APS team inter-university public policy case competition

Brain Interceptors is a team of postgraduate students from the Department of Asian and Policy Studies (APS). They demonstrated their analytical skills and knowledge in solving real-life public policy issues at the Second Inter-University Public Policy Case Competition. The APS team was the second runner-up at the competition, which was organised by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in April 2021.

In the high-profile competition where nearly 60 teams from all universities in Hong Kong participated, Brain Interceptors stood out during the three rounds of fierce competition. The EdUHK team consisted of Butakhieo Nantapong (the team captain), Leng Ling, Pongsira Kongthaewtong and Gao Shan. They are all students from the Master of Public Policy and Management Programme of APS, and their team was the only one that consisted of mainland and international students in the finals. While the first runner-up was a team from HKUST, the champion of this year was a team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Each team was assigned a case study which featured background information on one pressing public policy challenge that real-life policy makers need to address. The teams then needed to analyse the assigned case studies, prepare responses to the corresponding tasks, deliver pitches/presentations, and answer questions.

In the competition, participants were required to rigorously analyse real-life public policy issues in Hong Kong and provide innovative policy solutions. The preliminary and semi-final rounds of the competition this year were focused on technological innovation, and research and development policies in Hong Kong. Land and housing policies were the key focus in the final round.