In the 2016/17 academic year, Mr Paul Vinod KHIATANI, a PhD student studying sociology in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), won the prestigious Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship (for Research Postgraduate Students). He was the sole recipient of this year’s award.

Paul is committed to studying the link between morality and social and political activism among university students in Hong Kong. The aim of his research is to steer conversation on the political behaviour of youth towards discussion of their values, convictions and political imagination. The findings generated from Paul’s empirical work, based on a mixed-methods research design, help us to better understand how young people think and make their own informed decisions about joining student protests, demonstrations and even radical political events. The quantitative and qualitative data offer very useful insights into how people make moral decisions.

Paul is very grateful to the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund for recognising his achievements. He is also very appreciative of the support provided by the Student Development Services at CityU. In addition, Paul’s recent achievements would not have been possible without the unwavering support of his principal supervisor, Professor Eric CHUI Wing-hong, and co-supervisor, Dr Elaine AU.

The Fund was established in 1987 in memory of the late Governor Sir Edward YOUDE to encourage and recognise the exemplary accomplishments of outstanding senior secondary students, tertiary-level students and working adults in Hong Kong. The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship (for Research Postgraduate Students) 2016/17 provided a one-off grant of HK$50,000.

Cover photo: Mr Khiatani (left) is presented with his award certificate on stage by Lady Youde during the award presentation ceremony for the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund.