EdUHK Successfully Hosts "2026 Greater Bay Area Youth Leadership VPET and Future Skills Forum"
Fostering HK-Mainland Integration and Exploring AI-Empowered Career Development
The "2026 EdUHK - Greater Bay Area Youth Leadership Vocational and Professional Education and Future Skills Forum," organized by the Institute of Professional and Vocational Education and Lifelong Learning (IPVELL) at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), concluded successfully on February 1. Held at the EdUHK Tai Po Campus from January 31 to February 1, the two-day forum brought together over 80 youth student leaders, teachers, principals, and education experts from Hong Kong and the Mainland Greater Bay Area (GBA) to explore the development of Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) and future skills.
Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, Dean of the Academy for Educational Development and Innovation (AEDI) at EdUHK, delivered a warm welcome speech. He emphasized that the GBA is at a crucial juncture in integrating general and vocational education, making the enhancement of students' Professional and Vocational Education (PVE) literacy a top priority. "In an era where Artificial Intelligence is rapidly rising, we hope to build a bridge connecting AI with various vocational practices," Professor Lee stated. "Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge and skills, but a platform for cultural and experiential exchange. We hope our youth leaders will broaden their horizons through this cross-border exchange and equip themselves for future challenges."
The forum featured insightful sharing from distinguished guest speakers on future education and career development. Professor Zhu Wenzhong from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies discussed the challenges and opportunities in nurturing future talent. Principal Lin Huanchao of Guangzhou Xiangjiang Secondary School shared educational models for cultivating "future skills" in the AI era. Dr. StephenYip, Director (Schools), from EdUHK's CLAP@JC project highlighted that "skills are the universal currency of the future workplace," explaining how "Five Educations 2.0" can help students develop irreplaceable competencies in the AI generation. Furthermore, Professor Hung Man Ching and Principal Lo Wai Shing provided profound perspectives on AI in career planning and student development within the GBA context, respectively.
To promote deep integration and practical learning among Hong Kong and Mainland youth, the forum included a series of interactive sessions. The "Skill-Swap" icebreaker on the first day allowed mixed groups of students from both regions to share their cities' learning cultures. The second day focused on "AI Empowerment," featuring a three-hour immersive "AI Lab and GBA Career Exploration" workshop. Students learned to utilize generative AI for data collection and occupational analysis, applying these new skills in the "GBA Career Navigator" Challenge. An academic writing workshop in the afternoon further guided students to build research frameworks around trending topics such as AI's impact on future careers and ESG strategies.
The forum concluded with a closing ceremony featuring student reflections and a certificate presentation. This event not only deepened the exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland in the VPET sector but also successfully inspired the next generation of youth to leverage AI for career planning, laying a solid foundation for nurturing future-ready leaders in the Greater Bay Area.
Prof. Lee Chi Kin, President of EdUHK, gives a welcome speech for the forum.
Guest speakers for the forum.
Interactions between guest speakers and participants.
Sharings on education and career developments from guest speakers.
Group work for the secondary school students from GBA.
Students and teachers from Guangzhou Xiangjiang International High School.
Enquiries: 2948 6450 / info-ipvell@eduhk.hk