Three professors at the City University of Hong Kong won the school’s Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) for developing innovative teaching models in social work, translation and digital medicine with artificial intelligence.

The three TEA 2024/25 winners provide students with a learning experience that better meets contemporary demands.

Professor Chan Siu-Ming from the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences inspired students to research and develop 12 AI chatbots simulating scenarios for residents of subdivided flats, new immigrants and injured cleaners, complete with character backgrounds and dialogue scripts.

He also collaborated with Doctor Nelson Tam Wai-yiu from the same department to create six AI characters that simulate various disadvantaged situations, allowing students to interact for group discussions and practice, enhancing their counseling skills anytime, anywhere.

“I hope our students will become social workers with both empathy and practical skills, responding to society’s diverse needs with innovative approaches and care,” Chan said.

Another winner, professor Jackie Yan Xiu from the Department of Linguistics and Translation, guides students in comparing AI and human translations, helping them evaluate AI outcomes through a deeper understanding of information and context.

She also uses AI-generated voices to simulate various interpreting scenarios, enhancing students’ adaptability in different interpretation situations.

“In the ‘Interpretation Methodology’ course, we select different topics each week to expose students to diverse and interesting content and stimulate their enthusiasm for learning,” Yan said.

Professor Condon Lau from the Department of Physics received the newly added TEA for ‘Digital Learning’ for his innovative use of digital tools to enhance student learning.

He and his team developed the “AIstain” system, which performs lymphoma cell staining analysis in minutes for diagnosing diseases in pets.

This technology has undergone clinical testing at the CityUHK Veterinary Medical Centre and is the foundation of a startup under HKTech300.

Lau encourages his students to create innovative medical AI systems based on AIstain, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.

He also employs AI-generated image tools in a “flipped classroom” model to spark interest in cross disciplinary AI learning.

Lau said: “I look forward to students continuously exploring in the AI field, seeking to surpass existing technologies and create more innovative applications for society.”

CityUHK provost and deputy president Lee Chun-sing praised the three award-winning professors for their contributions and anticipated their continued success in enhancing student learning.

TEA, established in 1993, recognizes excellent teachers and encourages teaching innovation, with each winner receiving HK$15,000 and a HK$150,000 development fund.

(Cheng Wong)

Three CityU professors awarded for utilizing AI