Applied Degree Education and the Shape of Things to Come

This edited book seeks to evolve a global community of practice to share case studies, engage in critical discussion and spearhead thought leadership, to address the paradigm shift in next generation educational practice. This book showcases novel research studies in various forms and engenders interdisciplinary conversation and exchange concerning innovation, technology, and the role of applied education in workforce futures. It also equips readers with global perspectives on the latest developments in applied degree education and thinking on new education futures.

Prof. Dr. Christina Hong Ph.D., Hon. DA., is the Deputy Vice President, Education and Quality, Central Queensland University (CQU), based at the CQU Brisbane Campus, Brisbane, Australia. Christina is the immediate past-President, of the Technological and Higher Education Institute of HongKong (THEi).Christina has a strong background in educational management and leadership with an emphasis on organizational change management, curriculum transformation, technology-enhanced learning, and teacher praxis across the school, VET and higher education sectors. Christina’s prior roles include senior executive roles in the TAFE and university sectors in Australia as well as national educational reform and tertiary education leadership roles in New Zealand. Christina is particularly interested in how tertiary institutions foster C21st employability skills, the dynamic of innovation ecosystems and collaboration through internationalization, industry linkages and applied research activities. She is highly sought after as an international consultant and speaker, including, Hong Kong SAR and Greater Bay Area (China) technology innovation Ed-Tech start-up panels, UNESCO global projects, and APAC education forums. Christina initiated the International Conference on Applied Education, Technology and Innovation (AETI) in 2019, and with Dr. Will Ma has co-edited two thematic publications: Applied degree education and the future of work (2020) and Applied degree education and the future of learning (2022). 

Prof. Dr. Will W. K. Ma Ph.D. is currently a Professor of Teaching and Learning, at Tung Wah College. Prior to this, he was the Head of the Learning Commons and Digital Innovation at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), where he was responsible for providing physical learning space, information technology services, and physical and online learning resources to staff and students in order to promote applied research and enhance learning. He was also the Chairman of THEi’s Learning and Teaching Committee, where he assisted the President with digital transformation and staff development, particularly in technologyenhanced learning. Prior to the work at THEi, Dr. Ma was an associate professor at Hong Kong Shue Yan University’s Department of Journalism and Communication for more than thirteen years. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on the use of information systems for communication, knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. He has publications in Computers and Education, Computers in Human Behavior, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, International Journal of Communications, Law and Policy, and Information and Management. He is co-editor of the Journal of Communication and Education (2015–Present), and was editor of Cogent Social Sciences, Taylor and Francis Online (2017–2019). He is the Editor of Springer’sEducational Communications and Technology Yearbook series.