The Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) 30th Anniversary Celebration Ceremony was held today (October 23). Under the theme "30 Years On: Empowering Language Capabilities for Tomorrow", the ceremony looked back on SCOLAR's journey and achievements in promoting biliteracy and trilingualism, and the development of language education, while also looking ahead to future directions.

     Officiating at the ceremony, the Acting Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai, noted that five universities in Hong Kong have been ranked among the global top 100 in the latest global university rankings released by international higher education institutions, making Hong Kong one of the cities with the highest density of elite institutions worldwide. This achievement not only reflects the efforts of higher education institutions but is also inseparable from the solid foundation of language education. The Education Bureau (EDB) has been promoting biliteracy and trilingualism, with the aim of enabling students to write fluently in both Chinese and English, and to communicate confidently in Cantonese, English and Putonghua. The EDB also seeks to leverage Hong Kong's distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being connected to the world, in order to nurture high-calibre talent who possess both a deep cultural heritage and a broad international perspective for the benefit of the country and society.

     Dr Sze commended SCOLAR for its three decades of dedication to conducting research and promoting the development of language education in Hong Kong, as well as for providing valuable and professional advice. He also expressed gratitude to schools, teachers and partners from all sectors of the community for their steadfast support over the years in promoting biliteracy and trilingualism. The EDB would continue to work closely with SCOLAR and partners from various sectors to lay a solid foundation in language competency for the next generation, equipping them to actively integrate into and contribute to the nation's overall development, broaden their international horizons and seize future opportunities.

     The Chairperson of SCOLAR, Dr Anissa Chan, extended sincere appreciation to former chairpersons, past and current members of SCOLAR, as well as partners from education and other sectors for their longstanding support. She said that, over the past three decades, SCOLAR had worked cohesively with various sectors to implement a wide range of initiatives, creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to learn and use language in response to the needs of society and the development of language education. Looking ahead, SCOLAR will build on the achievements of the past 30 years and continue to uphold the spirit of innovation, partnership and community engagement, collaborating with various sectors to write a new chapter in the development of language education.

     The celebration featured a rich programme. Through videos and presentations, SCOLAR showcased the achievements of the Scheme on Early Language and Literacy Development in Chinese and English Language of Young Children, the Research and Development Projects, and the International Summit on the Use of AI in Language Learning and Teaching. Student representatives from the Student Language Ambassador (SLA) Programme reflected on their growth journey as SLAs and shared their learning experiences. Winners of competitions sponsored by SCOLAR and community partners delivered impressive performances, demonstrating through their outstanding language proficiency the achievements of SCOLAR's efforts in promoting community participation and language use. During the chit-chat session, SCOLAR's 30th Anniversary Ambassador, Hins Cheung, together with representatives who had participated in SCOLAR's programmes, shared their experiences in learning and using language, showcasing the positive impact of SCOLAR's initiatives.

     The ceremony was held at the Y Theatre of Youth Square, and was attended by nearly 600 community partners, teachers, parents, and students who had participated in SCOLAR's programmes. For more information about the ceremony and SCOLAR's latest initiatives, please visit the SCOLAR website (scolarhk.edb.hkedcity.net/en) or follow its social media pages.

Ends/Friday, October 23, 2026
Issued at HKT 18:04

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