21st century education is putting more focus on “knowledge transfer” ability; it refers to benefiting the society through absorbing, developing, innovating and applying knowledge. As Hong Kong has entered the era of knowledge-based economy, the relationship between school education, community livelihood and social development becomes closer than ever. Therefore, knowledge must converge with the social development. Research results showed that successful knowledge transfer activities could enhance the value of academic university education. Economic development could also be fostered and inspired by innovative ideas, thus the interaction of knowledge exchange between university and enterprise is essential.

The Hong Kong Institute of Education is dedicated to nurture professionally trained teachers and realize the mission of contributing to the society. Motivated by this belief, Mr. Andrew Chan, Chairman and Managing Director of Kim Lung Fashion Limited, and his wife, Mrs. Grace Chan, donated HK$5,000,000 to the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts to support the establishment of Visual Arts Education and Community Development Project (VAECD). With the aim on initiating knowledge transfer through arts, the VAECD Project will provide funding to Visual Arts staff and students to initiate and conduct arts education and community development activities, and professional research. They are encouraged to proceed from an educational perspective and extend to the community through designing, planning and organizing different community service activities that aim to address issues and improve social livelihood, especially for the under-privileged and elderly. It is also hoped that these activities can help promote social development. The VAECD Project is committed to the mission of preserving the values, culture and heritage of Hong Kong, as well as applying the subject knowledge and skills to the development of Hong Kong society.


Aims
The VAECD project aims to contribute to the society through arts. This is done by facilitating Visual Arts staff and students to diversify and transfer their subject knowledge and skills to develop arts education and community programs as well as professional research. Through these activities, the value of university education is thus enhanced.


VAECD Project Focus

1.
Renovate the image of Hong Kong’s traditional industries, declining arts and crafts products and further develop them into small scale creative industry with distinctive local features.
2.
To serve the community with arts: provide arts and crafts workshops for the under-privileged and help them develop and operate district based handicraft products and arts education activities.
3.
To collaborate with the small scale manufacturers and Greater China so as to strengthen the contacts between HKIEd prospective teachers and the industries, and to put theories of arts and design education into more specific, socialized and practical contexts.
4.
To support and promote local cultures, innovative expression and development of arts.
5.
To provide funding for Visual Arts staff to conduct different kinds of academic research and community development.

For enquiries, please contact us.