Student Profiles & Quotes

Name: Jack Read

Currently studying: History

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019?
I applied for the GLP because I was keen to broaden my horizons and travel to the other side of the world to experience an entirely new culture. I wanted to take part as I knew that the experience would be rewarding, as it would improve my independence as well as my own self-confidence, as it would force me to test myself in an unfamiliar environment. I was curious to see what the project could offer me in terms of networking and improving my employability skills such as leadership and communication, and the GLP certainly didn’t disappoint!

What were your expectations beforehand?
I wasn’t too sure what to expect before travelling to Hong Kong. I had never travelled to Asia prior to the visit so I think I initially suffered from a bit of culture shock as it really hit me how different society in HK operates in comparison to the UK. I assumed that perhaps the locals would be unwelcoming to tourists, however I couldn’t have been more wrong! The locals were very welcoming and proud of where they lived, which was humbling to see. I think it’s safe to say I misjudged Hong Kong prior to the visit!

What was the most important thing you learned from the project?
I believe that the most important thing that I learned from the project was what it meant to be a ‘leader’. Previously, I always believed that a leader was an individual who assumed the greatest responsibility within a group and organised the entire group project. However, upon finishing the project, I realised that being a leader was more about being a ‘team player’ as opposed to assuming all responsibility within the group. Making sure all the members within the group participated and played to their strengths as well as being able to voice their own opinions and allowing them to feel welcomed within the group were all characteristics of an effective leader.

What was your favourite moment of the trip? 
This was a VERY tough decision as I genuinely enjoyed every last minute I spent in HK. I think if I absolutely had to pick a specific moment, it would definitely be when I visited Victoria Peak to see the skyline. The view was absolutely breathtaking and unlike anything I had ever seen before. It really put in to perspective how big the world is and how little I am as a person, and has definitely fuelled my desire to travel and see the world!

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?
I would definitely say to grab the opportunity with both hands. See as many sights as you can and don’t waste a second sitting around in the hotel room. Try new foods, don’t just rely on McDonalds! Really immerse yourself in the culture by doing things such as visiting the street markets, visiting bars, and don’t be afraid to have conversations with the locals as they are often more than happy to answer questions you have about Hong Kong!

How has this affected your opinions on studying/working abroad?
I think that I already had strong aspirations to study abroad prior to visiting HK, however taking part in the GLE has definitely fuelled this desire to travel. I loved the independence that the project gave me, as we were not under non-stop supervision like your typical ‘school trip’. We were really encouraged to be independent and could tailor our own Hong Kong experience to suit our own desires. For example, we had free reign over our free time, so could spend it how we wished, whether that was shopping, sight-seeing, or relaxing with a few beers!

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you?

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Name: Denise Rolls

Currently studying: Law 

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019?

I applied because it looked like an incredible opportunity. The Common Purpose program looked really interesting, and I loved the idea of being able to explore Hong Kong alongside that. I’d never really been too far out of my comfort zone when it came to travelling and the idea of immersing myself in a different culture was really exciting. 

I initially had reservations about applying, but my friends convinced me that I should go for it and I’m so glad I did because I absolutely loved every moment.

What were your expectations beforehand?

I expected Hong Kong to be very different to how it was. I expected it to be quite a rich, luxurious and technologically advanced city and, whilst it was to an extent, there is also a significant portion of the population living in severe poverty. I found the GLP to be great for opening my eyes and showing a side to Hong Kong that I would never have seen had I just gone as a tourist. The city itself is a very stark contract between classes, with families living in cage apartments whilst Porsches and Teslas drive past outside. 

What was the most important thing you learned from the project?

I learned a lot about myself, which I didn't expect. I learned that I can be successful outside my comfort zone, that I can push myself and do more than I give myself credit for, that I can make mistakes without the world ending, and most of all, I learned that to be successful in future, I need to be a leader, not just a person in charge, and the easiest way to do that is with the support of an amazing team. 

What was your favourite moment of the trip? 

My favourite moment was probably sitting on the edge of the fountain by the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui late at night, with the sea breeze blowing across my face, looking at the lights across the bay and wondering how on Earth I ended up here!

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?

Do it. Do not let fear or nervousness hold you back. I left my husband and two children behind for a week and I was so terrified about going it alone without them and leaving them, but they were fine, I was fine, and I had the most incredible experience.

