Professor Esther Lau and Dr Wang Hui from the Faculty of Education and Human Development have been awarded funding under the inaugural Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme (ORFS) of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, highlighting the University’s outstanding achievements in fostering impactful international collaboration.
Professor Esther Lau, from the Department of Psychology, is a registered clinical psychologist whose research advances the understanding of sleep, mental health, and human flourishing. Her work examines how daytime and night-time sleep influence neurocognitive and emotional development, while also exploring meaning, values, and character strengths to promote holistic well-being.
Professor Lau said, “I am deeply honoured and truly blessed to receive the ORFS award. This fellowship provides unique support to strengthen and deepen our international collaborations in uncovering the mysteries of sleep and promoting human flourishing from a neuropsychological-spiritual perspective.”
Dr Wang Hui is Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counselling and Associate Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change. Her research centres on educational psychology, with a particular focus on teacher motivation, emotion, and emotion regulation, and how these factors shape teacher well-being, teaching quality, and student learning outcomes. Through extensive regional and international collaborations, her research addresses critical challenges such as teacher burnout and attrition.
Dr Wang said, “This fellowship is a great opportunity to translate my research on teacher emotion and well-being into scalable, evidence-based support systems. By fostering global collaboration, I aim to move beyond identifying the causes of teacher burnout to co-developing innovative, cross-cultural frameworks that sustain teacher well-being and enhance the quality of learning environments.”
This year, six EdUHK researchers received ORFS awards, placing the University second among local institutions in both the number of awardees and the total funding secured. The scheme supports Hong Kong scholars in engaging in immersive international collaboration at leading overseas universities, further enhancing the global impact of Hong Kong’s research excellence.
