SDG 09: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

In the service-learning courses “Virtual World: Design and Interaction” and “Creative Production in Extended Reality” taught by Mr Yu Ka-ho at the Department of Interactive Media, students applied technological innovation to support children and families from Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Hong Kong.

Through this engagement, 51 students designed immersive games and virtual-reality (VR) experiences exploring a wide range of themes – from well-being and self-image, to imaginative worlds, to yearning for freedom, and to facing end-of-life. By listening to the stories and everyday challenges faced by RMHC families, the students gained valuable insights that informed their empathetic and user-centred design approach. The resulting virtual environments mirrored reassuring real-world spaces, providing digital recreations of positive experiences tailored to RMHC’s children and their families. As a bonus, students created a virtual and interactive tour of RMHC’s space, which was captured using “digital twins”. More than 500 visitors from around the world have visited the newly built RMHC Kwun Tong.

These courses fostered human-centred innovation, demonstrating how university– community partnerships can strengthen accessible and inclusive digital infrastructure for health and wellbeing. The experience expanded students’ perspectives on how technological advancements can be leveraged for social good, while the RMHC families benefitted from engaging and personalised experiences created specifically for them.

Department of Accountancy, Economics and Finance
Authors: Jiandong JU, Hong MA, Zi WANG*, Xiaodong ZHU
_{*Corresponding author}

This study examines the US-China trade war and industrial policy rivalries, using a model to assess subsidies such as “Made in China 2025” and tariffs on high-tech sectors. It finds that well-designed subsidies can boost the welfare of both nations by leveraging scale economies, while tariffs often lead to losses, suggesting that subsidies are a less distortive alternative. Relevant to SDG 9, the research advances sustainable industrialisation by providing data-driven insights into fostering innovation, resilient infrastructure, and efficient global supply chains. It highlights how policies can promote technological progress without escalating conflicts, aiding inclusive economic development. By analysing real-world scenarios like semiconductor subsidies, it equips policymakers to build innovative industries that support long-term sustainability, reduce inequalities in access to technology, and enhance global partnerships for shared prosperity.

Department of Chemistry
Authors: Jian ZHOU, Ling MENG, Ziyi YANG, and Jun (Joelle) WANG*
_{*Corresponding author}

This study introduces a copper-catalysed asymmetric cascade hydroboration of methylenecyclopropanes, producing chiral 1,3- and 1,4-bis(boronates) with high yields and selectivity using affordable catalysts and simple substrates. These compounds are versatile for building complex structures in drugs and materials, addressing challenges in accessibility and efficiency. Relevant to SDG 9, it fosters innovation in chemical synthesis, enabling sustainable industrial processes that reduce energy use and waste, while enhancing technological capabilities. In fields like pharmaceuticals, where chirality is key for efficacy, this method supports resilient infrastructure by providing scalable, eco-friendly tools for molecular design. By merging ringopening with hydroboration, it exemplifies research-driven advancements that promote inclusive industrialisation, particularly in Asia’s growing biotech sectors, contributing to global efforts for innovative, resource-efficient economies.