Also, bring deet to keep the mosquitos away and stomach settling tablets, in case the street food isn’t kind to you ;)

How has this affected your opinions on studying or working abroad?

I had never really considered the possibility of studying abroad, however after taking part in the GLP, I am looking into summer schools for 2020, and also considering careers abroad post-graduation. I don’t think I ever realised how many options there are for mobility before.

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you? 

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Name: Kyle Moffat

Currently studying: English & Film 

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019?

I applied for the HK GLP 2019 because it gave me the chance to explore a new culture and learn about its current affairs and the lifestyle of the people who live there, while giving me the chance to visit a brand new place. 

What were your expectations beforehand?

My expectations were to just learn about the culture and the economical side of Hong Kong but they were met and I feel they were very low because the programme was so much better with many interesting speakers and many amazing places to visit. 

What was the most important thing you learned from the project?

The most important thing I learnt was to have more confidence in myself to have the ability so solve issues and provide solutions to problems.

What was your favourite moment of the trip? 

My favourite moment of the trip was seeing some of the most beautiful views from peaks and docks of Hong Kong, helping me to appreciate my time there so much more. 

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?

My piece of advice to students next year would be to reach out of your comfort zone and explore as much as you can. 

How has this affected your opinions on studying or working abroad?

This has affected my opinion  about abroad study because it has given me an experience that I’ve really enjoyed. As a result, it has made me consider abroad study more.

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you? 

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Name: Sara Çakaj

Currently studying: Biological Sciences (Genetics)

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019? 
To be honest, the prospect of going to Hong Kong University for a few days was the initial reason that I became curious about the GLP. The prospect of studying abroad has always been appealing, so I decided to take advantage of this amazing opportunity. The more I read about the programme, the more I became aware of all the incredible learning opportunities that were being presented to me. I was reluctant to apply at first, but that feeling of insecurity and fear was precisely why I needed to expand my comfort zone and be more adventurous. I applied on a whim, and all the anxiety (that I felt until the very moment I got the email confirming I was accepted onto the programme) disappeared instantly.

What were your expectations beforehand? 
I didn’t really know what to expect. The mystery of going into the unknown was quite scary but not as scary as the expectation that I wouldn’t fit in or that my opinions weren’t valid or worth being heard. I didn’t expect that I would be able to open up so much and develop my confidence as a leader, but the Common Purpose’s programme was designed in a way that maximised your progressed in such a short amount of time.

What was the most important thing you learned from the project? 
We had been allocated groups for the project and, initially, I didn’t feel very comfortable with my group and didn’t really contribute much. This rapidly changed and I saw that as I was engaging more and becoming very fond of the people in my group. On the last day, we had to present each other with our graduating certificates. We took turns describing the person whose certificate we had, whilst everyone else guessed who was being described. This experience was so valuable because it was critical in being able to observe my personal growth. It was also the moment that I realised that you put out is what you get - I was having so much more fun and actually enjoying the programme once I started to make the effort to fully participate. It was also valuable simply because it felt very sentimental and a little upsetting that it was the last day working with all these amazing people.

What was your favourite moment of the trip? 
My favourite moment was probably the first day we landed in Hong Kong. The feelings of tiredness were strongly out powered by the feelings of curiosity and excitement and we all went out and explored the city. Navigating the railways system took an absurdly long time, but when we finally got the hang of it, it was hilarious to look back on.

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?
I would advise everyone who is presented this opportunity to apply! The GLP is so enriching in terms of knowledge, confidence, and courage and it’s also so much more than a free trip! Even if you feel like there is no point in applying because of competition, just being brave enough to apply in the first place is a massive benefit that you may not even realise.

How has this affected your opinions on studying or working abroad?
The GLP has been so eye-opening. I have always thought studying and working abroad would be really cool but I never thought it was something that was feasible for me, purely because I felt inexperienced and insecure in my ability to adapt so far outside my comfort zone. This whole experience has proved that anyone, even someone who’s a massive home-body like me, can do study abroad. Studying abroad is something that I am now more seriously considering.

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you? 

I think this photo of Ansa and I, looking tiny compared to the massive skyscrapers behind us, best summarises my experience. The experience was overwhelming but beautiful, just like Hong Kong itself!

