Service-Learning and Leadership Office

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Service-Learning and Leadership Office

To this end, PolyU is a pioneering leader in Hong Kong in making service-learning a core educational requirement for all undergraduate degree students.

Ranking among the world’s top 100 institutions, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) aspires to nurture socially responsible professionals and global citizens. PolyU’s service-learning programme has witnessed a tremendous expansion from 6 service-learning subjects and 200 students in 2012 to over 70 regularly-offered subjects and more than 4,500 students each academic year. The University’s commitment to holistic student development through service-learning has received wide recognition including the UGC Teaching Awards, QS Reimagine Education Awards, and as the winner of the “Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year” by the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2022. The Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO), with over 10 years of success, takes the lead in advancing service-learning and youth leadership at PolyU. It champions efforts and resources to make service-learning a meaningful and crucial aspect of faculty work, student life, institutional identity and external partnership. It strives to train, support and facilitate faculty members and academic departments to design and implement innovative service-learning courses and projects. With a pool of service locations extending across Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, South-East Asia and Africa, SLLO demonstrates strong partnerships with local and international community organisations. The office also steers research on the pedagogy and practices of service-learning and fosters collaboration with universities and institutions worldwide. Spearheading the development of quality academic service-learning experiences in response to community needs, SLLO delivers a diverse portfolio of programmes and initiatives to prepare students to become civic-minded professionals with leadership skills, cross-cultural capability, global perspective and a heart to serve. It will continue to engage all stakeholders who embrace the culture of service-learning, and expand service-learning programmes overseas for students in full force.

07/09/2026

Over 140 PolyU students and 50+ students from Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) joined forces in Indonesia to launch an impactful vision screening program a while ago, bringing vital eye care directly to the local community!

Our eyes do more than just see the world—they help us spot where others need a helping hand. By taking their passion for eye health out of the classroom and into the field, these amazing students checked visions, prevented avoidable sight issues, and empowered locals with the knowledge to care for their eyes.

Let’s celebrate these students for using their knowledge and skills to make a real, lasting difference!

03/09/2026

What a great thing to say to the students for their commitment to community wellness!

We were very excited to mark the successful end of our service-learning project, "Healthy Lifestyle Challenges for Developing Communities". The project was a great collaboration between PolyU students and their counterparts at Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW), as a result of which they made a real difference.

Together, the student teams conducted comprehensive health and nutritional assessments for local elderly residents and hosted informative sessions to share vital health knowledge.

24/08/2026

Great leaders of tomorrow need more than just technical skills. They also need strong character, empathy, and a genuine commitment to caring for others. In PolyU’s service-learning projects, our students left their classrooms to plan and run activities in cities like Xi'an, Chengdu, Jinan, Hefei, Hangzhou, and Yinchuan. By creating workshops and activities, they developed important life skills, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and professional strengths. These activities also helped local children and teenagers build self-esteem, improve their social skills, and learn how to manage their emotions in healthy ways.

17/08/2026

Join us live for the webinar “Bridging Networks: Service-Learning in the UK and Asia”!

The webinar is a Trans-Pacific dialogue about the landscape and future of service-learning in Asia and the United Kingdom. Two pairs of representatives from IARSLCE Asia-Pacific Community of Practice (Prof. Stephen Chan and Fr. Prof. George Thadathil) and from the UK SL/CEL Network (Mr Andy Coppins and Dr Paula Karlsson-Brown) will introduce their networks and discuss shared experiences, challenges, and prospects for collaboration in service-learning.

Date: 24 August 2026 (Monday)
Time: 16:30 – 18:00 (HK Time: UTC+8) / 09:30 – 11:00 (UK Time: UTC+1)
Mode of delivery: online via ZOOM
Registration: https://polyu.hk/vYdLd or by scanning the QR code
Registration Deadline: 20 August 2026 (Hong Kong Time: UTC+8)

This webinar is hosted by the Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO) and the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Asia-Pacific Community of Practice (APCoP), and in collaboration with IARSLCE Special Programming Committee.

Visit https://polyu.hk/eqHCL for more details on IARSLCE Asia-Pacific CoP activities

14/08/2026

How can we help the next generation of professionals lead and work with empathy? One way is by bringing education straight to the communities that need it most through service-learning.

PolyU student teams and their teachers brought their service-learning project to Cambodia. Together, they designed therapeutic games and activities for people in need and offered meaningful and sustainable healthcare support to locals.

By engaging the community, our students learned an important lesson for both their careers and personal growth. They had the chance to see real health challenges up close and learned how to use their knowledge to help people in need.

12/08/2026

Learning is never physically restricted, and impactful service can be executed anywhere in the world!

Following lectures and training on campus, PolyU students demonstrated the power of service-learning by travelling to Vietnam recently to apply their academic knowledge and fashion design skills in a real-world context. They collaborated closely with local community members to co-design innovative fashion pieces. This cross-cultural exchange culminated in a finale fashion show, which showcased their collective technical skills and boosted the confidence of the local participants.

11/08/2026

Bringing AI and Digital Literacy to Mongolia!

After mastering AI platform imagery generation, educational game prototyping, and technology ethics, PolyU students travelled to Mongolia and turned classroom knowledge into community outcomes. Our students delivered interactive Scratch coding games and AI-driven learning days for local youth and primary school students. They also mentored local children in English, Maths, and Physics using AI tools. These efforts gave Mongolian youth with little prior tech exposure their first hands-on experience with GenAI and programming, and strengthened their literacy and numeracy.

This is what service-learning is about – empowering the local community while our students learn to apply their skills to real-life educational equity.

06/08/2026

Our first time in Mongolia! An exciting challenge!

Our service-learning project in Mongolia wasn't just about installing solar power for a local school; it was about strategic planning for different educational needs. Our students planned careful layouts and deliberately considered various configurations for whiteboards and monitor screens, ensuring their solar installation effectively enhanced learning environments.

Big shoutouts to our students for their careful combination of sustainable energy and their thoughtful approach toward educational needs! The genuine service-learning in action!

28/07/2026

[𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐧] 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬!

PolyU students, supported by their peers from Yunnan University, delivered a meaningful service project in Yunnan and brought hospitality-specific training to local youths. In-depth discussions covered culinary techniques, Western food and beverage services, regional traditions, and workplace English, with vibrant and energetic exchanges throughout. Through hands-on workshops spanning Eastern and Western catering and tea service, our students and local youths uncovered the value of collaboration and empowered one another.

Address

Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong

Telephone

+85227664376

Website

http://www.polyu.edu.hk/sllo

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