Theme: Tide to Table: Advancing Marine Conservation Through Student-Led Innovation

Co-Teaching Team:
Dr Glos Ho, Division of Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Programmes (DTUP)
Dr Yan Kwan, Division of Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Programmes (DTUP)
Dr Patrick Yue, Department of Biology
Dr Daniel Kwok, Department of History

The "Tide to Table" project in ITS1005 Global Challenges I provided a transdisciplinary platform to examine SDG 14: Life Below Water, focusing on the threats of marine pollution and the need for enhanced marine conservation. With funding from the Environment and Conservation Fund, students designed 32 educational resources aimed at promoting the sustainable use of oceans.

Theme: Farm to Table: Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture in Hong Kong

Co-Teaching Team:
Dr Caixia Chu, Division of Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Programmes (DTUP)
Prof. Kingsley Ng, Academy of Visual Arts
Dr Kristen Li, Department of Computer Sciences

The "Farm to Table" project in ITS 2008 Global Challenges II addressed the critical link between local food systems and the health of terrestrial ecosystems. It explored how sustainable agriculture can mitigate land degradation and enhance urban biodiversity. The course highlighted the complexities of sustainable farming through hands-on experiences. This direct community engagement allowed students to work closely with smallholder farmers, gaining insights into the pressures on land use and the importance of soil conservation.

Theme: Footprint to Future: Redefining the Urban Tourist Experience for a Greener City

Co-Teaching Team:
Dr Yan Kwan, Division of Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Programmes (DTUP)
Mr Ryan Man, Department of Accountancy, Economics and Finance
Prof. Kevin Lo, Academy of Geography, Sociology and International Studies

The "Footprint to Future" project in ITS 2008 Global Challenges II challenged students to tackle the complex environmental and social impacts of urban tourism. The project focused on how innovative solutions can mitigate tourism-related pressures like waste generation and cultural commodification while enhancing benefits for local communities. The cornerstone of the course was a three-day, two-night study trip to Zhuhai, where students experienced sustainable tourism firsthand. This trip facilitated a valuable "One University, Two Campuses" collaborative exchange, uniting HKBU students with peers from Beijing Normal University – Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU).

Theme: Sustainable Ocean

Co-taught by: Dr. Glos HO, Dr. Gray HO and Dr. Patrick YUE

Course Highlights: In this semester, students were introduced the topic of Sustainable Ocean through a series of teaching and learning activities, including guest seminars and hands-on experience (microplastics field work, water quality and onsite analysis and Beach Cleanup). In the end of the semester, a student project showcase called "Unconventional Ocean Date" (海洋「非」自由約會) was hosted on campus, featuring 22 innovative ideas to promote a sustainable ocean. The event attracted over 800 participants, including 140 secondary school students and children!

Theme: Sustainable Clothing

Instructor: Dr. Glos HO

Course Highlights: In this semester, students were introduced to the topic of Sustainable Clothing through guest seminars and fieldwork, enabling them to independently evaluate and address issues. Subsequently, students conducted interviews with 12 faculty members from diverse disciplines. As part of the assessment, students were set up 22 booths on the HKBU campus to educate the university community and foster transdisciplinary collaborative to enhance sustainable clothing practices.

Theme: Sustainable Eating

Instructor: Dr. Daisy TAM

Course Highlights: In this semester, students examined our complex food system and explored sustainable solutions - from production, distribution to consumption and waste and offered knowledge input from multiple disciplines. With hands-on experience with local charity Breadline, exchanged ideas with overseas universities and shared their learnings with local secondary school students, our students collaborated to create posters envisioning sustainable food futures for Hong Kong. These posters were featured in HKBU campus canteens and on WWF-Hong Kong’s “Sustainable Living for the Health of people and Planet” project website.

Theme: Sustainable Living and Commuting

Instructor: Dr. Kevin LO

Course Highlight: In this semester, students explored sustainable cities and communities through conducting fieldwork on various districts in Hong Kong. Their goal was to understand the strengths and limitations of each district and establish practices to promote urban sustainability. Collectively, they developed a series of collaborative sustainable guidebooks for WWF-Hong Kong to circulate with and inspire the public to re-explore their neighbourhoods.

This course also integrated a cross-border element allowing students to immerse themselves in the intricacies of daily life with an open-minded perspective, enhancing their ability to comprehend and address global challenges. The students participated into a 3 days study tour in Zhuhai, where they partnered with 40 students from Beijing Normal University & Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC) to collaboratively produce videos advocating for cross-border urban sustainability. The videos were showcased in HKBU campus.