From June 22 to 25, 2026, with the strong support of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), the "SDG x Experiential Learning" project team – under the joint supervision of Dr. CHENG Wing Tung, Dr. Norman B. MENDOZA, and Dr. XIONG Weiyan – led 17 student ambassadors to Jakarta, Indonesia, to participate in the Times Higher Education (THE) Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC) as student delegates. This student group comprised the largest student delegation during the event, marking the ambassadors' significant participation in the GSDC. This trip was more than an academic exchange; it was a responsible practice rooted in education and responsive to the pressing issues of our time.
During the Congress, the student delegates, positioning themselves as pre-service teachers, actively engaged in discussions on climate issues, gender equality, and sustainability skills, fostering in-depth dialogue and critical thinking from a global citizen's standpoint. Stepping out of the classroom and into the world, they demonstrated through action the commitment of educators to a sustainable future.
At the EdUHK exhibition booth, Professor John LEE Chi-kin, President of the University, and Professor CHEN Chee-hin, Vice President (Research and Development), visited the team in person and offered their sincere encouragement. President Lee particularly noted that among the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 17 (Partnerships) holds strategic significance – and this was precisely the core purpose of their participation. He also encouraged everyone to continue to focus on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), harnessing the power of education to drive more inclusive and equitable social progress.
As EdUHK SDGxEL Ambassadors, our students remain true to their original aspiration of responding to the call of our times through education. As student delegates to the Global Sustainable Development Congress, they feel the weight of this mission even more deeply, channeling the voice of youth into collective action – so that the seeds of education may take root and flourish in the fertile soil of sustainable development.