Title: Early years, active futures: Innovative research for young children’s health and development
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM (Hong Kong Time)
Format: Online in English
Registration Link: https://eduhk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SGYlAJo3TMKgERMAGxnzng (Register to attend live or to receive the video recording of the session)
Young children today inhabit a world markedly different from our own. Their world is shaped by digital omnipresence, reduced outdoor freedom, shifts in nutrition, and increased exposure to chemicals and pollution. In this challenging context, early years researchers, kindergarten teachers, and parents must understand how to nurture and safeguard young children's health and development. For Inter-Conversations Forum 19, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Huiqi Song and her team of experts, who will share cutting-edge research and practical explorations on improving preschool children’s physical activity and motor skills to support active futures and lifelong health.
Biography of Speakers
Dr Song Huiqi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education, specialising in early childhood physical health and development. Her ongoing research focuses on the impact of 24-hour movement behaviours encompassing physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep on the health and development of preschool children. Dr Song has published over 20 articles in high-impact journals, such as Child Development, using advanced methods to examine how reallocating time across movement behaviours influences physical fitness, cognitive function, and motor skills in preschoolers.
Title of Talk: Association between Executive Function and Movement Behaviors in Preschool Children
Prof Wen Liming, MD, MMed, PhD, is Director of the Population Health Research and Evaluation Hub at Sydney Local Health District, one of Australia’s leading population health and health promotion services, and a Clinical Professor at the Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. He is an internationally recognised expert in public health and health promotion research and evaluation, with more than 230 peer-reviewed publications.
Title of Talk: Early Prevention of Childhood Obesity: The Journey of Healthy Beginnings Trials
Dr Feng Jie, Jessie is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Sports Science at Ningbo University, where she joined in November 2025. She received her PhD from Hong Kong Baptist University and completed her postdoctoral training at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on movement behaviours and health among children and adolescents. She has published extensively on 24-hour movement behaviours, mental health, and behavioural interventions across different age groups, with a particular focus on preschool-aged children. She has been actively involved in studies using diverse research design, including observational studies, cohort studies, interventions, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, and has published more than 30 articles in international peer-reviewed journals. Dr Feng teaches sports psychology-related courses to undergraduate and graduate students. She is currently leading a national research grant and a university-level funded project.
Title of Talk: Effectiveness of a Parent-Focused Intervention Targeting 24-Hour Movement Behaviours in Preschool-Aged Children: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Mr Shen Hui, Sebastian is an education practitioner, entrepreneur, and doctoral student at the Department of Early Childhood Education, EdUHK. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Ai Xin Education Group in Shenzhen, China, where he has been involved in kindergarten education and management for many years. Driven by his belief that young children need meaningful connections with nature, Sebastian has been exploring and developing nature education practices in early childhood settings. Over the past three years, he has led the design and implementation of nature education curricula in kindergartens, focusing on outdoor experiences, children’s physical activity, and holistic development. His doctoral study at EdUHK further connects his practical experience with educational research. Through this journey, Sebastian hopes to explore how curriculum innovation can create richer learning experiences and support young children’s health, wellbeing, and development.
Title of Talk: Nature Education Curriculum in Kindergartens: Practice and Exploration
Dr Zhang Yuxin is a Digital Health Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University. With a multidisciplinary background in sensing engineering, computer science, and digital health, he develops wearable sensing, artificial intelligence, mobile computing, and digital intervention technologies to support health behaviour change and chronic disease management. Dr Zhang has secured more than $1.7 million in competitive research funding as a Chief Investigator, published 32 peer-reviewed articles in journals and international conferences, and contributed to four granted patents. His current work includes the Moving the Next Generation project, which uses digital and sensing technologies to better understand and support movement, physical activity, and health development in young children. Working with health professionals, educators, and community partners, his research translates real-world challenges into scalable, evidence-informed digital solutions for equitable, personalised and practical health support.
Title of Talk: Digital Technologies for Active Futures: Supporting Young Children’s Movement and Health Development
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