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Name: Amy Brindley

Currently studying: BSC Psychology

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019?
I felt like it was a no brainer to apply- travelling to the Asia is a financially restricted, especially from a student perspective, and so the chance to visit Hong Kong, a world city meant that I was extremely motivated to apply.

What were your expectations beforehand?
I have enjoyed my past ventures abroad, so I knew that even in the worst circumstances, I would enjoy the trip! I was aware that Hong Kong was a bustling city that combines western and eastern culture which intrigued me.

What was the most important thing you learned from the project?
Unfortunately, due to illness and subsequent hospitalization I missed out on the majority of the programme. However, I still learned that communication skills and understanding of other peoples backgrounds can strengthen leadership.

What was your favourite moment of the trip?
It's really hard to pick one moment, but I really enjoyed the first night out clubbing! It was an interesting experience 😂

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?
1. Be prepared for the humidity. Seems like a given considering it is the Asian climate, however it is completely different to the heat we have in the UK.
2. Make sure that you spend time on your application, as I'm sure being meticulous make a big difference considering over 200 people applied in 2019 in competition of 25 spaces!

How has this affected your opinions on studying or working abroad?
I have a positive outlook to a year abroad. Even though the visit was only for a week, I learned so much about different cultures and myself, so I am sure this would be positively exacerbated by taking up the opportunity of a year abroad.

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you? 

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Name: Ammaara Zakir

Currently studying: Chemical Engineering

Why did you apply for the HK GLP 2019?
Over 6,000 miles away, on my own, hardly knowing anyone, made me want to crawl out of my comfort zone and take part in the Global Leadership Project. Also, doing something out of the norm in my family, made me want to dive deep into the idea of studying abroad. I wanted to taste the life of living on my own.

What were your expectations beforehand?
Just thinking about Hong Kong, I pictured very densely populated areas, little greenery and lots of pollution. After having been there my expectations dropped, as soon as you get out of the airport you see the beautiful landscape filled with lush mountains and greenery, but you can’t forget those soaring high skyscrapers too. I also loved how clean the metro was, having travelled in New York and London countless times, Hong Kong surprised me. The handrails of the escalators were sanitised and no eating and drinking on the metro or you could get fined! Crazy.

What was the most important thing you learned from the project?
The Global Leadership Program was a one of a kind experience, going to those immersion visits, talks from inspiring people, and working alongside students from different backgrounds. The most important thing I learnt from the project was making myself comfortable when I step out of my comfort zone. I learnt more about myself when we talked about what our core and flex are, and how they changed during the week.

What was your favourite moment of the trip?
My favourite part of the trip, it’s a bit of a sticky one to decide, but it has to go to our first day of exploring and getting lost on the way to Victoria Harbour, having dinner at the Spaghetti House. Finding out my food had Alcohol in it, the chef then made me a brand new dish with 0 alcohol and vegetarian, definitely Halal friendly ! That first day of exploring, showed me how quickly I can bond and have a great time with people I barely knew before. It will be hard to forget these moments.

What piece of advice would you give to any students considering applying for 2020?
Advice for people applying in 2020, if you require a halal diet it maybe best to stay vegetarian for a week or try Ebeneezers located at HKU. Definitely don’t say no to an opportunity, you may not get that chance again. Try to go to as many places as you can, stay less in your accommodation and more out. Besides there’s an 11 hour journey home, plenty of time for sleep. Last but not least don’t forget to complete your travel insurance.

How has this affected your opinions on studying or working abroad?
My eyes are definitely wide open for studying abroad, or even working abroad. The whole programme itself showed me I can travel on my own, I can do things that I thought were impossible. It’s all about stepping out that barrier don’t just step out..jump out.

Do you have a photo which sums up the trip for you? 

Jack Read - My unexpected extended stay in Hong Kong!

I think staying behind in Hong Kong with Amy whilst she recovered in hospital was a very eye-opening experience for me.

Firstly, I was taken by surprise with how developed the healthcare system in HK was. The doctors were very attentive to Amy, as well as other patients on the ward, and there were no signs of hospital overcrowding, with each patient receiving a high quality of care. This allowed me to rest easy as I knew that Amy was in safe hands.

The experience really improved my independence, as while Amy recovered in hospital, I was essentially in Hong Kong on my own. This was quite nerve wracking at first as HK is such a busy and diverse place, so being on my own for a couple of days allowed me to test myself in an unfamiliar environment and really helped to improve my confidence. I was humbled by how welcoming and helpful the locals were, and I had previously made friends with some of the HKU students during the program, so I felt comfortable approaching people if I needed help with anything.

