Over 600 students from the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council (VTC) and Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore, attended the 7th edition of the jointly organised VTC-ITE International Student Seminar (ISS) 2019. Held at the Hong Kong Design Institute in Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong, from 17 to 20 Jun 2019, the biennial ISS provided a platform for students to discuss and exchange innovative ideas on initiatives and technologies that may transform nations into livable, sustainable and competitive smart cities.
Since going global in 2007, the Seminar was held thrice in Singapore, in 2009, 2013 and 2017, and four times in Hong Kong, in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. The theme for this year was ‘A Smarter Generation for 2020+’, with three sub-themes: Smart Living, Smart Environment and Smart Economy. Student participants from VTC, ITE, North West Regional College (United Kingdom) and Shenzhen Polytechnic (China) presented projects based on the sub-themes.
Smart Solutions
Some of the ‘Smart’ solutions ITE students came up with are:
Adopting Chatbot and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to help charity organisations manage donations [Smart Living Presentation: Art of Donation - the BrITEy Project]
Reducing urban air pollution and driver frustration with an Internet of Things (IoT) system to identify empty parking lots, reduce waiting time and improve parking flow [Smart Environment Exhibition: Reducing Fuel Wastage, One Parking Lot at a Time].
Embracing Augmented Reality (AR) to build an online presence for small businesses in Little India [Smart Economy Exhibition: AR for Little India]
For the first time, there was also a collaborative presentation by VTC and ITE students titled Caring for Seniors – Mixed Reality Solutions to Live, Learn and Play (Refer to Annex A for details on selected project presentations by VTC and ITE).
Empowering Digital Natives
ISS Organisers invited Leading Speakers to lend their unique insights on the three sub-themes. They are: Mr Billy Lam, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Farm 66 Investment Limited (presentation on Smart Living); Mr Rickson Chow, VTC Alumni, President of International Unmanned Aircraft Systems Association (presentation on Smart Environment); and Mr Eddie Lee, Managing Partner of Limestone Network (presentation on Smart Economy).
Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO, ITE, said, “This year’s theme is particularly apt as Singapore has been rolling out ‘Smart Nation’ initiatives to take on digital revolution. Through this seminar, our students can play a more active role in contributing ideas that can potentially transform the way we live, work and play. I believe the engagement with foreign students will broaden their international perspectives on challenges in other countries; be aware of cultural differences and diversity; and enrich their educational journey.”
The participation of 300 ITE students in VTC-ITE International Student Seminar 2019 was supported by a grant from National Youth Council. The Seminar’s
Reducing urban air pollution and driver frustration with an Internet of Things (IoT) system to identify empty parking lots, reduce waiting time and improve parking flow [Smart Environment Exhibition: Reducing Fuel Wastage, One Parking Lot at a Time].
Embracing Augmented Reality (AR) to build an online presence for small businesses in Little India [Smart Economy Exhibition: AR for Little India]
Closing Ceremony on 20 June 2019 was held at Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) in Tsing Yi, Hong Kong and officiated by Ms Foo Teow Lee, Consul General of Singapore in Hong Kong.