Speech by Ir Tony Wong, JP, Commissioner for Digital Policy, at the “50th Anniversary Gala Dinner cum Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation Ceremony of the Department of Computing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University” (with photos)
Dr LOU (Executive Vice President, PolyU, Dr Miranda LOU), Prof. LI (Head, Department of Computing (COMP), Prof. LI Qing), distinguished guests, fellow alumni, fellow students, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. It’s my great honour to join you all tonight to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Department of Computing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). I would like to begin by offering my warmest congratulations to Distinguished Alumni Awardees. You are truly a role model for me and all our fellow alumni and students. I stand here this evening not only as a guest, but also as an alumnus of this distinguished university. It is always a pleasure to be back to the Department to speak and celebrate its success in pursuing innovation and technology.
Over the past five decades, we have witnessed the extraordinary advancements achieved in technology and computer science. From the early days of mainframe computers to the era of cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence (AI), the Department of Computing has always been at the forefront of this evolution. To cultivate students with professional knowledge and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in an ever-evolving technology landscape, the Department has demonstrated its keen ability to embrace changes and keep its curriculum up-to-date with the development of technology. The results are phenomenal, as reflected by the proud recognition attained by PolyU for the Best University for Blockchain in 2022 among 240 universities and institutions worldwide.
As an alumnus of the PolyU and the Department of Computing, I am always proud of what my alma mater has achieved in grooming talent for Hong Kong. In particular, the foundation laid by my education at PolyU has been pivotal in shaping my professional journey, and it has instilled in me a keen interest in digital technology and problem solving, a passion for serving the community and the country, and a desire to contribute to Hong Kong’s digital transformation.
As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government will press ahead with the digitalisation of government services, using AI and opening up and sharing more government data to accelerate the development of digital economy. To ensure a vibrant AI ecosystem in Hong Kong, the Government spares no effort in implementing all-round measures on various fronts including the setting up of advanced AI infrastructure. To provide sufficient computing resources for research and development (R&D), Cyberport is working full steam on developing an AI Supercomputing Centre to meet the growing demands of universities, research institutes and industry sector. The first phase of the facility is expected to come into operation before the end of this year. We have also allocated $3 billion to launch a three-year AI Subsidy Scheme to groom our AI industry. Starting from last month, local universities, R&D institutes and AI-related enterprises can apply under the subsidy scheme to help achieve their scientific and application breakthroughs by leveraging the computing power of the new facility. I look forward to the active participation and support of PolyU and the Department of Computing on this important initiative.
On opening up of data, the Government revamped the Open Data Policy back in 2018 to unlock more government data in digital format for innovative applications. This initiative stimulates the creative and value-added re-use of open data by the community, promoting innovation to bring convenience to the public. It also fosters entrepreneurship by harnessing collective community wisdom. Currently, more than 5 400 open datasets are available on the Open Data Portal managed by my office, for free use by the public. The annual data download already exceeded 54 billion last year, a ten-fold increase in just four years since 2019.
Our effort to promote the opening up and sharing of data does not end here. To foster cross-boundary data flow between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the Government signed a MoU in June last year with the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”), and my office subsequently launched the facilitation measure through voluntary adoption of a “Standard Contract” to streamline the cross-boundary flow of personal data between the nine mainland cities of the GBA with Hong Kong. The facilitation measure in place has significantly lowered the compliance cost of cross-boundary data flow, and helped boost the digital economy in the GBA, with a view to promoting more cross-boundary services to benefit the businesses and the general public in the region.
With the establishment of the Digital Policy Office (DPO) in July this year, there will be more opportunities for collaboration between my office and the Department of Computing. DPO will lead in promoting data-driven, people-centric, and outcome-based digital policies, enhancing the Government’s efficiency and services by opening up and sharing more government data, and bringing greater benefits to citizens and business sectors through digital government and smart city development. I have full confidence that the Department of Computing will continue to be a significant partner and contributor to achieving these goals.
In closing, I wish the Department of Computing the very best in its future endeavours. I am sure that it will continue to grow, inspire, and lead in the ever-changing global arena of innovation and technology in the many more decades to come. Thank you.
- ENDS -
