Sichuan Deyang No. 5 Middle School
6–10 July 2026 • Hong Kong
From July 6 to 10, 2026, St. Paul’s Innovation Centre for Exchange welcomed a delegation of 30 science teachers from Sichuan Deyang No. 5 Middle School for a five-day professional exchange programme led by Ms Qin Qin, with Mr Su Zhongjian serving as deputy group leader in Hong Kong.
Coordinated to bridge secondary and tertiary science pedagogy, the delegation engaged in live classroom visits at St. Paul’s Convent School, examined the continuous K–12 engineering curriculum at ELCHK Lutheran Academy, explored frontier research at City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and studied national space science initiatives at the Patriotic Education Centre. Backed by a 100% survey response rate and an overall participant satisfaction rate of 96.8%, the program concluded with concrete school-based adoption plans—including regular open-access innovation laboratories, after-school aerospace enrichment courses, and interdisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) units designed to elevate STEM education for more than 3,000 students in southwest China.
The programme combined school-based professional dialogue, university visits, aerospace learning, research exposure and cultural experiences. Across each setting, participants explored how science education can connect classroom knowledge with emerging technology, interdisciplinary inquiry and real-world applications.
School-to-school exchange through aerospace and STEM
At ELCHK Lutheran Academy in Yuen Long, the delegation took part in an exchange on aerospace and STEM education, including demonstrations of teaching and learning outcomes. The school’s principal introduced a spacesuit and related equipment, including gloves, offering a tangible starting point for discussion about human spaceflight, engineering design and the ways authentic artefacts can make scientific concepts more accessible to students.
Connecting aerospace history with future learning
The teachers then visited the Patriotic Education Support Centre – Hong Kong Aerospace Popular Science Education Base. Through historical displays, models and space-related equipment, the delegation gained a broader view of China’s aerospace development and the scientific and engineering work behind human spaceflight. The visit helped connect the history of exploration with present-day opportunities for science teaching, public engagement and student curiosity.
Interdisciplinary learning at St. Paul’s Convent School
During two morning sessions at St. Paul’s Convent School, visiting teachers met students, teachers and guest speakers and viewed examples of aerospace and STEM teaching and learning. The school’s principal and vice-principal welcomed the delegation and joined the professional exchange, reflecting the school’s commitment to fostering dialogue and collaboration between educators from Hong Kong and Sichuan.
Kitty Tang from 60Pins introduced a European Space Agency (ESA) space project and shared the participation and achievements of students from St. Paul’s Convent School. The presentation illustrated how authentic space missions can connect programming, scientific inquiry and data with classroom learning, while giving students opportunities to apply their ideas within an international space-education context.
The professional sharing continued with Dr Ng Tze-chuen, a Hong Kong dentist, inventor and explorer whose work extends far beyond dentistry. His experience spans scientific and engineering projects associated with space exploration and the investigation of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza, including the development and use of specialised tools, robotics and imaging approaches for environments that are difficult for people to access.
Dr Ng’s unconventional journey showed how knowledge from one profession can contribute to challenges in entirely different fields. For the visiting science teachers, his story offered a vivid example of curiosity, practical problem-solving and cross-disciplinary thinking—qualities that can help students move from textbook knowledge towards experimentation, invention and real-world exploration.
A tour of the school’s cultural room added a heritage dimension to the exchange, while the smart greenhouse demonstrated how sensing, automation and environmental science can be brought together in a practical learning environment.
New perspectives at City University of Hong Kong
At City University of Hong Kong, the delegation joined a “STEM in Hong Kong” sharing session and exchanged views on the development of STEM education. The teachers also explored The Power of Play: History, Art, Technology and Impact of Games, an exhibition at the Indra and Harry Banga Gallery examining games through historical, artistic, technological and social perspectives. Interactive installations and examples of play across generations encouraged participants to consider how game design, physical interaction and digital media can support engagement, creativity and learning.
Research exposure at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The university component continued at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where the delegation joined an aerospace-related sharing session and learned more about the University’s academic and research environment. The visit also included research facilities such as the Materials Characterization and Preparation Facility, giving participants a closer look at the advanced instrumentation and shared infrastructure that support the preparation, characterisation and analysis of materials.
This exposure helped bridge school science with university-level research. It also gave teachers concrete examples of how Physics, Chemistry, materials science, engineering and aerospace applications intersect—connections that can inform future classroom discussion, project work and student pathways.
A programme of professional and cultural exchange
Beyond the formal learning programme, the delegation experienced Hong Kong through visits to the Hong Kong Racing Museum, The Peak, the Hong Kong Space Museum, the Hong Kong Science Museum and Golden Bauhinia Square. These activities complemented the professional sessions by placing science, education and innovation within the wider cultural life of the city.
Over five days, the programme created meaningful opportunities for teachers from Sichuan and Hong Kong to share experience, examine different learning environments and build professional connections. By bringing together aerospace education, school innovation, game-based learning, interdisciplinary exploration and university research, the exchange offered practical inspiration for enriching science education and nurturing the next generation’s curiosity about the world—and beyond it.