When Amy was discharged, there was still a lot of things to be sorted before we could fly home. I spent a lot of time on the phone to the insurance company trying to arrange for the medical bill to be paid, as well as extending our hotel stay, and finally booking flights home. This could sometimes be quite stressful due to the time zone difference but Amy and I remained in high spirits throughout. I had never dealt with things such as flight bookings or hotel reservations before so this experience has certainly helped me with my organisation and communication skills. Claire kept in close contact with Amy and I to make sure everything was okay, which was reassuring as being in a foreign country under these circumstances was quite daunting at times!

When Amy was feeling well again, we were able to make the most of the extra couple of days we had in Hong Kong! I acted as somewhat of a tour guide as I had already experienced a lot of what Hong Kong had to offer by this point. Amy is a keen shopper so I knew some of the shopping hot-spots to take her to, as well as the best places to eat! By this point I was very familiar with the local area, as well as tourist destinations, which we made the most of. We visited a nice rooftop bar to have a drink in celebration of our Hong Kong experience before we flew home!

Overall, I believe that the experience was a challenging but equally rewarding one. I have huge respect for Amy for how she dealt with the situation. Being admitted to hospital in a foreign county can’t be an easy experience and I was very impressed with her maturity and ability to remain calm under the circumstances. The experience also taught me a lot about myself. I learned that I am much much confident than I initially thought. Having only ever travelled in large groups previously, I believe that this experience has improved my ability to deal with stressful situations independently, and has seen my communication and organisational skills improve as a result.

Ultimately, me and Amy were thrilled to be returning home in one piece and would like to thank all those involved in making sure we were well looked-after. Hopefully, Amy’s next visit to Hong Kong will be a lot smoother!

- Jack

Legacy and Dissemination

Being home doesn't mean that the work is over. There's a team of staff working hard to ensure that students next year get this fantastic opportunity too.

On 26th June, staff were sharing their experiences and presenting the project at the UUKI Go International Conference 2019.

Claire Belkadi (Head of Study Abroad) & Rebeccca Clark (Outreach Manager) from the University of Birmingham, alongside Gail Armistead  (Associate Director, Global Engagement) and Isobel Mosley (Global Engagement Manager) from the University of Nottingham gave a presentation entitled "A Collaborative Mobility Project for Widening Participation Students", where they discussed the success of the Global Leadership Project, and where the program is heading in the future.

Impact & Student Feedback

Following our incredible trip, some of the students share their thoughts and experiences of the project, as well as the impact this has had.

"I loved the Global Leadership Experience because I learned so much about leadership, global issues, global solution, different people, and (mostly) a lot about myself. I don’t normally see myself as the most confident and outgoing person, so the fact that I even applied for this opportunity was one of the many ways in which I learned to expand my comfort zone. The most valuable thing I gained from this programme was the international network of friends, consisting current and former students (the incredible Birmingham alumni, who shared their inspirational stories with us)." - Sara Çakaj

Kelly Lou Shi

Gabrielle Haynes-Lees

Salwa Beik

Kyle Moffat

Aaliyah Simms

Jake Cooper

Matthew Cook

Kim Gardner

Our final day in Hong Kong & journey home

We all woke up nice and early on our final day, ready for a day of visiting Hewlett Packard and Linklaters.

Sadly, a large portion of the group who had eaten street food the previous night had all found that it had had a slight disagreement with them, and sadly some of the group were stuck clinging to the porcelain for the morning. Oops.

Everyone else headed off nice and early to Hewlett Packard, where they received a very warm welcome, and met Gabriel Leung (Managing Director of Hewlett Packard Enterprises).

Gabriel talked about his time at UoB (where he did a degree in Electronic & Electrical Engineering in 1982), his career path since graduation, the obstacles he has faced (and how he over came them), and he talked about his role at HP & current projects that they're working on. We toured the HP Demo Centre, and then discussed careers and opportunities at HP.

After this, we met Billy Yeung, who is the co-owner and CEO of HKBN Enterprise Solutions Ltd, a world class telecoms company. Billy talked to us about effective leaders vs effective managers. It was a very insightful talk, and linked in well with what we had learned during the GLP.

