The graduation ceremony of the first course on Junior Police Call (JPC) Foundation Certificate in E-Sports Science was held at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) on March 31. Graduates were awarded certificates equivalent to Level Two of the Qualifications Framework.

A pilot programme in JPC e-sports was launched in February last year with the aim of using e-sports as a platform for communication with young people and nurturing them to become young leaders and crime-fighting partners. Following the programme, the JPC and the School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE) of the HKU co-organised the course on JPC Foundation Certificate in E-Sports Science in August. The course covered the knowledge of e-sports and provided placement opportunities for the participants in the E-Sports and Music Festival 2018.

The graduates comprised 28 JPC members, five Senior Police Call members and one student from the Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied Association. This shows that e-sports does not have any age restriction or physical limitation and is a platform to promote inter-generational integration and disability inclusion.

The graduation ceremony was officiated by Acting Head of the College of Life Sciences and Technology of HKU SPACE Dr Bruce Cheung, and Assistant Commissioner (Support) Lam Hiu-tong. Also present at the ceremony to give support to the programme were Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology Dr David Chung; Senior Manager of Cyberport E-sports and Youth Team Mr Terence Leung; Director of JPC e-sports cadre Mr Eric Yeung; member of the JPC Central Advisory Board Mr Woo King-hang; and Chief Superintendent Tse Chun-chung, Senior Superintendent (Community Relations) Yu Hoi-kwan and Superintendent (Community Relations) Wong Ping-ping of the Police Public Relations Branch. Associate Head of the College of Life Sciences and Technology of HKU SPACE Dr Lam Sai-ming presented the certificates to the graduates.

So far 180 JPC members from 60 schools have joined the JPC e-sports cadre. A new round of recruitment has begun and JPC members who are interested in e-sports are welcome to join. The next course is scheduled to be held this summer and application will be open to JPC members of 16 years old or above.