Tencent Establishes Tencent WeTech Academy in Hong Kong
Academy will promote tech innovation and education to young people
Tencent announced a new educational initiative today aimed at nurturing young people interested in innovation and promoting the use of technology for good. The Tencent WeTech Academy, in Hong Kong, will feature cutting-edge technology and will contribute to cultivating local talent to transform the city into an international hub for innovation and technology.
The launch ceremony, at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, featured Financial Secretary of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr. Paul Chan; President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Prof. Jin-Guang Teng; and Mr. Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, Cloud and Smart Industries Group, Tencent. Tencent Foundation's Chief Executive Mr. James LI Tsz Shu presided over the event.
Promoting Innovation and Technology Education in Hong Kong
“It was a pleasure to participate in today’s launch event,” said Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of HKSAR. “Through our collaborative effort, we have built a new bridge connecting innovative enterprises with educational institutions. This channel allows companies to share their resources – from cutting-edge technological advancements to product development expertise, through to personal anecdotes from their research and development teams – directly with students, igniting their curiosity, expanding their knowledge and inspiring the next generation to pursue their dreams in the technology sector.”
Mr. Chan also noted that artificial intelligence (AI) is a pivotal force in accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and driving the transformation of traditional industries. He further emphasized Hong Kong's strategic position: “Hong Kong possesses significant advantages in this AI-driven era and is poised to lead the way. The Government's recently announced Budget reflects this commitment, designating AI as a key industry and outlining increased investment in critical areas such as computing power, algorithms, data, talent and capital, while fostering the development of new application scenarios.”
Mr. Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President & CEO, Cloud and Smart Industries Group, Tencent, said, “Tencent WeTech Academy is committed to improving the youth’s technological competence. We will assist them in developing a better understanding of cutting-edge technologies, while providing them with opportunities to apply them through international coding competitions, open technology platforms and educational tools. All this will help cultivate a sense of social responsibility among our youth, promote the concept of Tech for Good and ultimately allow the benefit of technology to reach everyone in the society.”
Youth Tech for Good Day
On the same day, Tencent and the Changing Youth Lives Foundation jointly hosted the Youth Tech for Good Day. Through sharing from school representatives, students and Tencent experts, students were provided a better understanding of the importance of technology education and how they could apply their academic knowledge in their daily lives.
The event included a discussion between young people and the Financial Secretary, sharing from Lingnan Secondary School’s students, the first winning team of the Tencent Little Safflower STEAM Scholars Award and stories of how Tencent experts utilized games and Mini Programs for good causes.
This year Weixin Mini Program Global Innovation Challenge was also kicked start during the event. As one of the Academy’s major events, the competition encourages youth to tap into their creativity to solve societal issues with Mini Programs as they engage in meaningful exchange with fellow competitors worldwide. Starting today with the inaugural prompt proposed by the Financial Secretary, the competition will promote technology sharing among all in the Greater Bay Area and nurture technology talent in Hong Kong.
Tencent WeTech Academy's Four Major Initiatives
Leveraging Tencent's robust technical capabilities and resources, Tencent WeTech Academy is dedicated to promoting the holistic development of technology and innovation education. By integrating a tiered training system with hands-on learning, research and competitive experiences, Tencent aims to improve the scientific and technological literacy of the next generation through the following initiatives:
1. Resources and Technical Support
- Open access to charitable educational platform for learning Weixin Mini Program development: The Academy will serve as a one-stop platform offering Mini Program development kits, educational resources and a library of more than 200 online technology courses to lower the barrier to entry for young people to learn Mini Program development skills.
- Fun Learning Mandarin: By leveraging AI-powered language assessment solutions, interactive games, online competitions and cross-border cultural exchange programs, the app pioneers a fun and holistic way – encompassing lecture, practice, contest and application modules – of learning Putonghua for primary and secondary school students. It will also use technology to improve student engagement and language learning efficacy.
- Tencent Cloud AI coding and large model tools: The Academy will provide teaching aids focused on AI coding, large model applications and reasoning research to educators and students, facilitating lectures and enabling the students to learn through practice.
- The Master Classes for Youth in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao: The Academy will invite a diverse roster of leading technology, history, culture and arts experts to engage with the youth in inspiring knowledge and experience sharing sessions.
2. Schools and Internship Partnerships
- Dream for Good: Working with local social welfare organizations, the Academy will work with hundreds of kindergartens and elementary schools on technology and moral education activities that cultivate youth’s interest in science and technology, as well as develop a sense of social responsibility.
- Mini Program workshops for teachers: This initiative will bring AI experts together with educators for in-person exchange to better equip teachers for technology-related curricula in schools.
- Tech for Good Internship Program and Summer Internship and Employment Program: By providing internship and job opportunities for university students and organizing workplace experiences for secondary school attendees, the Academy will strive to improve technological literacy and foster a strong sense of social responsibility among the younger generation.
- Gamifying AI training for the youth: The Academy will offer a dynamic, gamified learning experience for Hong Kong secondary school students, enabling them to acquire coding skills and AI knowledge through engaging activities that foster creativity and a passion for science and technology.
3. Tournaments and Innovative Practices
- Weixin Mini Program Global Innovation Challenge: The contest promotes coding education, innovation and problem-solving by inviting participants to design Mini Programs that address real world issues.
- Tencent Little Safflower Community STEAM Scholars Award: This award scheme motivates secondary school students to leverage STEAM knowledge, technology and tools to solve real world issues and enhance the quality of life for communities.
- Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay Artificial Intelligence Youth Dream Camp: By combining Tencent Coding's graphical programming tool with AI technology, the Academy will launch engaging coding competitions and hands-on activities to help young people master fundamental programming skills.
4. Research and Social Applications
- AI Society industry forum and thematic sharing session: Organized by Tencent Research Institute, it provides university students and young professionals with career advice and networking opportunities that help them succeed in today’s job market.
- Education Technology Research Report: By publishing research reports that advocate for closer collaboration among industry, academia and research organizations, the Academy is committed to fostering an ecosystem where young professionals can continuously learn, adapt and thrive, ultimately shaping them into future leaders.
Moving forward, Tencent WeTech Academy will remain committed to supporting innovation and technology education, nurturing internationally competitive talent and championing Tech for Good as it creates greater value for the society.
