HK privacy watchdog unveils data privacy training academy

Hong Kong's privacy watchdog has set up a data privacy academy to back the national strategy of turning the city into an international centre for high-calibre talent.

The establishment of the academy aims to align with the national 15th five-year plan, support Hong Kong's development as an international hub, and leverage Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of enjoying the support of mainland China and being closely connected to the world under the "one country, two systems" principle.

The academy also aims to support the formulation and implementation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan by the government under the leadership of chief executive John Lee, thereby actively integrating into and serving the overall national development. 

Don't miss: HK launches public consultation for first 5-year plan

The academy will provide flagship training programmes on privacy and personal data protection matters for organisations, privacy protection practitioners and other stakeholders in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and other parts of the world. 

The programmes, which include introductory seminars, professional workshops, topical seminars on emerging issues, dialogue with experts, in-house seminars and online training, are supported by various professional associations and industry groups. 

Speaking at a summit to mark the 30th anniversary of the PCPD on Tuesday (16 June), privacy commissioner for personal data Ada Chung said the concept of privacy, which was relatively novel when the office was first established, has now evolved into an indispensable part of everyday life, according to Ming Pao. She expressed hope that the new academy would support Hong Kong's goal of becoming a global hub for top-tier talent.

Chung added that the PCPD has conducted compliance reviews, issued guidance and held seminars and workshops to help organisations use AI responsibly. Annual complaints have risen from about 250 30 years ago to around 5,000 today, while compliance actions have grown from 81 to nearly 800 per year, reflecting that "privacy protection is paramount".

To further strengthen cooperation with privacy or data protection authorities from different jurisdictions and enhance collaboration in promoting personal data privacy protection, the PCPD has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) or affirmation of cooperation with the Personal Information Protection Commission of Korea, the National Privacy Commission of the Philippines and the Personal Data Protection Commission of Singapore.

The MoUs or Affirmation of Cooperation establish a closer collaboration framework for the parties to jointly address the privacy challenges posed by the advancement of AI. 

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