- Sister company of Hong Kong Tramways offers secondary school pupils classes that teach technical skills and problem-solving with latest tech, like AI and virtual reality
- Its first competition, Building Our Future – Grand Challenge, invites students to identify a solution to a problem in the city’s trams
Students from Wah Yan College present the 3D models they made during a Tramplus course. Photo: Handout Hong Kong’s trams are helping the city’s students visualise the future, through STEM courses based on the beloved public transport and a competition that gives participants the chance to make their voices heard.
Tramplus, Hong Kong Tramways’ sister company, is partnering with the city’s universities and companies to offer students an engaging and practical curriculum inspired by tram technology.
They aim to teach technical and problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on using the latest technology, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
What students can learn about STEM from Hong Kong’s famous trams
“The ability to present ideas through 3D models and virtual reality will become a necessity in the future – that’s why it is imperative to introduce students to these skills sooner rather than later,” Nixon Cheung, general manager of Tramplus, said at a media event last week.
He explained that the tram theme was a stepping stone for students to develop wider skills. Once the course content departs from trams, students are given space to apply what they have learned to unleash their creativity and visualise ideas.
“They are learning how to construct worlds in the metaverse, and this begins with learning how to construct a tram,” added Crystal Wong, manager of Tramplus. “From there, they can work on a variety of themes as specified by their school or organisation.”
Secondary schools can contact Tramplus to choose from a variety of programmes for their pupils.
For example, Design for Sustainable Urban Mobility Programme was created in partnership with MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node, and it tasks students with identifying problems in urban mobility and reimagining a sustainable solution. In the 20-hour course, students visit the Tram Depot and learn about design thinking, entrepreneurship and app design.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has also worked with Tramplus to develop classes on 3D-modelling programs such as Blender. These lessons expose secondary school students to different engineering disciplines.
Though these courses are currently offered only to secondary school students, Cheung said Tramplus hoped to extend them to upper primary school students as well.
“We will continue to work with local schools to provide accessible STEM education for secondary school and primary school students in the future,” he said.
Young Post invites budding innovators to show their STEAM skills at the Grand Challenge
The company has launched its first-ever competition, Building Our Future – Grand Challenge, focused on the theme of “modernising Hong Kong icons: embracing smart mobility and sustainability”.
It is open to students in Secondary Two to Four or Years Nine to 11. Participants must identify a solution to a problem in the city’s trams. Proposals must be submitted by August 18, and finalists will present their ideas to a panel of judges at the M+ museum in December.
In previous courses, students have crafted proposals for the improvement of trams, and Cheung shared that Hong Kong Tramways ended up considering those changes, such as improving ventilation.
Wong explained that this competition would be a chance for participants to make an impact on society.
“Our supporting organisations, like ReThink HK, have the power to drive changes. Students can present in front of these leaders – it’s a great opportunity for them to showcase [their talents],” she said.