The following is issued on behalf of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research:
      
     The Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) held a conference, "Advancing Language Education, Building a Better Community", in celebration of the 25th anniversary of its establishment at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (June 25). The remarkable efforts of SCOLAR made over the years were showcased at the conference which also served as a platform in bringing various stakeholders together to exchange their knowledge and experiences on topics of strategic importance to language education in Hong Kong.
      
     At the opening ceremony, the Chairman of SCOLAR, Mr Lester Huang, welcomed about 600 attendences by guests and participants, including academics, headmasters, teachers, students and parents, who attended either in person or via online platforms. He took the opportunity to highlight the importance of language education and the work of SCOLAR over the years.  Established in 1996 to advise the Government on general language education issues and the use of the Language Fund, SCOLAR has been making remarkable contributions in these areas over the years in Hong Kong.
      
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, reaffirmed the importance of biliteracy and trilingualism and extended his gratitude to incumbent and former SCOLAR chairmen and members. He also thanked different stakeholders including practitioners from the education sector, parents and students for their strong dedication and support to SCOLAR.
      
     Earlier this year, a social media video contest, "Be The Next Star KOL 2021", was co-organised by the Education Bureau and SCOLAR to celebrate the latter's 25th anniversary and received a good response.  About 1 700 students from more than 170 schools across kindergarten, primary and secondary levels joined the contest. During the ceremony, Mr Yeung presented prizes to some of the winners and expressed great appreciation to some 40 awardees who stood out among the contestants.
      
     The conference also featured a rich array of guest talks, symposia and parallel sessions, which covered a broad spectrum of topics in language education and pedagogy. In particular, the former Chairman of SCOLAR and Emeritus Professor of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Cheng Kai-ming, delivered a talk on the timely subject of how we can best navigate the new normal under the COVID-19 pandemic.  
      
     Some internationally renowned guest speakers also shared their insights through pre-recorded talks, including Emeritus Professor of the Free University of Brussels, Professor Piet Van de Craen; Chair Professor of Applied Linguistics of the University College London Institute of Education, Professor Li Wei; Distinguished Professor of Jiangsu Normal University, Professor Zhou Qing-sheng; and Professor Chan Shui-duen of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.  
      
     In tandem, the symposia brought together language education experts to explore the implications of several SCOLAR initiatives for local language education development, and parallel sessions showed how findings and deliverables of SCOLAR's Research and Development projects could be brought to application.
      
     To mark the occasion, a commemorative video, "SCOLAR 25th Anniversary Commemorative Video" featuring the impact of various SCOLAR initiatives from the beneficiaries' view, was debuted and brought the ceremony to a memorable close.
      
     The video clips of the conference, including the commemorative video, will be uploaded onto SCOLAR's website at scolarhk.edb.hkedcity.net/. More details on the 25th anniversary of SCOLAR and other celebratory events can also be reached via the same link.

Ends/Friday, June 25, 2021
Issued at HKT 14:08

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