Thinking Alongside the Machines: FLASS Marks a Year of Teaching, Care and Curiosity

Celebration filled the venue when the Faculty Assembly cum Awards Presentation Ceremony was held on 14 July 2026. Dean Professor Ferrante Neri opened the assembly with a welcoming speech to new students joining the FLASS family as they began their studies. With the Dean, Associate Deans and Assistant Deans, department heads, Chair Professors, award-winning students and their supervisors all attending, the venue was abuzz with excitement as the Faculty recognised the dedication of its faculty members in teaching and caring for students, and the academic excellence and other contributions of its Research Postgraduate (RPg) students.

At a time when machines can produce answers in seconds, Professor Neri advised new students, in his opening speech, to treat AI’s answers as a starting point, testing them against their own judgement rather than accepting them outright. “AI’s real power comes when it works alongside a wise human mind: someone who can understand the answer, interpret it, challenge it, improve it, and use it wisely and responsibly,” the Dean said. He also reminded students that, in a world increasingly shaped by machines, it is paramount to think clearly, judge wisely, understand people well, and uphold human responsibility.

Following the Dean’s opening speech, the event turned to celebrating the excellence of the Faculty’s faculty members and RPg students. FLASS designed the Faculty Teaching Award to honour outstanding teaching quality among its faculty members. This year, the award went to Dr Deng Wenjing of the Department of Science and Environmental Studies (SES), while Dr Claudia Wong Ming-yu of the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE) received the Certificate of Merit.

To celebrate staff members who go the extra mile in building an inclusive and supportive learning environment, and in promoting and delivering Life, Positive and Values Education (LPVE), the Faculty established the Faculty Caring Teacher Award. This year, Ms Wang Sha of HPE earned the Certificate of Merit of the award.

Beyond awards for teaching staff, the Faculty also created several student awards to recognise achievements across a range of areas. The Best Research Postgraduate Student Teaching Award recognises students who demonstrate highly effective teaching. Assessment covers lesson preparation, clarity of delivery, use of learning resources, interaction skills, responsiveness to student needs, mastery of teaching progression, flexible assessment strategies, constructive feedback, and the achievement of defined learning outcomes.

This year, the award went to Ms Tsang Hei of HPE, Ms Yang Chen of the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology (MIT), Ms Yang Jing of SES, and Mr Butakhieo Nantapong of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS). Professor Daniel Chow Hung-kay Daniel, Associate Dean (Research & Postgraduate Studies), joined Professor Neri to present the awards.

FLASS is committed to building a thriving research culture among its RPg students. In the 2025/26 academic year, the Faculty hosted its first Faculty Postgraduate Seminar (FPS) on 5 November 2025, followed by the second on 27 April 2026. FPS serves as a key platform for postgraduates to update themselves on the latest developments in their field, exchange research insights, polish their communication and presentation skills, receive constructive feedback, and build their academic networks. Social and cultural activities are also organised to enrich students’ experience beyond their academic pursuits.

Professor Neri and Professor Chow then presented the Most Active Student Award of the FLASS Research Postgraduate Student Enrichment and Social Activities to awardees who showed exceptional dedication and participation in these initiatives throughout the 2025/26 academic year. Recipients of the award included Ms Zhang Haiqin and Ms Cheng Yue, both of HPE, and Ms Zhang Lihua of SES.

The two professors then presented the Best Poster Presenter Award of the Faculty Postgraduate Seminar 2025/26 to Mr Lo Shing-him for the first semester and Mr Richard Yeung Chung-yiu for the second semester, both supervised by faculty of SES. The Best Speaker Award went to Ms Tsang Hei of HPE for the first semester and Mr Richard Yeung Chung-yiu of SES for the second semester.

As the final awards were presented, the formal proceedings drew to a close. With the official ceremony concluded, the venue erupted into heartfelt cheers and applause. Awardees, both faculty and postgraduate students alike, were surrounded by colleagues and peers offering their warmest congratulations. They gathered onstage to capture the moment in photos. Behind their smiles lay a shared sense of pride and a spirit of camaraderie that defines the FLASS community.

The Faculty Assembly cum Awards Presentation Ceremony was recorded and will be available on the faculty website and during the upcoming 2026 orientation activities and assemblies.

Read the article about the winners of the Faculty Teaching Award and Faculty Caring Teacher Award.

List of awardees: