宙終極的意義──開宗；其二、建立種種教法以引導人生歸於價值之正趨──立教。對於中國長期強勢的教育傳統而言，則立教的意意，可能不止於「日常生活之軌道」，同時必須把這種價值觀傳遍整個社群。是以，星雲法師指出：「由於宗教的生命都有傳燈，都是代代傳承，燈續常明。」佛教的教義最能貼近「生命教育」的意涵。佛家這種立教／成教的傾向，表現在香港社會中，即依本港「家庭與學校合作事宜委員會」於網上的《小學概覽》，在全港513家小學中，有314家小學的辦學團體是宗教團體，已佔全港小學的61.2％。由是觀之，在香港不同宗教團體，均重視以辦學來立教／成教。此亦是本文所以作之因緣，即以全港最大佛教辦學團體──香港佛教聯合會，屬下七家小學，作為觀察對象，以見出「香港小學校佛化生命教育」的情狀，並提供可能提昇的方向。Referring to the Western world's earlier definition, the word "religion" is defined as "the belief and worship towards superhuman power, especially involving a hypostatic god or gods". However, serving as the definition of a religion, this approach is clearly not applicable to the modern religious scene. Accordingly, Paul Tillich, American theologian and philosopher, and Mou Tsungsan have both suggested redefining religions with "ultimate concern". It must be pointed out that, according to the new definition of religions as "ultimate concern", we can refer to an old Chinese saying - set up a sect and then establish a religion (開宗立教) - to describe the presentation of religions, particularly oriental ones. The basic module of Chinese religions consists of two aspects: 1) concerns on the ultimate meaning of the universe (a sect ); 2) establishment of dogmas to lead lives onto the right track (a religion). To the long-established and strong tradition of religious education in China, the meaning of a religion might be beyond "daily life tracks"; its value has to be spread among the entire community. Master Hsing Yun has thus pointed out "because the life of a religion works with passing down its values, the Buddhist dogmas come the closest with the true meaning of Life Education". The Buddhist tendency of religion establishment presents itself in the Hong Kong society, with

This chapter describes a small case study of differentiated instruction and inclusive design practices during a COVID-19-forced migration to online learning at a university in Hong Kong. Fourteen higher education instructors were interviewed, and their responses analyzed thematically. The participants reported that they felt overwhelmed with the workload to consider differentiated instruction initially; their sole focus was on delivering an online teacher-centred class. As they become more confident and familiar with a range of technologies, they started to differentiate instruction. They used student response systems to facilitate learning and focused on engaging learners in smaller groups. Their experiences suggest ways to facilitate differentiated instruction and design inclusive online classes in the higher education sector. Copyright © 2022 Rhona Sharpe, Sue Bennett and Tünde Varga-Atkins.

Over the last three decades, there has been considerable transformation of global higher education institutions from a traditional role of teaching towards a contemporary role of diversified teaching, with intensive research and knowledge transfer taking place locally and internationally. Institutional transformations in Hong Kong’s higher education system over the last decade were no exception. Decentralised governance, increasing public accountability, social and economic responsibilities, enhancing quality and research excellence, sustaining society’s development through community engagement and knowledge transfer are essential changing functions and missions driving knowledge transfer strategy differences in the process of dynamic transformation. Knowledge transfer literatures reveal that they are usually associated with the third mission of higher education institutions, particularly in the knowledge-based economy context while facing society’s demanding role expectations and institutions’ fundamental transformation needs. To succeed in knowledge transfer and achieve the third mission, do different knowledge transfer strategies matter at the institutional and academic-based levels for striking challenges derived from the contemporary role and the mission of institutions? Nevertheless, different conceptual understandings of knowledge transfer, say interpreting from policy, implementation, organisation, and developmental perspective, may result in different interpretations on institutions’ strategy formulation, dissemination and implementation. However, these further align with their specified missions, roles, strengths, and stages of knowledge transfer development, inter alia, some identified knowledge transfer models. With the importance of achieving educational and social missions while enhancing sustainability through institutional knowledge transfer initiatives globally, there seems to be a lack of relevant studies in knowledge transfer strategies related to