HKU RIICH Roundtable group photo
The Research and Impact Initiative on Communication in Healthcare at the University of Hong Kong (HKU RIICH) organised and held a roundtable event entitled "Shared Visions: Preparing Talent Today for the Challenges of Tomorrow " on 5 December 2025. The event brought together diverse stakeholders involved in preparing today's university students and graduates for the workforce, including government departments, business organisations, employers, university support services, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and university students and graduates.
The event took place both online and in person on the HKU campus. This half-day event attracted 115 online registrants and 38 in-person attendees from local universities. Online attendees joined from a variety of countries, including New Zealand, Chile, and the United States.
The event was underpinned by evidence-based findings from HKU RIICH's groundbreaking research and the experiences of roundtable participants. An important goal was to promote dialogue amongst the stakeholders on how to improve support for students and graduates. The event provided a unique platform for all participants to focus and discuss their perspectives on the matter of university-to-work transitions. Another aim was to share important information about government policies and schemes, market forces, and skills needed in the workforce. Importantly, the event aimed to engage the stakeholders in how to improve the university-to-work transition for students and graduates in Hong Kong.
Professor Olga Zayts-Spence of the HKU Faculty of Arts and Director of HKU RIICH presented the empirical findings from the large-scale mixed-methods interdisciplinary project on university-to-work transitions in the post-COVID world. The project findings highlighted the negative impact of the pandemic and worsening job market on graduates' transitions. The dual challenges in the workplace of remote working arrangements and artificial intelligence (AI) were also highlighted. The findings also revealed particular ways forward for students, such as improving their soft skills and taking up cross-border employment opportunities.
Ms Charlotte Cheung and Ms Timmie Cheng from the Labour Department promoted the various schemes and resources offered by the government to support the young persons and graduates in their first career. In particular, the Greater Bay Youth Employment Scheme (GBAYES) was highlighted as an employment opportunity provided by the government to Hong Kong graduates to engage in employment in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.
Complementing the government perspective, Dr Li Kai from the Shenzhen Fintech Association and Mr Simon Clarke from an international bank presented the perspectives of employers. They foregrounded the skills expected of graduates by businesses, with an emphasis on proficiency in AI tools and technologies.
Meanwhile, Mr Larry Leung from the HKU's Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) highlighted the resources that were available from their end, and accessible immediately to current students and fresh graduates.
Ms Jenny Hsieh (Master of Family Wealth Management, HKU) and Ms Julienne Jen (Faculty of Law, HKU) outlined the challenges that graduates from their respective faculties faced, as well as the skills employers expected, as their students moved into the workforce.
Finally, bringing a recent graduate's firsthand experience, Ms Stephanie Ng – a recent HKU graduate – outlined her own journey and gave valuable advice to students facing the same process.
These presentations were followed by an in-depth panel discussion with all stakeholders. The discussion focused on unpacking which stakeholders were ultimately responsible for supporting graduates, with a key insight being that it was a collaborative effort between universities, employers, and graduates themselves. Further discussion emphasised the importance of fit - that students align their study with their interests and skills, in order to find suitable future employment. Panellists also discussed tips for how students and graduates can stand out in the job interview process. Overall, student attendees valued the useful advice offered in the panel discussion and the insights from employers on their selection processes and how they identify the best candidates. Finally, attendees appreciated the ability to interact with the speakers and receive the feedback on site."
The roundtable event was undertaken as part of a large-scale interdisciplinary research project generously funded by the Collaborative Research Fund, under the delegation of the Research Grants Council (C7075-23WF), awarded to Professor Olga Zayts-Spence.
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