ICAS Book Prize and BOCHK Prize

For more than 20 years, the ICAS book prize has been a platform for publishers and scholars to showcase their academic publications on Hong Kong studies. The Society has been proud to be the organiser and sponsor of this event, which has garnered great support from local and international academia and readers alike. This year, we are pleased to announce the launch of the HK-China Studies Prize, another milestone in our endeavour to promote global understanding of Hong Kong and China.

The prize is open to academic books published in any language on the topics of Hong Kong and China. The book should have a strong focus on Hong Kong and China, and demonstrate an academic quality and depth of research. The winning entries will be chosen by a panel of judges, comprising scholars and experts in the fields of Hong Kong and China studies. The winners will receive a cheque for HK$150,000.

Established in 2022, the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (the “Prize”) is hosted by Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, title sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. The Prize aims to recognise scientists or research teams who excel in scientific exploration, the application and transformation of their research achievements, as well as the impact on society. It provides encouragement for young scientists and research professionals in Hong Kong to persist in innovative exploration, establish themselves here, serve their nation and contribute globally.

This year, the Prize attracted record number of applications from researchers in HKUST and other local universities, with applicants in the fields of artificial intelligence, life and health, new materials and energy, and advanced manufacturing being particularly prominent. The success of the Prize also reflects the importance attached to this endeavour in Hong Kong.

The Prize was inaugurated in honour of the late US philanthropist Fred Kavli, who set up 17 research institutes at universities around the world in astrophysics, neuroscience and nanoscience, with recipients sharing a prize pool of over US$200 million. It provides an excellent opportunity for HKUST to further strengthen its strategic partnership with the rest of the world and enhance its global standing.

In the media, Li Bingcun of News Department took second runner-up in the Best News Writing (English) category for her in-depth articles, titled Securing a New Lease of Life and Life at a Crossroads, respectively, which shed light on the challenges and breakthroughs in cross-border organ transplantation and fertility perseverance respectively. Meanwhile, Xi Tianqi, who has only spent one and a half years at the paper, won first merit in the Best Young Reporter category with her report titled Boosting HK Tourism.

The 25th Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon saw a number of new records, including 151 men and 66 women from Hong Kong taking part, the highest number in the race’s history. Title sponsor Standard Chartered has also increased the marathon prize money to encourage more people to take up the challenge, granting HK$10,000 to all permanent residents who finish the full marathon within three hours for men and under three hours for women.