Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) held its inaugural two-day Student Service Fair on 2–3 October 2025 on its Jockey Club Campus. Themed “Serving to understand yourself”, the fair showcased students' diverse service achievements in the 2024/25 academic year. Its goal was to raise awareness of pressing social and global issues while inspiring the HKMU community to contribute to society.

President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing visited the fair to learn more about the students' service outcomes. He shared a moment with participants in the “MU Global Citizenship Programme” who had travelled to Tokushima in Japan, where they assisted residents with various community activities, while sharing aspects of Hong Kong culture with them.

Prof. Ricky Kwok Yu-kwong, Vice President (Research and Institutional Advancement), officiated at the launch ceremony, emphasising that community service is an essential part of university life. “In the age of artificial intelligence, 'service-learning' provides a crucial and authentic setting for students to face new situations, adjust their mindset, and communicate effectively with others, allowing them to better understand themselves,” he said. “The real-life experiences gained through service-learning activities will be a significant highlight and an advantage for them when they enter the workforce.”

In the 2024/25 academic year, students completed about 15 community care and service projects, benefiting over 1,500 people and animals. Highlighted projects at the fair included:

• Me&U Community Caring Programme: Three student teams served over 800 people and animals, including the elderly, children from underprivileged families and abandoned animals. After many home visits, the “Meeting Us” Elderly Caring Team produced a cookbook that combined seniors' life stories with their treasured family recipes, fostering cross-generational integration. The “Giving A Hug” Animal Welfare Team created profile books and calendars with photos of 24 abandoned cats and dogs to promote adoption and animal welfare. And the “Linking Up” Children Support Team organised guided tours to broaden the horizons of underprivileged children.

• MU Community Influencer Programme: Students promoted the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by organising workshops and local tours, while also assisting with the “MU Global Citizenship Programme” trip to Tokushima.

• Service-Learning Challenge Award: This award encourages students to initiate their own local and overseas service projects. The awarded teams included “Connect Mai”, which promoted health education to children in Chiang Mai, Thailand; “I clean, Therefore I am”, which helped clean up the heavily polluted Klang River in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; “樂在『耆』中”, which fostered intergenerational connections by hosting a “University Experience Day” and activities for elderly participants; and “Youth Corner”, which promoted mental wellness on campus through activities like board games and guest sharing sessions.
• Best Buddies, Life Education & Photography Service-Learning Programmes: These programmes allowed students to explore social issues firsthand, such as the challenges faced by individuals with intellectual disabilities and the spiritual needs of the elderly.
• Mental Health Ambassador Programme: After receiving training, 30 Mental Health Ambassadors organised on-campus activities to promote mental health, benefiting over 500 participants.

Looking ahead to the new academic year, the “Me&U Community Caring Programme” will be expanded to include four service teams. Among them, the “Creating Memories” Photography Service Team will collaborate with multiple partnering organisations to take individual and family portraits for underprivileged families and those with sick children or elderly members. This initiative aims to help the families preserve precious memories, while encouraging the students to reflect on the meaning of family and its role in the community and to foster their self-understanding.