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Alumni Current Students Lecturers Staff

Cybersecurity for our Nation: Challenges of Hong Kong Youth in the Digital Age

Launching on 15 April 2026

HKCT is committed to developing future talent and responding to the growing industry demand for cybersecurity skills. In addition to offering short‑term professional certificates and degree programmes in cybersecurity, we actively encourage students to participate in competitions and learning activities that broaden their horizons.

HKtag also plays a key role in promoting technology education and innovation. In 2024, the organisation successfully hosted the first “SHIELDtag Cybersecurity Challenge”, which received highly positive feedback from both schools and participants.

Building on this foundation, the "HKCT × HKtag SHIELDtag Cybersecurity Challenge 2026" extends the initiative to secondary school students. The competition aims to provide a safe and structured environment where students can learn fundamental cybersecurity concepts and gain hands‑on experience. Our focus is on learning: helping students spark interest, build awareness, and develop basic skills that will support their growth in an increasingly digital world.

Organiser: HKCT Institute of Higher Education

HKCT Institute of Higher Education (HKCT) was founded in 1947 as a workers’ night school and has since developed into a self‑financed, degree‑awarding institution in Hong Kong. With over 78 years of history, HKCT is committed towards developing into a professional university, providing quality vocational and professional education, nurturing students with practical skills, positive values, and a global perspective to serve the needs of Hong Kong and society.
 

Co-organiser: Hong Kong Technology Advancement Group Limited (HKtag)

Hong Kong Technology Advancement Group Limited (HKtag) is a professional non profit organisation dedicated to promoting technology education, workforce training and data application in society. Positioned as backed by the Country, rooted in Hong Kong, and globally oriented, HKtag serves as a bridge between government, industry, academia and the community to support meaningful and sustainable technological development.

Launching Ceremony

HKCT x HKtag: Cybersecurity for our Nation: Hong Kong Youth Challenges in the Digital Age cum "SHIELDtag" 2026 Launching Ceremony

Date: April 15, 2026 (Wed)
Time: 15:00 - 16:30
Venue: Auditorium, HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus (2 On Shing Street, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, New Territories)
Content: Introduction to CTF competition and thematic sharing on cybersecurity

Registration for the Launching Ceremony

HKCT × HKtag SHIELDtag Cybersecurity Challenge 2026

Objectives

Aims to enhance secondary school students' cybersecurity awareness and responsible digital behavior through a 'Learn, Practice and Future Development' approach. Through pre‑competition training workshops, students will be guided in a safe and structured environment to:

Build strong cybersecurity awareness and learn how to make smart decisions when facing online risks Understand basic cybersecurity concepts and be introduced to the essentials of secure coding Identify common online risks and comprehend responsible digital behavior Strengthen critical‑thinking skills by analysing information and evaluating its credibility Participate in a globally recognised CTF competition, gaining problem‑solving abilities and teamwork experience through practical challenges

Competition Information

  • CTF, or Capture the Flag, is a type of cybersecurity competition in which participants tackle various challenges, analyse information, and execute hands-on tasks to uncover hidden “flags” within systems or challenge files.

  • CTF covers a wide range of cybersecurity areas, including but not limited to Cryptography, Web Security, System and Network, Reverse Engineering and Digital Forensics.

  • CTF is more than a problem‑solving game; it is a valuable learning approach that helps students develop logical thinking, analytical skills, teamwork, and cybersecurity awareness. Through the competition, students can experience real‑world security challenges, spark their interest in technology and cybersecurity, and build a clear direction for future learning.

The competition adopts the CTF (Capture the Flag) format, designed with an educational focus and an exploratory learning approach. It will take place at the HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus and will be divided into two stages: The Qualifying Round and the Final Round. This team-based competition will incorporate both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, allowing students to experience an atmosphere similar to real-world cybersecurity work in a safe and controlled environment.

The Qualifying Round focuses on fundamental CTF‑related knowledge, with theoretical questions designed to assess students’ understanding of cybersecurity concepts, basic CTF principles, and their analytical skills.

The Final Round features practical, scenario‑based CTF challenges to evaluate students’ hands‑on skills, strategic thinking and teamwork.

