The Hong Kong prize has become a topic of hot debate recently, with some people advocating that it should be abolished. Others, however, believe that it provides a useful incentive for students to work hard. It also encourages students to take on higher-level subjects, which is good for their future careers. Moreover, the prize money can help them pay off their debts and support their families. It is a very important initiative and it has made a big difference to many people’s lives.
During this year’s Hong Kong Prize 2024, judges will be looking at the creativity, design and innovation of student projects. Shortlisted teams will receive a medal and a certificate. The school they represent will also receive a trophy. In addition, the first place team will receive HK$5 million of merit prize, which is shared equally among the members of the shortlisted teams.
Another aspect that the judging panel will be looking at is the practicality of the project. It must be able to solve a real-world problem, demonstrate its benefits and how it can improve the lives of those in need. Moreover, the project must be implemented locally.
This is the fifth year that the Hong Kong Prize has been running and it has become a very popular competition among schools. Students from a wide range of secondary schools are competing for the top prize of HK$5 million. The winners will be announced on 25 March.
The winning projects will be selected based on the originality, creativity, design and technical feasibility of their ideas. They must have a clear and strong social impact, show excellent teamwork skills, be innovative and creative, and provide solutions to real-life problems. The project should be based on a specific theme that changes from one year to the next.
In the event that no winners are found, the cash amount that would have been paid to the 1st and 2nd prizes will be added to a jackpot (Duo Bao Jiang) in the next draw. This process will continue until there is a winner. It is possible that the jackpot will reach more than HK$100 million, which is significantly higher than the usual HK$8 million for the first prize.
Another exciting feature of the HK Prize is that it is open to all students from any secondary school in Hong Kong. The entry fee for the prize is only HK$5. Students can submit their applications online from 27 January to 18 February 2025.
The Xplorer Prize was launched in 2018 to support and encourage young scientists. It is open to principal authors of Academy Fellowship who have published papers in medical science with a research paper authored by them. In this way, the Xplorer Prize recognises excellence in the development of noninvasive tests and early diagnosis of diseases. It is also a platform for young researchers to showcase their scientific achievements. This year’s finalists include Ng Siew Chien for developing noninvasive tests in the detection of gastrointestinal and autism spectrum disorders, and Zhang Hua, Chen Shih-chi, and Wang Cong for their breakthroughs in phase engineering of nanomaterials and 3D micro- and nanofabrication as well as in smart data and AI security technology.