CoolThink@JC × Cambodia Sharing and Exchange Programme MoU Signed to Advance Computational Thinking in Country’s Schools

The CoolThink@JC programme, initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong yesterday (18 June). Under the MoU, titled “CoolThink@JC × Cambodia Sharing and Exchange Programme”, the ministry will adopt and adapt CoolThink@JC’s internationally recognised curriculum and innovative education model in Cambodian primary schools. It will also foster collaboration through experience sharing between the educational systems of Hong Kong and Cambodia. The aim is to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have equitable access to quality computational thinking education, thus nurturing future-ready talent for the digital age.

Ms Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development), The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivered a speech.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport plans to introduce CoolThink@JC’s curricular materials and successful experiences in 100 public schools in Cambodia, benefiting approximately 30,000 students and 500 teachers, from 2025 to 2028. By enhancing students' computational thinking and problem-solving skills, the initiativecan help to bridge the digital divide and open a new chapter in the development ofCambodia's education system. As an ASEAN member state participating in the Beltand Road Initiative, Cambodia plans to share this development at international platforms such as the 2026 Global Smart Education Conference in Beijing, further amplifying the programme's impact.

Ms Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development), The Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Mr Sok Tha, Director, Department of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia, sign an MOU for the adoption and adaptation of CoolThink@JC’s curriculum and education model in Cambodian primary schools.

By exploring both local and global educational perspectives and exchanging knowledge, educators from Hong Kong and Cambodia will collaborate to create better learning environments for Asian students. Translated teaching materials will also benefit ethnic minority students in Hong Kong, further promoting integrated education.

Signing the MoU on behalf of Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Mr Sok Tha, Director of the ministry’s Department of Digital Transformation, emphasised the significance of the CoolThink@JC programme in Cambodia's education system during the signing of the MoU. The collaboration with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust on computational thinking education not only supports the Ministry in enhancing digital education but also aligns with the Royal Government of Cambodia's vision of producing qualified digital human resources. By integrating this program into classrooms, teachers can enhance their professional development, equipping themselves with the necessary skills to effectively incorporate technology into their teaching practices. This advancement benefits both teachers and students, improving student learning outcomes in the digital age. Through workshops and training sessions, teachers can refine their coding, problem-solving, and logical reasoning skills to better guide students. He is confident that implementing the program will enhance students' critical thinking, creativity, and innovation, leading to improved learning outcomes and better preparation for careers, especially in STEM fields and beyond.

Group photo of key guests and representatives of the programme partners Left 1: Ms Marina Chan, Director of MIT Innovation Node Left 2: Professor Kong Siu Cheung, Research Chair Professor of the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology, The Education University of Hong Kong; Chairman of CoolThink@JC Expert Group Left 3: Mr Henry Lin, Chief Curriculum Development officer for Technology Education at the Education Bureau; Left 4: Ms Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development), The Hong Kong Jockey Club Right 4: Mr Sok Tha, Director, Department of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia Right 3: Ms Seng Sineth, Deputy Director, Department of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia Right 2: Dr Enoch Man, Chief Curriculum Development Officer for English at the Education Bureau; Right 1: Mr Daniel Lai, Programme Director of CoolThink@JC.

Ms Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, said: “The CoolThink@JC programme has garnered wide international recognition, and its adoption by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in Cambodia across 100 primary schools is a testament to its success and growing influence on the global stage. We are delighted to witness the establishment of the Association of Computational Thinking InnoCommunity Teachers by a group of passionate CoolThink teachers this year, facilitating experience sharing and professional exchange. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, we aim to strengthen connections in education between Hong <Kong, ASEAN and One Belt One Road regions, paving the way for high-quality,forward-looking education for the next generation. Together, we can drive innovation in education and shape a brighter future for our youth. The Club thanks the Education Bureau for its support in adopting and adapting CoolThink@JC and mainstreaming it in all publicly funded primary schools in Hong Kong.”

CoolThink@JC: Advancing Computational Thinking Education Worldwide

During his visit to Hong Kong, Mr Sok Tha was invited to join the first two days of the International Conference on Computational Thinking Education as a guest speaker and delivered a speech today (19 June) at the conference. He remarked: “In the post- pandemic era, the demand for digital education has been growing, and Cambodia’s education system is undergoing a critical period of transformation. With comprehensive support from the government and related policies, Cambodia is dedicated to building a resilient, knowledge-based society founded on innovation, science and technology. We aim to comprehensively enhance the quality of education, sports, science and

Mr Sok Tha, Director, Department of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia,delivered a speech at the International Conference on Computational Thinking Education .

