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HKBU and Hong Kong Ballet co-host “Pulse of the Pearl: Avant-Garde Frontiers - From Knowledge Transfer to Future Impact” reception

Monday, 10 August 2026

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Dr Sunny Chai (centre, front row), Professor Alex Wai (2nd right, front row), Mr Kevin Liem (1st right, front row), Mr Septime Webre (2nd left, front row), Ms Heidi Lee (1st left, front row), Professor Terence Lau (centre, back row), Professor Jeffrey Shaw (2nd right, back row), Mr Fred Li (1st right, back row), Professor Liu Jiming, Associate Provost of HKBU (2nd left, back row); and Professor Johnny M Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) (1st left, back row) at HKBU attended the reception.
Dr Sunny Chai emphasises that HKBU will continue to drive innovation at the intersection of arts, culture, and technology.
Professor Terence Lau moderates a panel discussion on the commercial opportunities and challenges of art-tech projects with the guests.
Government representatives, investors, and specialists from the entertainment and cultural industry experience Wayne McGregor: On The Other Earth.
In eMBody—everybody in motion, the audience experiences a unique dance performance generated by their own movements.

HKBU and Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) co-hosted the “Pulse of the Pearl: Avant-Garde Frontiers - From Knowledge Transfer to Future Impact” reception at Tai Kwun on 23 July. It brought together government representatives, investors, and experts from the cultural and entertainment industries to explore the future of integrating arts and technology. The event built on the momentum of the Asia premiere of the immersive installations, Wayne McGregor: On The Other Earth and eMBody—everybody in motion, using these two successful projects as case studies.

Created by Professor Jeffrey Shaw, Chair Professor of the Academy of Visual Arts at HKBU, and his team, eMBody—everybody in motion is an immersive and interactive installation driven by advanced technology. It utilises real-time motion capture to transform the body movements of the audience into an elegant virtual dance. The audience is no longer just a spectator but becomes a choreographer, personally experiencing a unique dance performance generated by their own movements, thus pioneering a new model of entertainment.

The reception was attended by Dr Sunny Chai, Deputy Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Mr Kevin Liem, Treasurer of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Professor Terence Lau, Interim Chief Innovation Officer of HKBU; and Mr Septime Webre, Artistic Director of HKB.

In his welcome remarks, Dr Sunny Chai emphasised HKBU’s commitment to translating creative and technological breakthroughs into real-world impact through knowledge transfer and strategic collaboration. He expressed that HKBU supports the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the development of Digital China, and will continue to drive innovation at the intersection of arts, culture, and technology, contributing to Hong Kong’s role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

At the reception, Professor Terence Lau moderated a panel discussion on the commercial opportunities and challenges of art-tech projects, drawing upon the success of Wayne McGregor: On The Other Earth and eMBody—everybody in motion. The panel featuring Ms Heidi Lee, Executive Director of HKB; Mr Fred Li, Managing Director and Head of University Ventures at Gobi Partners; and Professor Jeffrey Shaw, delved into how to transform knowledge and art-tech into social, cultural, and economic value, and extend that impact onto the international stage.