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impact today
leaders tomorrow
2023 - 2024 impact data
STUDENTS
121
students received valuable real-life experiences and developed practical skills vital to today's workplace.
HOURS
13,960
hours have been dedicated by students to start and assist social businesses in scaling their impact.
PARTNERS
40
social impact organizations have partnered up with the Impact Lab course to provide meaningful opportunities to youth.
student learning
Tonia Pao
Gowld Art Centre
Spring 2024
"My Impact Lab experience brought me opportunities to interact with people from many diverse backgrounds with one thing in common that brought us all together: the love for art. Passion brings people closer despite our differences, and this is a valuable lesson."
iNTERNATIONALIZATION
By giving students the opportunity to support social ventures - each committed to different Sustainable Development Goals - Impact Lab enables students to become global citizens. From their supervisors to their team members, students are given the opportunity to learn intercultural communication by being exposed to a diverse environment in gender, race, ethnicity, and culture.
Our students around the world
From 65
Countries & Territories
94
from
North
america
94
from
North
america
5
29
5
asia
98
North america
198
europe
6
south
america
6
Africa
965
Asia
29
oceania
Our students around Asia
4from
Western Asia
78from
Southeast Asia
6from
Central Asia
172STudents from
China (Mainland)
527STudents from
Hong Kong
16STudents from
Taiwan
54STudents from
South Korea
949 from
East Asia
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98from
South Asia
10STudents from
Japan
80%
Full-time
HKU Students
20%
Exchange
Students
iNTERDisciplinarity
The diverse areas of focus of our partner companies and the wide range of roles and responsibilities students are placed into, give Impact Lab its unique, interdisciplinary nature. This means the Course is relevant, practical, and value-added to students, regardless of their academic disciplines.
Multiple Faculties
Impact Lab students are from almost all of the faculties at HKU
83STudents from
The Faculty of Engineering
46STudents from
The Faculty of Arts
10STudents from
The Li Ka Shing Faculty of MEdicine
989STudents from
HKU BUsiness School
Students from 9/10 Faculties
9STudents from
The Faculty of Architecture
54STudents from
The Faculty of Science
9STudents from
The Faculty of Education
79STudents from
The Faculty of Social Sciences
18STudents from
The Faculty of Law
and 40+ Different Majors...
impact on our partner companies
They supervise and support students throughout the course, offering professional guidance, mentorship, and practical insights. By working directly with social ventures, students gain real-world experience while developing the skills needed for their future careers. This partnership ensures a structured learning environment where theoretical knowledge meets hands-on application, preparing students for success in their chosen fields.
companies we worked with
Partner experience
Kaisha Woo
Founder & Director artist, therapist, educator
Gowld Art Centre
Our partnership with Impact Lab has been crucial for Gowld Art Centre's survival and growth. The on-going support, totalling over 2,400 hours, has enhanced our operations by developing creative programmes, improving our physical and online interfaces, and strategising community outreach.
As a small company with two full-time staff, we often faced burnout from administrative tasks while managing daily programs and workshops. Collaborating with diverse talents each semester has facilitated idea exchange and effective solutions, leading to concrete changes and progress in response to the challenges we face across all areas. Impact Lab has expanded our capabilities, helping us envision a thriving art ecosystem in Hong Kong.
This collaboration has boosted our efficiency and fostered a culture of innovation at GAC, allowing us to better serve our community. Our engagement with Impact Lab has been transformative experiences for our interns and organisation, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership.
uNITED nATIONS sUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT gOALS
HKU has committed to respond purposefully to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) as stated in the HKU Vision 2016-2025. The Impact Lab course works with organizations that
are committed to different SDGs. This allows students and the Course to directly contribute to the
international agenda and make a positive impact. For instance:
24 Hour Race contributes to the SDGs by working towards the following goals: 10 Reduced Inequalities; 16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and 17 Partnerships for the Goals.
Migrasia, which works with migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong, contributes to the SDGs related to: 4 Quality Education; 10 Reduced Inequalities; 16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and 17 Partnerships for the Goals.
Lasting impact
Many Impact Lab alumni have started their social impact organizations, landed careers focused on social impact, or are driving impact from within their private sector employers. Our impact on youth empowerment and capacity building for under-resourced social impact organizations is widely acknowledged by the University Grants Committee and the 2023 Teaching Award it grants to Impact Lab’s instructor, David Bishop.
aLUMNI Stories
Impact Lab alumni have gone on to illustrious careers around the globe. Many have started their own
social impact organizations, landed in careers with a focus on social impact, or are driving impact from
within their private sector employers. These students have taken their learnings forward to empower
the next generation of youth and the broader community as responsible global citizens.