For lunch, we were lucky to have more fantastic alumni giving up their time to talk to us. We spoke to:
Robert Southgate (Legal Director, Intel) gained a degree in Law at UoB in 2001, James Hacking (Senior Vice President and Strategic Planning Director, Bluecurrent Group) who gained a degree in  International Studies with Spanish at UoB in 2002; William Brocklehurst (Corporate Affairs Director, BUPA) who gained a degree in International Studies with French at UoB in 2004; Jo Hayes (CEO, Habitat for Humanity) who gained a degree in Modern Languages at UoB in 1997; and Mary Ho (Managing Partner, Silver Spring Capital Management) who gained her MBA at UoB in 2011.

They all gave us a fantastic insight into working overseas, and told us about how they came to be doing so themselves following their time studying at UoB. It was really insightful and made a lot of us think not only about where we are now and during our time at university, but how we may incorporate global mobility into our future career plans.

Sadly, after an all too brief lunch with the fantastic alumni, we headed off.

Happily, we were heading to Linklaters, a law firm in Hong Kong, to meet more UoB alumni.

At Linklaters we met Hwang Hwa Sim, a partner in the firm, who studied law at UoB and graduated in 1994. He too talked to us about his time at UoB, and how and what he has learned from the challenges presented to him as a leader.

After a very brief Q&A session, we discussed graduate careers available at Linklaters, and the law students in the group definitely started considering whether a career with Linklaters could be in their future!

We then had a very insightful workshop into CV writing and interview techniques. As everyone from UoB who participated in the GLP are all in their first year, this was particularly beneficial, especially as we start striving for summer placements, second year placements, and relevant work experience.

Sadly, at 5pm it was time to say a goodbye and head back to St John's College to collect our luggage, check out and board the coach to HK Airport.


It was a very sad time as we drove through Hong Kong one last time. Everyone was looking forward to going home, but we were also going to really miss Hong Kong.

We arrived at the airport just as exam results were released, which caused a few impromptu celebrations on the coach and concourse, before we headed off to check in.

After checking in, we said a farewell to Claire and Jack, who sadly would not be flying home with us as they were staying behind to look after a student who had become ill and ended up in hospital (and I'll be badgering them to contribute to the blog with their experiences in the near future!).

We headed off through security and went to grab food. After a week of Hong Kong dishes, some students opted for a farewell meal of HK food, and others enjoyed a much needed Pizza Express!

There was plenty of time for food, drinks, and some last minute retail therapy at the airport, before we all headed to board our plane. This time, we had a British Airways Boeing 777. We all boarded ready for the long flight home, and just before midnight we were in the air, waving goodbye to the beautiful lights of the city below.

As the city lights faded into the sparse lights of trawler boats, food was served. Unfortunately, it was at this point that we discovered that there was no vegetarian dinner option on the return flight so, if you're heading out on the GLP 2020, please make sure you book your meal in advance if you require a vegetarian or halal dish!

Dinner was meat (chicken or beef) with veggies, mash and gravy, and a delicious cake for dessert. Sadly, there was no tea and coffee service after dinner as we hit some pretty rough turbulence and had to buckle up and hold down anything that wasn't glued down! After about an hour or so, the turbulence eased off, so we had some drinks and then either settled in for a nap or took advantage of the on board entertainment.

It didn't seem that long until breakfast came around, not long before landing. We enjoyed the option of either a full English or a Spanish omelette, and then just after the trays were cleared, we prepared to land.

It was such a warming sight, flying towards Heathrow, the London landmarks below us. We were home! (well, almost).

After a stroll through security, a brief wait at baggage claim and then another brief wait for our coach, we were on the final leg home.

Despite it being the early hours of Saturday morning when we arrived home (our plane landing at around 5:30am) everyone was in good spirits and reminiscing happily about the trip, whilst excitedly counting down the minutes until they were back in their beds or with their families.

There was much excitement as we saw Old Joe rising in the distance as we approached, and we arrived back to be welcomed by family and friends.

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Overall, this has been an incredible experience for all of us, and we cannot thank everyone enough for the opportunity to visit Hong Kong and take part in the Common Purpose Program.

