Students expanded their learning beyond the curriculum through their own initiative and through opportunities offered by new University programmes to pursue research and cross-cultural engagement. A EUREKA MOMENT The EUREKA programme was launched in 2023–24 to offer undergraduate students the chance to acquire research skills, conduct a project through a free elective, and test their interest in research. Seventeen students joined, attending a module on research methods before producing their own research project. Lam Kwan Yiu, currently a final-year Bachelor of Social Sciences student, had previously taken an online course on Latin American politics and diplomacy, so he decided to investigate an area that has received little attention – the historical interaction between Qing-era China and Latin America. Under the guidance of his supervisor, Professor Bárbara Fernández Melleda of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, he showed that promising bilateral diplomacy during the 19th century had been halted by the inward-looking Qing government. “I love how the EUREKA course design gives us a glimpse of how research is practised. While other programmes teach us about research skills, few provide the opportunity for hands-on application. The programme also bridges the gap by allowing us to gain practical experience without having an impact on our final GPA, through the pass / fail grading system,” Mr Lam said. BORDER CROSSINGS A research study experience on the Thai-Myanmar border, organised by the Common Core Office, proved eye-opening and inspirational for Dicky Wong Tik. He attended in 2023 as a first-year Architecture student and felt a strong connection with the young refugees he met there, who struggled to access higher education. On returning to HKU, he questioned how he could help and began brainstorming with friends. The result is a project entirely initiated and coordinated by mostly first- and second-year students from the Faculties of Architecture, Arts, Engineering and Social Sciences. In May 2024, they returned to the Thai-Myanmar border to learn about the issues faced by schools, organise art therapy and a design studio for students, and to develop solutions to problems, such as sealing the kitchen drain to keep out rats and purchasing new mattresses and lighting. They plan to return in early 2025 to help with a school construction project. “Beyond the physical structures built and valuable insights gained, we take pride in the bonds we formed that transcended borders, cultures and ethnicities. In a place where support is often lacking, our experiences show that anything is possible with goodwill and collaboration,” Mr Wong said. SUPER-ACHIEVER Not many students establish a start-up in their teens, but Anthony Fung Pui Him has not only done that, he’s gone one better: he is also founder of an NGO focussing on life-death education and compassion for those suffering from grief and loss. Mr Fung co-founded his start-up, BOOST TEAM Ltd, while still in secondary school in 2018 to provide digital services and branding, such as social media marketing, for companies. The company has served more than 60 clients in construction, prefabrication, recycling and other fields. He also founded Grief Me Light in 2022 with friends studying psychology, which has organised more than 80 wellness events, published online education materials, launched a Life-Death Education Mobile Learning Truck and produced a music video on grief, among other things. Mr Fung graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2024 and is currently enrolled in the Master of Global Management programme. “When I established my first company in high school, I did not truly understand what entrepreneurship was or how to manage a company. Studying at the HKU Business School, especially the Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation programme, has been a cornerstone in my entrepreneurial journey and equipped me with knowledge, networks and skills,” he said. GOING ‘GLOCAL’ The Centre of Development and Resources for Students has stepped up programmes to better integrate non-local students into university life. One of these is GLOCAL Connect, which organises gatherings and outings for new non-local students and links them up with about 60 local students, who help them settle in, learn about local culture and traditions, and foster a sense of belonging. About 400 non-local students have been matched into small groups with the local volunteers. Akhmedov Farrukh, a first-year Bachelor of Business Administration student from Tajikistan, is one of the newcomers. “This programme is helping me discover new places in Hong Kong and meet people. One of my wishes before coming to HKU was to make a lot of friends and this was a great opportunity to do so.” His local group member is Ernest Ong Kuan Tiam Tim, a secondyear Bachelor of Social Sciences student. “I have been blown away by this programme. There are so many students from all over the world and I never truly understood the scale of the international community at HKU. I plan to introduce my partners to the highlights of Hong Kong and help them adjust to university life here.” RICHER EXPERIENCES Students presenting the outcomes of the Eureka research projects. ‘Make Swe’ was a seven-day volunteer trip to the Thai-Myanmar border with the aim of improving the living and learning environment of Myanmar migrants and refugees affected by the ongoing civil war in their home country. HKU launched the GLOCAL Connect programme to build global bonds between local and non-local students. Anthony (right) was awarded the Top Ten Tertiary Student Awards 2024 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in entrepreneurship. 18 19 HKU ANNUAL REPORT 2024 TEACHING AND LEARNING
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