Professor John Malpas was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor in December 2000, with the portfolio of planning and resources. His main duties include the coordination of strategic planning for the University’s future development, as well as campus infrastructure and development. Recently he has spent much of his time on the Centennial Campus Development Project, and here, Professor Malpas shares his vision of the new campus with us. 

How long have you been involved in the Centennial Campus project? 

The Centennial Campus originates from the Millennium Master Plan (MMP), which was first formulated before the year 2000. The Plan highlighted the need for the western expansion of our campus in order to meet the development needs of the university. I was involved in the MMP and subsequently the planning and implementation of the Centennial Campus. 

Given the challenges and constraints of the site, why did we choose this piece of land to develop our new campus? 

From the beginning, we stressed the need for a unified campus for several reasons. Firstly it would save a lot of travel time for staff and students who otherwise would have to journey between campuses. Secondly, the area of HK west is recognized as the home of HKU. Thirdly, a coherent campus would be conducive to inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary collaboration. But given the high development density of this area, we faced a very limited choice if we were looking for land adjoining the existing campus. 

The site of Centennial Campus has been occupied by the Water Supplies Department. Despite numerous technical difficulties, including the need to re-provision the reservoirs, this was the only piece of land which would meet our needs and be in line with our development principles. 

Why are the three new buildings allocated to the Faculties of Arts, Social Sciences and Law?

We understand that all faculties face an urgent need for physical expansion. We would also like to see more inter-disciplinary collaboration. Arts, Social Sciences and Law are humanities-related subjects and there is greater synergistic potential if they are located close to one another. 

What will happen to the existing buildings after these faculties move out? 

Obviously all faculties will experience some expansion in the next few years as there will be more students and teachers associated with the 4 year undergraduate curriculum, and our expanding research effort. Faculties who will not move to the Centennial Campus will benefit from it as they will be allocated more space on the existing campus. We are currently in discussions with the faculties regarding how the evacuated space will be used. Actually, we have estimated a need for an additional 100,000m² for future development of the University but the Centennial Campus could only offer about 42,00m², so we are still very much short of space. 

HKU has been recognized for being proactive in engaging the public on its campus development and you have been a key advocate of this approach. Why do you see a need to reach out to the public? 

HKU is a public institution. We have a responsibility for excellence in education and research, but we also have a responsibility to translate our knowledge and research for societal needs and requirements. We have 5000 staff members and 20,000 students and we are a significant part of the community. 

I think that not just the Centennial Campus project, but the whole university should actively engage the public. 

How do you motivate your project colleagues to reach out to the public? 

I think colleagues at the university have to realize that they do have a third responsibility, apart from research and teaching; that is interaction with the society in which we live. Our colleagues may sometimes get frustrated when they work with government departments, District Councils, or residents etc. They feel that their efforts in building a world-class university are not understood. But in general I think they are very pleased to be part of the university and being seen to be leading the way. 

What lessons have we learnt from public engagement in the last few years? 

There have been many. Members of the public are very interested in what we do, much more so than I thought. I think the community is in general very proud of the university, and supportive of our project. Secondly, I am grateful that they are willing to comment, attend meetings and make suggestions. While it is not possible to satisfy everyone, we have tried to develop a campus that best fits the needs of the university as well as those of the community. 

One clear example is the preservation of the three heritage buildings. At first, we planned to preserve only the two staff quarters. After hearing views from the public, we asked the engineers to come up with a solution which did not require the Treatment Works Building to be demolished. We are glad that now a better solution, which does not compromise heritage sites or the new campus, has been found. 

One of the most outstanding features of the Centennial Campus is the Learning Commons. What is so special about it? 

Traditionally, the academic core of a university is the library, which, of course, is much more than a collection of books. It is a place where people meet, study, get information, and conduct research etc. The whole concept of what a library is has drastically changed over the last 15-20 years, to some degree because of the way information and data are stored now. 

In addition, university curricula have changed significantly over the last decades. Most are much more student-centred and student-driven these days. Learning has become much more than simply a classroom lecture experience. 

We thought that the concept of an “Information Commons”, a bank of personal computers for student use, needed to be re-thought in terms of the learning experience. 

I would describe the concept as an “Academic Airport Lounge”. It will have all the necessary facilities for the enhancement of writing, language, IT and multimedia skills, help desks to support student learning, and a variety of amenities. 

Our concept is of a 6,000m² area where we will bring the outdoor and indoor environments together. The space will be open with a variety of facilities, decor and furnishings to suit different modes of learning. It is intended as a one-stop shop for self-directed learning. 

Sustainability features are another important part of our new campus and extra funding would need to be raised for them. Why are they so important to HKU? 

HKU is an urban university in the middle of “Asia’s World City”, which is also one of the world’s most crowded. We need more open space and should soften our landscape as far as possible with more greenery. 

For sustainability, we are considering more than a dozen features, including some innovative ones such as “the capture of free-fall energy from lifts”, “light pipe systems”, "under-floor air-conditioning systems", “waste food digesters for generating bio-gas from student canteens”, etc. I simply believe that we have to practice what we preach. We will reduce energy consumption, improve air quality and the quality of indoor and outdoor spaces, and increase ventilation and sunlight penetration. 

We also want to lead the way somewhat, and show what can be done with careful planning. The important thing is a proper cost-benefit analysis, which should not be simply in terms of dollars. The benefits are in terms of education, societal leadership, and also the well being of the people working here. What we would like to do is to push forward the frontiers of sustainability practice in Hong Kong. It might well be impossible to build a carbon-neutral facility here, but we can strive to lead the way by using innovative technology and continually monitoring our progress.  

What are the major challenges ahead for the project from now to 2012?

First, we have an extremely tight schedule. The reservoir re-provisioning works must be finished in the second half of 2009, after which the construction of the campus can begin. The recent landslide on the hill behind the Chow Yei Ching Building is a new challenge, but it will not affect the overall progress of the project. 

Funding, of course, is another challenge for us. The cost of construction is escalating and we need to work hard to raise extra funds both from the government and others. 

Are there other major development projects from now to 2012, and beyond? 

Besides the Centennial Campus, we are building the Lung Wah Street Hostel which will provide an additional 1,800 places in 2012. The Human Research Institute Phase 1 at Sassoon Road will be completed in 2011. 

As I said, we are still far short of space for our development needs. We are considering the redevelopment of No.2 University Drive. We are also studying the feasibility of extending the Centennial Campus’ University Street further into the Main Campus to provide more space and better connections between the two campuses. In addition we are exploring the possibility of new student hostels and staff accommodation. 

As a full-time Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of strategic planning and campus infrastructure, you still insist on teaching and research. How do you manage you time effectively? 

I do insist on teaching because I think this is what a university is all about. I enjoy teaching, learning and continually developing my mind. Teaching young people also keeps me young, at least in spirit. While I still supervise research students, honestly, my research has been attenuated due to administrative work. 

Time management is difficult. If I need to attend an important meeting, I may be forced to make up a class at another time. This only happens rarely, however, and my students are very forgiving. I regret that I cannot support my students to the extent that I would like to, and I am grateful for their tolerance. Teaching and research take a lot of time, but they are exciting activities. I could not work in a university without doing university things! 

What are your hobbies? What will you do in your spare time? 

I am a great lover of music and sports. I played trumpet, French horn, and flute before. I seldom play that much in Hong Kong as I now live in a small apartment. I play squash, swim and go walking. I used to play a lot of basketball and golf. I’m too old for the former now, and have inadequate time for the latter. I am a great sports fan and I never miss events like the ‘Hong Kong Sevens’!