So to all the staff at UoB, UoN and HKU who worked tirelessly to make this happen, to Louise, Ivy and Shradha at Common Purpose, to the Alumni and guest speakers who gave us their time and expertise, and to Santander, the alumni and the generous donors who funded this incredible opportunity, we say THANK YOU. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we will never forget this experience, and for many of us I would wager it has been a life changing one.

Global Leadership Project - Day Four - Responses to the challenge

On Thursday morning, some of us were still enjoying our beauty sleep whilst a group of students decided to join one of our lovely UoB Alumni on a 4am Hike up Mt Parker in Tai Tam Country park to watch the sun rise from the peak. It was a sweaty, long, and hard hike, but the views from the top were absolutely worth it.

After a quick walk back down and a speedy shower, it was off to our final day of the project.

At 8:30am we all headed to HKU excited to fine tune our presentations and present them to the room.

The morning started off with us making any last minute adjustments to our plan, before dividing ourselves up between projects. In our working party we had one group making an illustrative poster to advertise our concept, one group filming a video to showcase our idea, one group writing a brief and also preparing the final presentation. It was all systems go!

Our films ideas were developed and then brought to life around the HKU campus, and we were very proud of our one.

We got everything uploaded onto the common purpose portal, and headed off for lunch.

After lunch, the room had been transformed with all chairs facing the stage, and a panel of local stakeholders sitting behind a desk, waiting to listen to our ideas and talk to us about our projects. The final panel consisted of Ian Holliday (Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Hong Kong), Vivian Hau (Founder & Executive Coach, Flow Consulting Limited) and Arrann Young (Director of Learning & Development, KPMG)

One by one, each group went and gave their presentations. Everyone had really incredible ideas, and it was hard to believe that we had come this far in just four days! The groups presented confidently and proudly, and the panel were wowed by the innovation in the room.

We received some incredible feedback from the panel, who were not only impressed with the innovative ideas which had been developed, but also at the way in which the groups were able to answer questions and challenges about their project, which demonstrated the thought and effort which had been put into these ideas.

Following the presentations and feedback, we moved our seats into a circle and we sat and discussed how we thought the project had gone from day one until now. We discussed how we performed as leaders, how we had developed and grown throughout the project, what we had learned about being a leader, and what we had learned about ourselves. It was very emotional and joyful to see everyone opening up with such confidence, even people who had been nervous and quiet on the first day.

It felt like a huge achievement, and we got into our working groups one final time in order to present each other with our graduation certificates. Our group did this with each person talking about what they admired about the person who's certificate they had been given, before announcing who that person was.

We headed outside for one final photo, and then said our goodbyes to all of our new friends, particularly the HKU students who had been so welcoming to us.

In the evening, we were very lucky that our very own Claire Belkadi was treating us to a fabulous dinner on the University! We were booked into a fab looking grill restaurant from 7pm.

Some of us, however, made a bit of a detour before dinner, as one of our guest speakers, Janet Pau, had given us the opportunity to attend an event hosted by the Asia Business Council about public health and climate change. The event was held in a small theatre at the Asia Society's headquarters (which were absolutely stunning), and had guest speakers (Nigel Snoad and Professor Kwok-Yung Yuen) who were discussing the challenges to public health caused by climate change, and the work that was going on with mosquitos in order to minimise the spread of such diseases. It was very interesting, and we are very grateful to Janet Pau for giving us the opportunity to attend.

We then headed to join the others for a delicious dinner, before heading off for our final night in Hong Kong. 

For our final night, a group of us decided to head back to the Temple Street night market to grab some last minute gifts. We had a nice slow after-dinner mooch through the stalls, bagged some bargains, and then stopped for a delicious fresh fruit smoothie. Then we waved a sad farewell to the night market, and headed back to bed ready for a busy day the next day. 

Some of the others headed to the harbour for some farewell drinks at the water's edge, and some tasty street food... 

Global Leadership Project - Day Three - The Process of Innovation

On day 3, we again headed off to more immersion visits. Today's kind organisations who hosted groups of students were:

Society for Community Organization

Society for Community Organization (SoCO) is a human rights pioneer in Hong Kong. SoCO firmly believes that everyone should be entitled to equal rights. Equal opportunity for participation and fair distribution of social resources is the foundation of human rights. In the face of the widening disparity between the rich and the poor, and the increasingly restrictive political arena, they stand firm in their crusade to establish an equal society and to build a strong power base for the people. SoCO are motivated by a common dream, and that is: "Let us work hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder to build a caring, equal and just society"

Crossroads

Crossroads Foundation is a Hong Kong based, non-profit organisation serving global need. They believe that, in a broken world that sees too much suffering, we should do all we can to link those who are in need with those who can provide help. So they provide an intersection, literally a crossroads, to bring both together. Crossroads’ Global Distribution provides aid for relief and development in over 90 countries, as well as in Hong Kong, and they also provide ‘business solutions’ for people in poverty: fair trade and social enterprises.


