President's Awards

Individual Award

Professor Kenneth SIN Kuen-fung
冼權鋒教授
Professor, Department of Special Education and Counselling
Director, Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education

Over the years, Professor Kenneth Sin Kuen-fung has been a leader in numerous community activities in the field of special needs and social inclusion. He is widely recognised for his enthusiastic and professional support for the diverse learning needs of students, particularly those with special educational needs (SEN) in local mainstream schools.

In line with the University’s strategic development, he leads many knowledge transfer initiatives in catering for diversity. In the 2014-2017 period, Professor Sin was awarded HK$38.5 million in funding from a number of organisations, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, The Swire Charitable Trust, Lee Hysan Foundation, Tin Ka Ping Foundation and Hong Kong Pei Hua Education Foundation, Education Bureau of Hong Kong and Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of Macao. With this funding, he and his team offer a wide variety of services, support, research and training activities for SEN students, teachers, parents and pre-service teachers.

Professor Sin’s research-based practice addresses many gaps and deficiencies in the current arrangement and delivery of education. He adopts an integrated approach that connects knowledge transfer with research and teaching. His evidence-based practice and research not only develops new ideas and informs policy changes, but also has significant effects on the values, attitudes and behaviour of his stakeholders. This further reinforces the mutual support between research and practice in education and facilitates the formation of professional partnerships. The impact of his knowledge transfer activities is well known in local and regional communities.

As the Director of the Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education (CSENIE), Professor Sin has enhanced the Centre’s capacity, facilitating the concerted efforts of his team, and has made the Centre a brand name in inclusion. The CSENIE is now the leading service provider for inclusive KT activities among the universities in Hong Kong. It provides on-site support to schools and offers assistance to NGOs and Parent Associations. Its services, both in quantitative and qualitative terms, are fully appreciated by donors and philanthropists, the HKSAR Government and by organisations in Macao and mainland China.