City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is hosting the “Knowledge Mobilization in eBusiness” exhibition to showcase student projects that assist business development in the local industry.

Thirty final-year students in the Department of Information Systems (IS) have joined forces with local industry to exhibit technologies not yet deployed in Hong Kong. These include knowledge mobilization tools and techniques, a new generation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies, enhanced mobile and web services, and wireless intelligence.

Dr Michael Ho, a senior lecturer in IS and a supervisor on the projects, said the exhibition underlined CityU’s efforts to cultivate innovative professionals. “These

students are using their high-tech skills to develop projects that tie in with the development of local industry. This in turn promotes the development of information technology in Hong Kong,” he said.

The students spent two semesters on the projects, gaining a thorough understanding of how a commercial company operates. “The students applied system analysis skills to solve certain problems, allowing them to learn in a real-life situations,” said Dr Ho, adding that the students were greatly assisted by the close links IS maintains with local industry.

IS offers a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in either Information Systems or Electronic Commerce. The final-year project is an elective for students taking a systems development project with a commercial or internal sponsor. This is the seventh year that IS has exhibited the students’ final-year projects.

Alvin Cheung, Mark Lau and Jack Ng, final-year students in IS, developed a system for Nova Solution Limited which uses RFID technology to prevent jewellery theft. The three students said the project was interesting and challenging, and that they spent a lot of time getting to know the daily operation of a jewellery company and the theory of RFID technology before they could develop a comprehensive system that tied in with market needs.

“I understand now that high-tech skills and business knowledge are equally important in the workplace,” Mr Lau said. “IS equips us with knowledge in both these areas.”

The projects have been developed according to the interests and needs of the seven sponsoring companies and CityU. These companies include Mobile Barcode Recognition and Management System with the assistance and guidance of Motorola Asia Pacific Limited; Multimedia Portal for Travel Service requested by Abacus Distribution Systems (Hong Kong) Limited; RFID Based Jewellery Inventory Management Systems and RFID-Enabled Document Workflow Management System for Nova Solution Limited; and a Multi-Way Automated Negotiation System requested by PCCW Solutions Limited.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held on 23 March. Officiating guests

included the Honourable Mr Sin Chung-kai, Legislative Councillor; Mr Stephen K M Lau, JP, OBE, Chairman of EDS Hong Kong; Mr Derek Wong, Senior Manager of Motorola Asia Pacific Limited; Mr Leo Lam, General Manager of ELM Computer Technologies Limited; Professor Mathew Lee, Associate Dean of FB; Professor Wei Kwok-kee, Head of IS; Professor Douglas Vogel, Professor(Chair) of IS; and Dr Louis Ma, Associate Head of IS.

The exhibition is open from 10am to 8pm on 23 and 24 March, and from 10am to 5pm on 25 March on the Podium, 4/F, Purple Zone, Academic Building.