Supported by the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), the University's Centre for Global Health of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care held the first multi-disciplinary and community participatory international conference on autism in Hong Kong. Entitled ‘Autism: Global Challenges and Local Needs', the conference took place from 16 to 17 January.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung (6th right), CUHK Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Ko Wing-man (6th left), Secretary for Food and Health, the Hong Kong SAR Government; and Prof. John Hearn (5th right), Executive Director, WUN. The ceremony was attended by over 150 internationally renowned scholars and local key stakeholders in autism research, practice, and policy, including representatives from Heep Hong Society, SAHK and the Children's Institute of Hong Kong.
Delivered by researchers from Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK, the US and Hong Kong, the plenary presentations shared international reports on autism spectrum conditions. The conference demonstrated successful collaboration and synergy between international and local networks over research and service provisions for autism in Hong Kong, and more widely in Asia.