The Hong Kong Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Awards 2021 presentation ceremony was held today, during which Financial Secretary Paul Chan presented the Award of the Year to the Immigration Department.

Apart from winning the Smart Business Grand Award, the department beat seven other grand award category winners and achieved the highest accolade.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan noted that the ICT Awards is in its 15th year and received a record-breaking 2,160 applications.

Among them, the number of entries in the student innovation category almost tripled - from some 570 in 2017 to more than 1,600 this year.

He said: "We can thank the emphasis in recent years on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.

"To reinforce our commitment in this important area, two major information technology (IT) initiatives were announced in my previous annual Budgets, namely the Knowing More About IT Programme in the primary schools, and the IT Innovation Lab Programme for secondary schools.

"Together, they promote innovative thinking and nurture an IT learning environment among our youth - tomorrow's innovation and technology (I&T) leaders and innovators."

The finance chief also emphasised that Hong Kong is on the cusp of a golden era for I&T development.

"We are getting all the support we could hope for from the central government.

"The National 14th Five-Year Plan backs Hong Kong's rise as a global I&T hub, alongside seven other sectors, including financial services, trade and transport."

He encouraged I&T elites and startups to seize the boundless opportunities that will transform Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the global economy.

Details of this year's ICT Awards winners are available online.