To deepen students’ understanding of public relations and public affairs work, the School of Communication has arranged a group of 27 teachers and students to visit Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
Taikoo Place, located in Quarry Bay in Hong Kong’s Eastern District, is a private commercial area consisting of nine interconnected Grade A office buildings developed and managed by Swire Properties. In addition to providing over 5 million square feet of office space, Taikoo Place is equipped with business and leisure facilities, including EAST Residences and the multi-purpose venue ArtisTree. It is also close to the shopping mall Cityplaza.
The visit was organised by the Public Affairs Department of Swire Properties. The day’s activities were divided into two parts. First, Ms. May Lam-Kobayashi, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties, explained the differences between public affairs, public relations, and corporate communication to the teachers and students, while also providing a brief introduction to Swire Properties’ business development. She particularly highlighted the concept of “Placemaking”, established in 2019, emphasising the interaction and connection between the community, people, and the environment. She also introduced the purpose of the “Placemaking Academy”, which is primarily set up to engage students through competitions to participate in and learn about community-building projects. Winning students have the opportunity to receive six months of theoretical and practical training to collaboratively design a project related to community connections, aiming to foster community cohesion and encourage active community participation, while also empowering young people by providing opportunities to showcase their creativity. During the interactive session, teachers and students raised many relevant questions, making the discussion lively. In the end, Ms. Lam encouraged students interested in pursuing careers in public affairs and public relations to work hard on their writing, expression, creativity, and intuition.
The second part featured student representatives from the Placemaking Academy sharing how they conceived and planned the entire “White Christmas Street Fair 2024” project from scratch, including the challenges they encountered. The theme of the event was “CampUnity”, symbolising unity around a campfire, and it focused on community connections, linking people with their environment. Notably, the entire venue was decorated with lighting made from coffee capsules, which not only promotes community environmental awareness but also aligns with sustainable development principles. Finally, the student representatives from the Placemaking Academy emphasised that the successful completion of the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024” was due to the support of various stakeholders, with teamwork and good time management being crucial.
After the sharing session, the student representatives led the teachers and students to Taikoo Place to visit the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024” event.
Overall, through understanding Swire Properties’ business development, students could deepen their understanding of the nature of public affairs and public relations work, which will help enhance their competitiveness in the job market.
Professor Chiu Ying Chun, Associate Dean of the School of Communication, presented a souvenir to Ms. May Lam-Kobayashi, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties.
Ms. May Lam-Kobayashi, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties, shared insights on the scope of public affairs work and introduced the business development of Swire Properties to the teachers and students.
Students actively participated in the discussion session.
Student representatives from Swire’s “Placemaking Academy” explained the process of planning for the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024” project.
Teachers and students from the School of Communication took a group photo with Ms. May Lam-Kobayashi, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties, and representatives from her company as well as student representatives from the “Placemaking Academy” at the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024.”
Student representatives from the “Placemaking Academy” led SCOM teachers and students to visit the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024” event.
Staff and student representatives from the “Placemaking Academy” took a photo with teachers and students from the School of Communication in front of the installation of the theme “CAMPUNITY” of the “White Christmas Street Fair 2024”.
