Despite the persistent and lingering impact of the pandemic in the last year, the Institution has persevered with spearheading the many initiatives of ascending to the next higher level. The changes are exemplified by the “Time to Change Roadmap” which was launched in the middle of the year. Members will agree that we are seeing early signs of rejuvenation under the five focus areas as delineated in the Roadmap, namely “pursuing digitalisation”, “enhancing service to members”, “boosting professionalism”, “facilitating innovation” and “undertaking governance review”.

Progress has been achieved at various fronts under the Digitalisation focus area. Besides, we have turned the challenge posed by the pandemic on deferral of the AGM into opportunity of early practising of Governance Review. Striving to comply with the prevailing social distancing requirements, we updated the Constitution by making necessary amendments to allow for virtual meetings and electronic voting in exceptional circumstances.

By the latter half of the year, after the change of Session, emphases are placed on Boosting Professionalism with the theme of our President Ir Aaron K M Bok being: “Commitment to Change – Boosting Professionalism: We are proud to be Engineers”. We are seizing every opportunity to uplift the engineer’s professional image by issuing several impactful reports (on procurement policy, engineering manpower, and streamlining development processes); publishing our views on the Budget and the Policy Address; addressing media enquiries on incidents which had aroused extensive public interest; getting our messages across by leveraging the social media platform like the HKIE Facebook page, Instagram account and YouTube channel in order to promote the profession and its stellar achievements to the public and especially the younger generation etc.

The following is just some highlights amongst a host of initiatives accomplished in the last year. There will be much more to come in the years ahead and I am sure we can count on the support of our members in our one-way journey of elevating the Institution to a new height.

January

• A Townhall Forum for the “HKIE Time to Change Roadmap” was held on 7 January 2022, during which preliminary suggestions for the Roadmap were presented. Over 100 members joined the Forum either in-person or online who made views on a total of 46 priorities and 20 future recommendations under five focus areas.

February

• The Secretariat’s email system was migrated to Microsoft 365, which enhances work efficiency with its new tools.

March

• The report on “Research on Procurement Policy Review for Works Contracts and Consultancy Contracts” was issued and delivered to the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Development.

• A Task Force was set up to study possible measures to address eventualities like the Covid pandemic that cause deferral of meetings of the Council and its subordinate Divisions and Committees.

April

• The Formal Training Scheme for Associate Membership in the competence-based format was launched on 1 April 2022.

• The report on “Research on Augmenting Engineer Manpower to Cope with the Foreseeable Surge in Demand” was issued and delivered to the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Development.

• To offer encouragement and mentor-to-mentee support for non-Corporate Members, the HKIE Mentorship Scheme was launched. A Mentor Briefing and a Launching Webinar were conducted online on 9 and 23 April respectively.

• At an Election Committee Zoom Forum about land, housing and construction on 13 April 2022, the Institution shared its visions and recommendations for Hong Kong’s future with the then Chief Executive Candidate Mr John Lee.

May

• The Council approved the proposal on the amendments to the Constitution for adopting e-voting and holding virtual meetings in the Council and General meetings.

• Ir Prof K F Chung, Director of Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Steel Construction (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, visited the HKIE Headquarters on 24 May 2022 with his team to discuss the way forward of technology and innovation of the engineering community in Hong Kong.

June

• The Annual Grand Ceremony cum Award Presentation was held on 6 June at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. There, the “Time to Change” Roadmap was launched. The title of Honorary Fellow, The President’s Award, and The Young Engineer of the Year Award 2022 were also presented.

• The HKIE Prize Presentation Ceremony cum New Members’ Reception was held on 11 June 2022 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The HKIE Scholarship, The HKIE Prize for Outstanding Engineering Students, The HKIE Innovation Award, The HKIE Innovation Award (Young Member Group) and the Trainee of the Year Award were presented.

• The International Council on Electrical Engineering (ICEE) Conference 2022 was held on 29 June - 1 July 2022 in hybrid mode.

July

• On 23 July 2022, the Institution participated in the Yan Chai STEM FAIRE 2022, a flagship event of the Yan Chai Hospital Board jointly organised by 20 primary schools and secondary schools. It set up a booth to introduce the HKIE to the schools and the public.

August

• The 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on 24 August 2022 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Ir Aaron K M Bok was installed as the President for the Session 2022/2023. The theme “Commitment to Change - Boosting Professionalism: We are proud to be Engineers” was also announced.

• The Special General Meeting (SGM) was also held on the same day, where resolutions approving the proposed amendments allowing for virtual meetings and electronic voting in exceptional circumstances were passed.

September

• On 1 September 2022, an online application system for HKIE Student Membership with a streamlined process was launched. Graduate members are also able to access online editable version of Record of Training Outcomes, Training Logbook and Record of CPD on the HKIE website starting this September.

• The first Council meeting of Session 2022/2023 was held on 15 September 2022, along with a photo session featuring Council Members and some of our Past Presidents, who are Honorary Members of the Council. Changes to the HKIE organisation structure and the related standing committees together with the proposed membership list for the session was approved at the meeting.

• At the end of September, a report entitled “Recommendations on Streamlining Building Works and Infrastructure Development Processes” was submitted to the Administration.

• The Institution’s views and suggestions to the Chief Executive in connection with his Policy Address were issued.

October

• The new HKIE Grand Award 2023 was first launched on 6 October.

• Immediate Past President Ir Edwin K F Chung made a visit to the Canadian Chapter in Toronto in early October to enhance industry connection.

• A press conference was called by the President Ir Bok on 14 October to highlight our thoughts on the Policy Address.

• The Presidential Address/Dinner was held on 19 October 2022 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The HKIE Outstanding Paper Award for Young Engineers/Researchers 2022, The HKIE Best Transactions Paper Prize 2022 and the Long Service Award for the HKIE Secretariat were presented. A Certificate of Special Distinction was also presented to our youngest student member Mr Peter Liu.

• To build closer ties between the Institution and the media and share our visions, the HKIE Media Luncheon 2022 was held on 25 October 2022. Over 15 experienced journalists attended.

• An Executive Media Training 2022 was arranged for the President, Officers and nominated delegates on 29 October 2022.

November

• The Institution launched the campaign “Design for Future • Build for Life” Construction Hong Kong in mid-November in collaboration with the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and other members in the construction and engineering field to foster appreciation of the industry and attract new blood thereby.

• 11 young members were selected to take part in the President’s Protégé Scheme 2022/2023 and given the opportunity to shadow and work with President Ir Bok.

• Appointed to be the new mascot and KOL of the HKIE, “Hally” began to be featured in various publicity activities and on social media platforms.

• The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) visited the HKIE Headquarters on 22 November 2022 to engage the Institution in a fruitful discussion on various hot topics in and challenges to the building services engineering profession.

December

• To strengthen our bonds with various professional engineering institutions and engage local students’ interest in Hong Kong’s future development, a Presidential visit to the UK was made on 5-9 December 2022.

• The Institution subscribed a booth in the CIC Construction Innovation Expo 2022, which was held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13 to 17 December.

• The Public Lecture/Webinar for the HKIE Outstanding Paper Awards for Young Engineers/Researchers was held on 16 December 2022 in hybrid form. Awarded papers of 2021 and 2022 were presented.