Mapping the public and non-public interactions and partnerships across the versatile learning ecosystem in Hong Kong

Abstract

A prominent factor contributing to the success of Hong Kong as one of the high-performing learning systems around the world throughout the decades is its responsive and innovative as well as resilient and sustainable learning ecosystem. Hong Kong’s learning ecosystem has long been remaining tripartite, which involves the conventional top-down and bottom-up dimensions, namely, the government and schools, as well as the middle-out dimension, namely, the cross-sectoral collaboration. Most importantly, all of them are unleashing their unique potentials and creating collaborating synergistic dynamics towards the overarching goal of enhancing student learning in view of the complex, dynamic, and evolving future ahead. Therefore, the notion ‘versatile learning ecosystem’ can be succinctly employed to portray Hong Kong’s learning ecosystem. This conceptual article aims to contribute to the field by offering a springboard for the wide range of nexuses and networks manifested in the public and non-public sectors in education, especially in terms of the dimensions of ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’. The focus will be placed on illustrating the five major areas of Hong Kong’s learning ecosystem that include (1) promotion of consultative and participative policy formulation and implementation; (2) enhancement of learning and teaching experience; (3) facilitation of students’ holistic well-being; (4) support of underprivileged students in learning and teaching; and (5) cultivation of collaborative teaching, research, and service networks. In the future, it is anticipated that the public and non-public sectors will be working more frequently, closely, and intensely in supporting and promoting student learning in various levels and modes.