Known as Asia’s World City, Hong Kong rarely fails to impress visitors, whether they are keen on checking out Hong Kong’s night markets, antiques, art, and designer shopping; or the 100s of kilometres of natural trails in the country parks which make up over 40% of Hong Kong’s land, across 263 islands and mainland territory. Foodies and water lovers will also enjoy Hong Kong’s street food and open-air dining, boat rides to rural outlying island villages, and more. Hong Kong is also one of the safest cities in the world for tourists, with very little street crime. In December the weather is usually fine and mild, with little to no rain and moderate temperatures (15-22 degrees Celsius).
For information on tourist attractions check out Discover Hong Kong and an excellent curated list covering the top attractions provided by Robert Black College. The Peak and Hiking Trail from the College, the Star Ferry to Kowloon, Big Buddha and Lantau Island, and taking the ferry to laid-back Lamma Island or Cheung Chau are highlights. Stay longer in Hong Kong to see the sights!
The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong, founded in 1911, is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. It has been commonly regarded as one of the most internationalised universities in the world as well as one of the most prestigious universities in Asia. HKU ranks number 2 in Asia by QS and number 4 by Times Higher Education, and is in the the top 30 internationally. It has nearly 30,000 students, with 42% enrolled in postgraduate study.
Teacher training at HKU began in 1917, with the current Faculty of Education dating back to 1984. The Faculty has been ranked number 4 by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for Education and number 6 by QS World University Rankings for Education. It has over 2,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and over 100 faculty members hailing from all around the world. For more information, click here.
Established in 1994, the Comparative Education Research Centre (CERC) builds on the Faculty’s expertise in comparative and global studies in education. The Centre aims to facilitate, participate in and initiate a wide range of research projects with comparative perspectives; support comparative research; and maintain a wide range of contacts with educational researchers and institutions in China, in the region and internationally.
During the Conference, delegates will have the chance to wander the beautiful campus during lunch times, as well as the surrounding Hong Kong Western District.
The Western District
The University is located in Hong Kong’s loved Western District, which is rich in history and among the latest foodie destinations in Hong Kong. The dense nearby neighbourhoods, Kennedy Town, Shek Tong Tsui, Midlevels, Sai Ying Pun, and Sheung Wan, are just minutes (walking) from Central Hong Kong and distinct in flavour, from one to the next.
The Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office provides excellent informative walking tours and trails online, each of which can be done in a few hours:
The Western District and the Peak Route: This is where HKU is located. Foodies are encouraged especially to check out High Street, just a few blocks downhill from campus in the Sai Ying Pun neighborhood, for Indian, Mexican, Thai, French, Spanish, Italian, Canadian, local, Sichuan, Indonesian, and vegan healthy food. A hike up to the Peak, located just behind campus, is a great way to refresh and recharge.
Sheung Wan Route: Just beyond Sai Ying Pun, Sheung Wan is one of the hippest parts of Hong Kong. It contains Man Mo Temple, one of Hong Kong’s oldest temples, Cat Street shopping, Hollywood Road Antiques, hip pop-ups on Tai Ping Shan Street, and the old Police Married Quarters (PMQ) pop-up shopping and arts centre.
Central Route: Just two MTR stops from HKU (5-10 minutes), Central Hong Kong is a hustling and bustling shopping and dining area, with eateries, markets, and massage shops at the Central Escalator, Soho, and Stanley/Wellington, and Hong Kong Park a short walk further. Tai Kwun, situated in the restored Central Police Station, is one of the latest arts heritage areas.
