SDG10 Reduced Inequalities
Photo Credit: Byron Villegas (https://flic.kr/p/8BnP8D)
Background
Despite efforts by the international communities towards poverty alleviation, inequality persists and large social and economic disparities remain. Many people around the world were unable to have fair access to health, education and other services. HKU is contributing to reducing inequalities through teaching and research initiatives, scholarships and support to our students. Common Core courses related to poverty alleviation, social inclusion and equality includes the Political Economy of Growth and Poverty in the World and Being Different: Understanding People with Disabilities.
Initiative
HKU Associate Professor Puja Kapai Paryani continues to be an advocate for minorities in Hong Kong. In 2018, she collaborated with the Zubin Foundation to publish the largest ever study of ethnic minority youth in Hong Kong called #HONGKONGER. The study looked at their identities and aspirations and found that more needs to be done to empower and include ethnic minorities in Hong Kong society, economy, and politics. The study showed that ethnic minority youth feel excluded from society and employment due to a lack of language skills and representation. Yet, as the report pointed out, this could be remedied by targeted language classes and better inclusion work on the part of the government. This research will hopefully serve as a starting point to improve the livelihoods of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong in order to create a more inclusive city.
Professor Pun Ngai from the Department of Sociology recently led a team to finish a study on social media and migrant labour protection in mainland China. The group looked at how migrant labourers in vocational schools both learn and build an identity through social media. They used this information to inform NGOs, activists, and student-workers on migrant labour protection information through training sessions, online engagement, and participatory action research. This work will be used to build a long term multimedia program on labour rights protection for vocational schools in China.
Teaching & Research
Click on the icons to see the full list of courses/research.
2017-18
2018-19
174
194
Courses
10,386
10,662
128
ResearchPapers
117
Students
enrolled
2017/18
2018/19
Percentage of 1st generation students to all students starting a first degree
53%
52%
Percentage of international first degree students from developing nations to all international students starting a first degree
14%
16%
Percentage of students with disabilities
0.9%
0.9%
Percentage of employees with disabilities
0.3%
0.3%
Operation
HKU works to ensure equal access to education for all through a variety of scholarships targeted at minorities and those that may have experienced discrimination. The HeForShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships are a collaboration with the UN and are awarded to students who have overcome the problems of gender inequality in education where they live. The scholarships waive full tuition, accommodation fees, and flights, and provide a living allowance. Students can be any gender and preference is given to students that are from a list of countries based on the UN Human Development Index, Gender Development Index and Gender Inequality Index. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with high financial need are also given priority. The scholarship hopes to propel both gender equity and access to higher education in developing countries. The Henry Chan Inclusive Education Award seeks to recognize students with a disability or special educational needs. It is awarded to current undergraduate students with physical or mental disabilities or SEN who have a good academic record and participate in extracurricular activities on campus. Five awards of HKD $10,000 are given every year to promote equality on campus.