Nursing Leadership in Cross-Disciplinary Innovation
Professor Chia-Chin Lin
|
Director |
Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Charity Foundation Professor in Nursing
As global health challenges become increasingly complex, driven by ageing populations, chronic diseases, mental health concerns, and the ongoing impact of pandemics, it is clear that no single discipline can address these issues alone. Nursing leadership plays a pivotal role in bringing together diverse fields to create integrated, effective, and compassionate solutions.
At the HKU School of Nursing, we are proud to lead in cross-disciplinary innovation. Our faculty and students are actively engaged in transformative projects that span healthcare, technology, education, psychology, and social sciences. These collaborations are not only expanding the scope of nursing practice but also redefining how health systems respond to the needs of individuals and communities.
One of our most forward-looking initiatives is the integration of artificial intelligence literacy into the nursing curriculum from 2025-26 onwards. In the first year, students will learn from experts from the School of Computing and Data Science. From the second year onward, our nursing faculty will take the lead, ensuring that students understand how to apply AI in clinical decision making, patient safety, and ethical care. This initiative reflects our commitment to preparing nurses who are not just users of technology but leaders in its responsible application.
Our research also demonstrates the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. Professor Yi-nam Suen’s JC LevelMind@Community project brings together youths, schools, families, social workers, and nurses to support youth mental health. By focusing on shared mechanisms of distress and tailoring interventions to individual risk, this model offers a practical and scalable approach to prevention and early intervention.
Professor Doris Yu Sau-fung’s gerontology projects, supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, such as the JC Pathway to Healthy Ageing and JC Reach to Bridge Community Elderly Support Project, which use a nurse-led health-social collaborative care model that integrates nursing with social sciences and community care to enhance the well-being of older adults.
Also funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Jockey Club Movin’Care for Parkinson’s Disease Project led by Professor Jojo Kwok Yan-yan from the School of Nursing, HKU Centre on Behavioral Health, and the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, establishes a comprehensive and sustainable community care service model for the Parkinson’s disease-related community and promote overall social participation in caring for the disease.
In addition, Professor Denise Cheung Shuk-ting’s digital platform empowers cancer patients with personalised health resources, demonstrating how technology and nursing can work together to improve outcomes.
In education, Dr John Fung Tai-chun’s award-winning 360 virtual reality simulation project exemplifies how nursing can benefit from collaboration with language and communication experts from the Centre for Applied English Studies and the School of Chinese. This immersive learning experience enhances clinical competence and cultural awareness, increases satisfaction and self-confidence, and prepares students for the realities of modern healthcare. The AI-Enhanced Virtual Reality Simulation System in Nursing practice, in collaboration between Dr Benney Wong Yiu-cheong’s nursing team and the Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre (TALIC), shows benefits for Bachelor's and Master's students’ clinical handover training and demonstrates how collaborative, technology-integrated approaches can transform professional training at HKU.
As healthcare shifts from acute care to primary and community-based care, nursing leadership becomes increasingly essential. Nurses are at the frontline of chronic illness management and health promotion, and their ability to collaborate across disciplines is key to building resilient and equitable health systems.
Let us continue to lead with vision, collaborate with purpose, and innovate with compassion. Through interdisciplinary partnerships, nursing can drive meaningful change and shape a healthier future for all.