Sprouts Foundation

The Sprouts Foundation envisions a world where all children, especially the underprivileged, receive high quality education that helps elevate their lives and creates a positive future for our world. They aim to establish purposeful and effective long-term educational programmes, particularly in the fields of English language and technology skills. They commit to delivering high-quality programmes by closely monitoring the progress and development of their projects with teams of qualified educational specialists, and use the data they analyse from their programme results to offer ideas to education policy-makers in the regions where they operate.




Hong Kong Housing Society

The Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) is an independent, non-government and not-for profit organisation established in 1948, providing quality housing for the people of Hong Kong. Incorporated by Ordinance in 1951, HKHS has implemented various housing schemes to meet the needs of niche markets. Governed by Members with a Supervisory Board and an Executive Committee made up of professionals coming from different sectors of the community, we have been serving the Hong Kong community with a social mission.


1aspace

1a space, founded in 1998, is an independent, non-profit making contemporary visual art organization and art venue founded by a collective of Hong Kong artworkers. It moved from its original location an old government warehouse at Oil Street, North Point, to the current location at Cattle Depot in 2002. 1a space aims to promote the making, experimentation, exchange and dissemination of contemporary art both in Hong Kong and in the international arena.


Once again, the organisations we visited proved to be an incredible help to us in highlighting areas of social need within Hong Kong, and the information they shared with us was hoping us start to develop our idea for our final project.

We all arrived back from our respective visits, and after a quick lunch, got down to business.

We revisited our city maps from the previous day and added lots more information in. From there, the individual working parties set about identifying a social issue, and how they could use technology in an effort to tackle that issue. We then set about developing our ideas.

The group I was part of decided the issue we would like to tackle was accessibility and mobility for people with disabilities. We had noticed that accessibility wasn't well highlighted in Hong Kong, and whilst there certainly were ways to get around for disabled people, these weren't necessarily always highlighted. We came up with the concept of an app, similar to google maps, that would create a route mindful of accessibility requirements (so avoiding stairs and instead directing to lifts or escalators etc.). We developed our idea and brainstormed different areas such as features and functionality, how to generate revenue, the social benefits available from such an app etc.

We then developed a 2 minute pitch in order to present our idea to a group of external consultants who would be coming later. Our pitch started by identifying the social problem, outlining our idea in brief, outlining the main features, outlining the benefits, and finally acknowledging problems that may arise and how we planned to circumvent them.

Following our afternoon break, we were lucky enough to have external consultants come in to listen to our ideas, and use their knowledge (both of business and Hong Kong) in order to help us hone our ideas into something workable.

The external consultants we had were Andre Kwok (Founder, Future City Summit), Devi Novianti (Equal Opportunities Officer, Equal Opportunities Commission), Robbie McRobbie (CEO, Hong Kong Rugby Union) and Philip Niem (Director of Global Banking and Investment Solution, Bank of Singapore). The consultants listened to our pitches and gave us some fantastic ideas and areas for development, as well as helping to identify issues and helping us to address and solve them. We were extremely grateful for their input, and we had more ideas than ever on how to make our idea a success.

We finished the day by honing our ideas and ensuring our projects were in top form ready for tomorrow, our fourth and final day, where we would be fine tuning our presentations ready to present them to each other, as well as a panel of local stakeholders. We were all very excited to share our ideas with everyone!

On Wednesday nights in Hong Kong, we were told, students like to head to the local race course "Happy Valley". At ten HK dollars entry (about £1) and cheap drinks on offer throughout the night, this sounded like a great plan! Sadly, upon arriving, we found out that there were no races scheduled until the following Wednesday! And so everyone went out and about exploring again. Some people went to the beach, some visited Victoria Peak, and some headed out for some more retail therapy! Most of us ended up back at our accommodation at a reasonable hour for once, with the week catching up with use.