Potential Topics for New Common Core Courses

To support the development of new common core courses, a list of suggested topics is provided as a guide. These topics are not intended to limit subject boundaries or serve solely as a means of knowledge dissemination. Instead, they highlight important and often controversial issues that, through well-designed courses and pedagogy, can foster student research, self-reflection, identity recognition, and personal value development.  

Faculty and teaching units are encouraged to use these topics as references for course development. It’s important to note that the list is not exhaustive or exclusive. Each topic can stand alone or be combined to create new interdisciplinary subjects. Courses may also be categorized under multiple common core areas based on the desired learning outcomes.

  • Literacy in basic science and technology – basic knowledge
  • Origin of the universe
  • Science/technology advancements (pure science topics; not addressing societal implications)
  • The digital revolution: transforming communication and society
  • Science thinking: science in ancient China, India, and the western world: a historical revisit and a reflection of our potential problem and future perspective, dialogue between science and humanity
  • The impact of artificial intelligence on society and workforce - Exploring the implications of AI in various sectors
  • Sustainable energy solutions: bridging science and policy
  • The future of work: automation, AI, and human labor
  • Climate change and sustainability innovations - Addressing urgent environmental challenges and technological solutions
  • The Internet of Things (IoT): connecting the world
  • The interplay among the regional powers and within the Greater China area
  • Ethics in biotechnology and genetic engineering - Examining moral implications of advancements in medicine and genetics.
  • Philosophy of science
  • The rise and fall of nations, states, and political movements
  • Global health crises and pandemic preparedness - lessons learned from COVID-19 and future strategies
  • The future of education 
  • Cybersecurity and digital privacy - Understanding the importance of data protection in a connected world.
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship 
  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency: revolutionizing finance
  • Perception of the physical world from within & exploring the meaning of life, projections that transcends life
  • Feminism and social change 
  • Cybersecurity in fintech
  • The role of media in society 
  • The future of food: technology and sustainability
  • Beyond life, science versus religion, interface of spiritual and physical world
  • Food security and agricultural innovation 
  • Human rights, equality, and social welfare system
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Adolescence versus adulthood, biological and psychological definitions
  • Globalization and its effects on local economies - Understanding the balance between global integration and local identity.
  • Defining happiness
  • Emotion, evolution and social infrastructure
  • The role of technology in human trafficking
  • Bio polarization: poverty in society
  • Social injustices, gender, ethnicity, and economics
  • Global citizenship and responsibility 
  • Public health
  • Exploitation of resources and power
  • Capitalist versus communist at the cross road
  • Understanding economic inequality 
  • Digital citizenship and cybersecurity
  • Election system and the games theory
  • The tug-of-war between political ideology and economic engine, sample studies in Hong Kong
  • Professional ethics and the community
  • Concepts of law
  • Government and politics
  • Foundation of social media: from concepts to creativity
  • Promotion and advertising
  • Economic and financial crisis
  • Financial markets
  • Public relations and media communication
  • Corporate social responsibility