CoolThink@JC created the International Conference on Computational Thinking Education (CTE) in 2016. Since 2021, it has provided support for the annual event to be held in different regions, attracting over 2,000 global education scholars, front-line teachers and IT professionals each year. This initiative effectively promotes computational thinking education and drives innovation globally. This year's conference is taking place from 18 to 20 June at The Education University of Hong Kong and Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, respectively.

In 2023, the CoolThink@JC programme was adopted by Hong Kong’s Education Bureau as the foundation for the “Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level” module. The related learning and teaching materials will soon be rolled out in all publicly-funded schools in Hong Kong, supporting teachers to systematically integrate elements of innovation and technology into their curricula. This aims to cultivate students' interest and capability in information technology, while promoting and deepening STEAM education.

Initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust since 2016, the CoolThink@JC programme is co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and City University of Hong Kong, in collaboration with local educators and world-leading scholars. Since its inception, the programme has trained over 1,500 teachers and benefited more than 100,000 students. The programme is committed to mainstreaming computational thinking education into formal curricula, providing teachers with high-quality teaching materials, learning platforms and professional training. The curriculum emphasises problem-solving and logical reasoning skills, guiding students systematically through planning, analysis and debugging thought processes to effectively tackle challenges.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) and the Yao Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in the promotion of basketball and the development of youth sports. The partnership aims to support the national strategy of building the country into a sports powerhouse, contributing to the high-quality development of the sports industry.

Guests at the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Yao Foundation.

The signing ceremony took place on 7 December at the Club’s Sha Tin Clubhouse between Yao Ming, Chairman of the Yao Foundation, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of the Club. Under the MoU, both parties will explore joint initiatives and exchange activities to strengthen basketball promotion and youth sports development.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of the Jockey Club, said the Club believes in the power of sport to change lives and has long supported sports development at every level, “Basketball is one of Hong Kong’s most popular team sports and a key focus of the Club’s sports development strategy. The Club shares the same vision with the Yao Foundation and we look forward to collaborating with it to further develop basketball in the community in support of the physical and mental well-being of young people and to strengthen social cohesion.”

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (right), Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Yao Ming (left), Chairman of the Yao Foundation sign a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the promotion of basketball and youth sports development.

Yao Ming, Chairman of the Yao Foundation, said the Yao Foundation is guided by the philosophy of “educating through sports” and is committed to supporting education and promoting the healthy development of young people. With the sports development of young people being a focus for The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the visions of both organisations are highly aligned. He hoped that both organisations would join hands to explore cooperative projects to strengthen the promotion of basketball and youth sports development in order to empower young people to enjoy the fun of sports for all-round growth.

As a world-class sports and entertainment organisation with a strong commitment to the nation and to Hong Kong, the Club actively supports national and local sports development at both community and elite levels. These efforts reflect the Club’s purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of society. The Club is expanding its support for sports development further, pledging HK$3 billion over the next three years.

Before the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (left), Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Yao Ming (right), Chairman of the Yao Foundation engaged in a sharing and exchange session. Both expressed their shared commitment to further developing basketball in the community.

In support of basketball development, the Club’s Charities Trust has committed over HK$70 million to the Jockey Club Believe & Bounce Basketball Programme with the aim of making basketball more accessible for students and underprivileged groups. With 3 on 3 basketball now a medal event at the Olympic and Asian Games, the Club has also supported the Hong Kong Police Force to organise the Junior Police Call Anti-Narcotics and Fight Crime 3x3 Basketball Training Programme, supporting this game’s development among young people.

Other past related initiatives include the “Jockey Club Sports Empowering Programme” organised by the Department of Health and Physical Education of the Education University of Hong Kong, in collaboration with local sports associations including Hoops for Hope Basketball Asia, as well as the Club-supported “HKFYG Jockey Club Youth Sports Development Project”, which encourages young people to participate in sports, including basketball. The Club has also funded renovations at Southorn Stadium, including upgrading basketball facilities to enable it to host more high-level, large-scale and international competitions and events.