On 21 March 2016,
Professor Xiaowei ZANG, Dean of CLASS, signed an MOU with Ms
LAU Chi-wai Edwina, Director of the Hong Kong Police College, Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF). Serving the interests of both parties, the aim of the MOU is to establish close collaboration between CLASS and the Hong Kong Police College on research and training in criminology and policing. The two parties agreed to explore possible collaboration opportunities in the following four areas.
- Research collaboration to investigate the influence of population ageing on crime trends in Hong Kong, with Professor Zang as PI.
- Provision of research internships at the Hong Kong Police College for CLASS students.
- Joint publication of case studies and research findings related to criminology and policing in the HKPF journal and other relevant journals.
- Exchange of experience and knowledge in the areas of criminology and policing.
Cover Photo: Professor Xiaowei ZANG and Ms LAU Chi-wai Edwina sign MOU at Hong Kong Police College
Prior to the MOU signing ceremony, Professor Dennis WONG (Associate Dean of CLASS) and Dr Lena ZHONG, both criminologists and faculty members at the Department of Applied Social Sciences (SS), spoke at the Hong Kong Police College’s 10th Research Enhanced Applied Policing (REAP) seminar, entitled ‘The Curious Case of Declining Global and Local Crime Trends’. Professor Wong analysed changes in Hong Kong’s crime rate in recent decades, and Dr Zhong provided an overview of the possible reasons for the decline in crime in the United States since the 1990s.
Photo 1: Professor Dennis Wong speaks at the 10th Hong Kong Police College REAP seminar on the decline in Hong Kong’s crime rate in recent decades
Photo 2: Dr Lena Zhong speaks at the 10th Hong Kong Police College REAP seminar on the decline in crime in the United States since the 1990s
The REAP series was launched by the Hong Kong Police College in 2008 to capitalise on research skills as key to first-class police work. The audience at the 10th seminar included five assistant commissioners from the Hong Kong Police Force and the CLASS delegation:
Dr Rebecca WONG (assistant professor, SS);
Miss Connie AUYEUNG and
Mr Michael LEUNG (both research assistants in the CLASS office); and
Dr Holly HE,
Miss Yunyun YANG and
Mr Mengliang DAI (past/current PhD students studying criminology at SS).
Photo 3: CLASS delegation – Professor Dennis Wong (fourth from left), Professor Xiaowei Zang, Dean of CLASS (middle), Dr Lena Zhong (third from right), Dr Rebecca Wong (second from right) – and counterparts from Hong Kong Police College
The signing of the MOU and the delivery of talks by criminology faculty members reflect the ongoing efforts made by CLASS to promote knowledge transfer and community outreach.