Date Time Content Venue
15 April, 2026 (Wednesday) 15:00 - 16:30 Launching Ceremony Auditorium, HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
30 April, 2026 (Thursday) 15:00 - 17:00 1st Pre-competition Training Workshop (Onsite)
(Registration Required)		 HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
7 May, 2026 (Thursday) 15:00 - 17:00 2nd Pre-competition Training Workshop (Onsite)
(Registration Required)		 HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
23 May, 2026 (Saturday) To be confirmed Qualifying Round (Onsite) HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
28 May, 2026 (Thursday) 15: 00 - 17:00 3rd Pre-competition Training Workshop (Onsite)
(Registration Required)		 HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
27 June, 2026 (Saturday) To be confirmed Final Round (Onsite) HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
August, 2026 (Tentative) To be confirmed Award Ceremony (Onsite) To be confirmed
  • The competition uses a team‑based cumulative scoring system, with total points calculated at the team level.
  • The top 13 teams with the highest scores in the Qualifying Round, after completing verification procedures (including identity checks), will advance to the Final Round.
  • If a team waives their qualification for the finals, fails to pass the review or is disqualified for any other reason, the qualification for the finals will be passed on to the next highest-scoring team in the qualifying round of that group.
  • In the event of a tie in scores, the qualification for advancement will be determined by the time the teams earned their last score in the qualifying round, with the team that scored earlier being given priority.
  • Target Participants are students from S3 to S6 in Hong Kong
  • The competition is conducted in a team format, with each team consisting of four members. Cross‑class teams are encouraged to promote collaboration and peer interaction.
  • Each team must appoint a team leader who will be responsible for communicating with the organizers and receiving all competition-related information, and ensure smooth coordination and effective communication within the team.
  • Teams are not required to be formally nominated by their schools; however, they must inform their schools and confirm their participation. Each team must also designate a teacher as the school contact person to facilitate communication and coordination related to the competition.

The competition is team‑based. All teams must complete online registration on or before 8 May 2026 (Friday). No registration fee is required.

The organiser reserves the right to make the final decision regarding participant eligibility and registration status.

Registration Now
  • All participants will receive a participation e-certificate.
  • Awards will be presented to the top six teams.
    - First Prize (1 team): Trophy and gift vouchers worth HK$3,000
    - Second Prize (2 teams): Trophy and gift vouchers worth HK$2,000 per team
    - Third Prize (3 teams): Trophy and gift vouchers worth HK$1,000 per team
Competition Platform and Language
  • The competition will use the cybersecurity platform provided by IntegrityTech HK Limited.
  • All the challenges in this competition are in English.
Equipment

All participants must use the designated equipment and software provided by the organiser for the competition.

Team Name

All team names will consist of 2 parts:

(1) Team code, which is generated by the system

(2) Team name, which would be any self-defined name.

The naming convention is shown below:

  • Self-defined name must be in English with maximum 50 characters
  • Naming convention is (Team Code) - (self-defined name)
    E.g. HKCT001 – ABCED

The organisers reserve the right to change the name of the team at any time without prior notice.

Terms and Conditions
  • Each participating team will be named as per the rule specified under the “Team Name” section. The organisers reserve the right to substitute any name with another name at any time without prior notice. The participants shall not raise objections.
  • The whole team is disqualified if any member of the team is not eligible.
  • All works of the team in qualifying round and final round must be contributed by eligible and registered members of the team.
  • The number of team members attending the Final Round must not be less than half of the number of members originally registered for the Qualifying Round. Failure to meet this minimum may result in disqualification from the Final Round.
  • Each participant can only enrol to one team and submit one application and agree to and comply with all the terms and conditions as well as the rules of the competition.
  • Any dispute regarding the terms and condition, the organiser reserves the right to make the final decision.

To help strengthen student’s foundational cybersecurity knowledge, build confidence, and develop practical skills before the competition, 3 physical training workshops will be arranged. Led by instructors, the workshops guide students in preparing for the competition, step‑by‑step, from basic CTF concepts to hands‑on practice. All pre‑competition training workshops requires advance registration.

1st Pre-competition Training Workshop: CTF Foundations – A Day as a Cyber Defender

Date: 30 April 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
Agenda: This session introduces students to the core concepts of CTF, including common competition formats and challenge types. Participants will also learn basic cybersecurity principles and explore how CTF is applied in real‑world contexts. The workshop aims to build a solid foundational understanding of cyber defense for beginners.

2nd Pre competition Training Workshop: CTF Experience – Your First Step into the World of Cyber Challenges

Date: 7 May 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
Agenda: This workshop focuses on hands‑on practice, guiding beginners to take their first steps into CTF challenges. Students will explore: common CTF question types, essential problem-solving approaches, basic tools for entry-level tasks and fundamental technical workflows. The session is designed to help participants quickly build the practical skills needed to succeed in cyber‑defense challenges.

3rd Pre competition Training Workshop: CTF Advanced Practice – Stepping Up as a Cyber Challenger

Date: 28 May 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Venue: HKCT Jockey Club Undergraduate Campus
Agenda: This workshop offers hands-on practice with simulated CTF challenges, featuring complete walkthrough demonstrations and analyses of thought processes. Participants will engage in practical exercises and scenario-based training to enhance their skills and thoroughly prepare for the Final Round.

Enquiry

HKCT Department of Partnership and Youth Advancement

Ms Sharon Lee / Ms Yannie Hui
Tel：2265 2137 / 2265 6949
Email：sharonlee@hkct.edu.hk / yanniehui@hkct.edu.hk