2 March 2023

To gear students up for their HSUHK Innovation Competition 2023 (Theme: Smart Campus) proposals, the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Section of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) invited Ms Sharon Tang, Senior Project Officer, Fullness Social Enterprises Society, to deliver a workshop with the theme ‘Clarity & Effectiveness: How to Generate a Winning Proposal’ on 2 March 2023. About 50 students participating in our Innovation Competition attended the workshop along with many others who wanted to hone their proposal writing skills to increase their chances of securing investment or business opportunities.

The workshop began with an in-depth discussion on the importance of understanding the audience when crafting a proposal. Ms Tang emphasised the need to research the target audiences thoroughly, identify their needs and pain points, and tailor the proposal to specifically address those needs. Ms Tang also provided practical guidance on how to develop a compelling value proposition that clearly communicates the value of the proposal and sets it apart from other proposals. The participants were encouraged to use clear and concise language that resonates with the target audience while highlighting the unique benefits of the proposal. The workshop also covered strategies for creating a structured and compelling narrative when pitching the proposals, ensuring that students did not have to resort to using jargon and technical terms that may confuse or alienate the readers, such as potential investors or judges.

Throughout the engaging and interactive workshop, Ms Tang provided real-world examples to illustrate key points and participants asked many insightful questions. Our students left the workshop with newfound confidence in their proposal writing skills, a renewed enthusiasm for pitching their ideas in well-built teams, and a strong understanding of what it takes to produce an effective pitching proposal.