[IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

SEED Foundation and The Association of Hong Kong Chinese Middle Schools Ink MoU to Launch “SEED Centre” to Drive Equal-Access Digital Skills Education

Bringing structured digital education to every secondary school student across all 18 districts;

targeting 1,300–2,300 students and 30,000–50,000 learning hours in data and AI, cloud computing and UX/UI design over 3–5 years.

July 7, 2026, HONG KONG – SEED Foundation, a Hong Kong-registered charity empowering youth for the digital economy, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Association of Hong Kong Chinese Middle Schools to launch “SEED Centre”, a new school-based network that expands equal-access STEAM and digital skills learning for secondary students across Hong Kong.

Under the collaboration, member schools of The Association of Hong Kong Chinese Middle Schools that elect to participate will serve as “SEED Centres”, opening their campuses for students from neighboring schools to enroll in SEED Foundation's digital skills courses. At launch, more than 10 schools have already indicated their participation as SEED Centres. Aligned with the Hong Kong SAR Government’s vision to support digital education and cultivate the next generation of innovation and technology talent, the initiative aims to narrow gaps in access to quality digital education, while building a stronger talent pipeline for Hong Kong’s digital economy. Over the next 3–5 years, the “SEED Centre” initiative is expected to serve 1,300–2,300 students and deliver 30,000–50,000 total student-learning hours.

Through “SEED Centres”, students will develop future-ready skills across three key learning streams: Data Analytics with Assistive AI, Cloud Computing, and UX/UI Design. The Data Analytics with Assistive AI stream introduces how data is collected, interpreted, and applied to decision-making, while also demonstrating how AI can support analytics and streamline insight generation. Students will learn how to translate data into measurable indicators, apply basic analysis to real-life scenarios, and communicate their findings clearly.

The Cloud Computing stream builds foundational cloud literacy by introducing students to the infrastructure behind modern apps and digital services. Through hands-on projects, students will create webpages, operate cloud-based servers, and use real cloud resources to understand how cloud environments are set up and managed.

The UX/UI Design stream equips students with user-centric design thinking and product design fundamentals. Students will learn to understand user preferences to map cleaner user journeys, design usable interfaces and iterate through prototyping and feedback. These skills are increasingly important for developing digital products that are intuitive, accessible, and responsive to user needs.

“SEED Centre” offers students equal-access training in highly demanded digital skills regardless of background, and early exposure to career pathways in data and /AI, cloud and digital product design. Courses are designed to be practical and applicable, enabling students to turn classroom concepts into tangible outcomes, while gaining clearer insight into how these fields translate into real-world roles, future study options, and career pathways.

By becoming a SEED Centre, participating schools can strengthen their STEAM provision while opening their campus as an accessible learning hub for students in their district. Under this venue-sharing model, any student across Hong Kong can access high-quality digital skills training at a nearby SEED Centre. Through a network of SEED Centres across all 18 districts, the programme gives students access to future-ready digital skills training close to home, ensuring that where a student lives — or whether their school can run a dedicated SEED course — does not limit their learning opportunities. This network model also connects educators to a broader community for sharing and collaboration, supporting sustained capability-building and longer-term talent development.

Mr. Ken Lo, CEO of SEED Foundation, said: “In line with the Hong Kong SAR Government's objectives to nurture local digital talent, our vision for 'SEED Centre' is simple: a SEED in every district. Just as a seed can take root and grow wherever it is planted, every secondary student in Hong Kong should have access to future-ready digital learning opportunities, regardless of background or where they live.  This initiative makes future-ready digital learning more accessible across a broader school network. Through ‘SEED Centres’, students can get hands-on experience with data and AI, cloud computing and UX/UI design in a structured manner. There’s no better time to start building the confidence and capabilities needed to thrive in a technology-driven economy.”

Mr. Kan Wai Hung, Chairperson of The Association of Hong Kong Chinese Middle Schools, said: “Every student deserves a fair chance to build the skills that tomorrow's economy will demand. Many schools want to give their students more opportunities to nurture real, useful digital skills outside regular school schedules. With ‘SEED Centres’, students have a rare opportunity to learn in-demand workplace skills, while gaining a clearer understanding of how data, cloud, and digital product design are applied in real-world settings. We also see this as a good way for schools to collaborate more and share what works.”

Ms. Cindy Chow, Executive Director and CEO of Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, said: "At Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, we believe building a strong innovation ecosystem begins with investing in people. Through our work across Hong Kong's entrepreneurship and innovation system, we see firsthand how AI and digital technologies are reshaping industries and creating demand for new skills. Giving young people early exposure to digital technologies, problem-solving and innovation helps prepare them not only for future careers, but also to become the next generation of builders and entrepreneurs. We are proud to support the 'SEED Centre' initiative and hope it encourages more companies to contribute their expertise, networks and resources to help expand opportunities for Hong Kong's youth."

Ms. Cecilia Ho, President of Lee Hysan Foundation, said: “Many students are interested in technology, but not everyone has the same access to learn it properly. ‘SEED Centre’ aims to close that gap. Providing young people with the infrastructure to learn practical digital skills and use them ethically is one of the most meaningful investments we can make for Hong Kong’s future, because it opens doors for students and gives them more options as they plan for what comes next.”

The MoU Signing Ceremony was held alongside a network partner briefing session attended by school leaders and educators, where SEED Foundation introduced the “SEED Centre” model, course streams and the student learning journey.

-ENDS-

Please download the event photos HERE.