18 February 2022 marks the 3rd anniversary of the promulgation by the State Council of the "Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". GBA has by now become the catchword whether in government, business or professional sectors. The Outline Plan sets out 5 big goals in strategic positioning: a vibrant world-class city cluster; a globally influential international innovation and technology hub; an important support pillar for the Belt and Road initiative; a showcase for in-depth cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao; and a quality living circle for living, working and travelling. Joint efforts in "going global" are emphasized, to enable the GBA to play a leading role in international cooperation. It is a tall order. This Policy Dialogue examines how Hong Kong can leverage its institutional strengths and key resources in taking advantages of the GBA platform to foster economic transformation and shape a stronger future. New opportunities emerge out of GBA integration and collaboration, but there also exist challenges and threats.
Dr Lina Vyas, Associate Professor with the Department of Asian and Policy Studies at the Education University University of Hong Kong has recently published an article on Policy and Society, entitled ‘“New normal” at work in a post-COVID world: work-life balance and labor markets’.
The COVID pandemic has disrupted the labor markets, the new working arrangements have challenged traditional labor relationship and work practices. What is the ‘new normal’? How has the pandemic impacted the work-life balance? Dr Lina Vyas urges the policymakers and business sector to work together to create a more sustainable model for “new normal” work practices.
Read more: https://doi.org/10.1093/polsoc/puab011
According to the latest 2021 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, Hong Kong continues to top the world's 92 metropolitan housing markets as the least affordable. Its house price-to-income ratio is 20.7, compared to Singapore's 4.7. Despite lengthy debates over the past decade, with various attempts to manage demand and increase land supply, and recent urge by the Central Government to have the problem tackled with determination, housing affordability remains lagging seriously behind needs and expectations. Is it just a land problem? What about planning restrictions and community politics? Can Hong Kong learn from Singapore? This policy dialogue re-examines these critical questions, with some insight from the Singapore experience.
Four MA(PFE) students (Xiao Shiqi, Chen Weiwei, Liu Yutong, Ou Shiteng) formed the team “Budget BOX” and won the Bronze Award of the Personal Finance Ambassador Programme 2021/22 on January 15, 2022. The Personal Finance Ambassador Programme 2021/22 was co-organised by HKEX Foundation Limited, Investor and Financial Education Council, and St James’ Settlement.
COVID-19 has caused the most serious health crisis in a century and the most devastating economic crisis since the Second World War. Governments around the world have to cope with sudden simultaneous health, economic and social challenges. There is no universally agreed way of appraising international performance in the fight against the pandemic, but some (in Asia and the Oceania) are clearly better than others in epidemic control and crisis recovery. As the pandemic focus shifts towards mass vaccination, some countries are accepting "co-existence" as an exit strategy as opposed to a "zero-tolerance" approach. This Policy Dialogue evaluates the performance of Hong Kong against worldwide anti-Covid policy strategies in order to draw some lessons.
The Department of Social Sciences is home to two most-cited scholars worldwide, according to the 2021 Stanford ranking of top 2% most-cited scientists. Professor Jim Chi-yung, Research Chair Professor of Geography and Environmental Science, is the 11th most-cited researcher in the Urban & Regional Planning category. Dr Eddie Cheng Wai-lun, Assistant Professor, is also on the list under the Building and Construction category.