Dear Members and Friends,

Welcome to the ninth issue of the Policy Research @ HKIAPS e-Newsletter. We hope this newsletter finds you well and keeps you updated on our efforts to advance the policy impacts of our colleagues’ academic studies.

With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and life returning to normal in Hong Kong, more physical international and regional events are resuming. The Policy Forum on Global Chaozhou People and the Belt and Road Initiative was held in May 2023 to great success. Organized by the Federation of Hong Kong Shantou Community Organizations and supported by Policy Research @ HKIAPS, the forum brought together local as well as international academics and policy makers to discuss the relationship between the Chaozhou diaspora and the Belt and Road Initiative from the aspects of construction, socio-economics, trade, and people’s livelihoods. This forum served as a bridge between academic research and national strategy by offering relevant suggestions and recommendations on the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In addition to the forum, the seminar on Gender Perspectives in Urban Planning: A Case of Barcelona, co-organized with the HKIAPS Gender Research Centre, took place in July 2023. The seminar explored social equity in urban planning by highlighting the case of Barcelona based on a recent field visit. As we continue to resume travelling, we look forward to facilitating more international and interdisciplinary collaborations among our colleagues.

Over the past months, our members have been publishing journal articles and commentaries on various topics, including national strategies and their implementation, as well as sociodemographic changes and wellbeing. We hope to continue to enrich our society and contribute to our collective knowledge and understanding.

We plan to hold more in-person events in the coming months, allowing us to reconnect with our members and friends. The upcoming Policy Forum on Building a Sustainable Healthcare System for Hong Kong will be held at Cho Yiu Conference Hall, CUHK on 28–29 July. The forum will gather together local and overseas academics to discuss the policy impact of our colleagues’ innovative research into Hong Kong’s healthcare systems. We hope that this event will foster closer international collaborations and inspire new ideas among our peers. We invite you to join us at this exciting forum and other future events to be held at the local, national, and international levels.

As the Co-Convenors of Policy Research @ HKIAPS, we would like to extend a warm welcome to new members who are joining this vibrant platform. We appreciate the continuing collaboration and support of partners and friends. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and to working together on interdisciplinary scholarly exchanges in the future!


Fanny M. Cheung
Victor W. T. Zheng