Ms. Stephany TAI

Award Citation

The team led by Professor Kelvin KL Chong (CUHK), with Professor Arthur Tsang (CUHK), Dr Sharron Leung (Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)) and Ms Stephany Tai (CUHK) as team members, spearheaded the Eye Learn, I.CARE (ELIC): Joint-University Eye Care Ambassador Training Scheme. Guided by the philosophy of “Volunteer to Learn, Learn to Volunteer”, ELIC combines interprofessional learning with community service, nurturing empathy, compassion and social responsibility while equipping students from UGC-funded universities, tertiary institutions and secondary schools as Eye Care Ambassadors.

Central to ELIC is its learner-centred “REST Framework” (Research, Education, Service, and Technology). Through research projects, flipped-classroom learning, specialised workshops, and supervised eye-care services, students connect academic knowledge with authentic healthcare setting. By bringing together learners from different backgrounds, the programme values complementary expertise and nurtures an integrated approach to addressing healthcare challenges. Partnerships with NGOs further enable students to organise outreach activities for marginalised communities, deepening their understanding of local health disparities while strengthening teamwork, communication and humanistic values.

Technology is also thoughtfully embedded in the programme through tools such as digital logbooks, an online human resources system with real-time dashboards, and an automated station roster, facilitating competency monitoring, professional conduct assessment and formative feedback. With strong potential for sustained dissemination across the UGC sector and beyond, ELIC exemplifies how tertiary education can generate tangible societal impact while nurturing lifelong learners.