Media OutReach Newswire 
Organised by CoolThink@JC, a project initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, this year’s competition attracted more than 120 team entries, with 40 teams advancing to the finals. Among them, eight outstanding teams progressed to the grand final to compete for top honours. Today, the shortlisted teams set up booths to present their app designs and ideas to the public and a judging panel comprising professionals from the education, information technology and business sectors.
Presenting awards at the grand final were Tony Wong, Commissioner for Digital Policy of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government; and Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Speaking at the grand final, Winnie Ying said it was a great honour to witness the innovative ideas presented at the ninth edition of the CoolThink@JC Competition, particularly seeing creativity and innovation in today’s student work such as promoting fitness in sport, learning Chinese through oracle bone script, and creating AI comics to learn financial literacy. The event stands as a testament to the Club’s collective efforts in fostering computational thinking and creativity among Hong Kong’s upper primary school students, she added. Since its launch in 2016, CoolThink@JC has reached over 100,000 students and trained more than 2,000 teachers. The Education Bureau adopted and adapted CoolThink@JC materials, mainstreaming them into all publicly funded primary schools in 2023. It reflects the Trust’s vision to bridge the digital divide, foster digital inclusiveness for all and nurture STEM talents. Together with other Trust-funded STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education projects such as the CUHK Jockey Club AI for the Future Project, the Club aims to equip students with essential skills required for a 21st-century workforce. It seeks to enhance digital competency among youngsters, aligning with the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Policy Address to promote digital education.
Beyond the competition, students will have the opportunity to participate in exchange activities with Mainland schools this summer through the project’s sister school partnerships. This is aimed at fostering collaboration in computational thinking and artificial intelligence education between the Mainland and Hong Kong, promoting cultural understanding and innovative ideas.
Last month, a Memorandum of Understanding titled “CoolThink@JC × Cambodia Sharing and Exchange Programme” was signed with Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, which plans to adopt and adapt the CoolThink@JC curriculum in Cambodian primary schools. This partnership aims to ensure equitable access to quality computational thinking education, nurturing future-ready talent in both Hong Kong and Cambodia.
CoolThink@JC is created and funded by the Club’s Charities Trust, co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and City University of Hong Kong. Launched in 2016, the project aims to empower upper primary students with problem-solving and creative skills for the digital age, enabling them to become creators of technology. It has garnered three prestigious international accolades, including the Silver Award in the Engineering & Technology category and the Bronze Award in the Teaching & Learning category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2021, as well as an international accreditation from the International Society for Technology in Education—attesting to its significant impact and excellence. It has also reached all publicly-funded primary schools in Hong Kong in 2023, demonstrating the project’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and ensure all students have equal access to essential digital literacy. The Education Bureau has adopted and adapted the project’s learning materials for its curriculum modules on innovation and technology education. For more details, please visit: http://www.coolthink.hk/.
The Club’s support for CoolThink@JC, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.
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CoolThink@JC Competition supplementary information:
The grand judging panel comprised esteemed leaders from the education, IT and business sectors, including Tony Wong, Commissioner for Digital Policy, Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government; Edith Tse, Principal Assistant Secretary (Curriculum Support), Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government; Professor Chetwyn Chan, Vice President (Research and Development), The Education University of Hong Kong; Professor Matthew Lee, Chair Professor, Information Systems & E-Commerce, City University of Hong Kong; and Ricky Choi, Director of Smart Living, Cyberport Hong Kong.
Held at City University of Hong Kong, the finals and grand final were also streamed live online, offering greater accessibility to the event. The competition featured team presentations and booth exhibitions, providing participants and judges with opportunities to explore innovative applications of emerging technologies, including programming, artificial intelligence (AI), and STEM. This interactive platform fostered creative exchanges, showcasing how computational thinking and technological innovation can address real-life challenges.
