‘Out-of-the-box’ Learning and Innovation

Our teaching and learning programmes also continued to go from strength to strength in 2018–19. HKU continues to attract top students from Hong Kong, the Mainland and abroad because of the very rich learning experience we offer, including guaranteed overseas and Mainland learning experiences for students who wish to pursue this, innovative forms of teaching and learning, opportunities to learn beyond their major, support for student entrepreneurs and more. The quality of our teaching was recognised in 2019 when the Common Core team was awarded the UGC [University Grants Committee] Teaching Award. The Common Core was launched in 2012 and attracted global acclaim for its innovative, interdisciplinary approach to learning. The experience we gained from this has given us the confidence to launch a full programme in September 2019 based around interdisciplinarity and leadership development – the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. Graduates of this programme will have skills in critical thinking, leadership and big data analysis, which will enable them to tackle the challenge of our times.

On innovation and entrepreneurship, the University has been supporting students, as well as staff and alumni, through iDendron, which provides space, networking and training opportunities. iDendron was launched in 2017 and has so far been a launch pad for more than 50 start-ups and spin-offs. The University is keen to bolster our impact further and encourage the translation of our research, ideas and enthusiasm into new products and services. In July 2019 we launched the iDendron Incubation Programme to provide intensive mentoring and training for budding young entrepreneurs. We have also created a new post of Chief Innovation Officer to develop a strategic plan for advancing innovation at HKU and supporting the development of our research outputs into real-world applications.

Having said all that, I believe it is also important to bear in mind that scholarship is at the heart of HKU’s activities, whether that be teaching and learning or research. Innovations and applications are natural extensions of our scholarship, but our utmost priority is to promote the creation and acquisition of knowledge.

Such partnerships require resources. While the Hong Kong and Mainland China governments have been generous, there are many competitors for these funds. Moreover, we also want to grow, with plans over the next five years to build the Tech Landmark and five new hostels for student accommodation. I have been active over the past year meeting with industry partners and other interested parties. HKU’s alumni have been generous and we are fortunate to have so many enthusiastic friends and supporters from the community. I will continue to seek external support beyond the government to help HKU secure much-needed support for our research and teaching ambitions.

Moving Forward

One final thing to note is that while our scholars and students are working towards a better future, the University itself must ensure its in-house operations are aligned with that goal. This year’s Review reports on our ongoing efforts towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This will be a long-term project and progress may not be immediate, but we are determined to mitigate our impact and contribute to the future of the planet.

Closer to home, the University also values its position as a major pillar of Hong Kong society. The social movement of recent months has put Hong Kong, including HKU, to the test. Student safety is a high priority and we have been doing all we can to provide students with support and assistance. The University has also been working hard to promote civilised and rational discussion and debate in adherence with our core values of academic freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and respect for others’ cultures and perspectives. Our commitment to these values is unerring and they will continue to be at the heart of all we do.

The past year has been a time of great progress for both the University and for me. I have met regularly with all the Deans, student groups and other stakeholders to get the pulse of HKU and I have now started to visit individual departments to deepen my understanding of activities and aspirations across the campus. One thing that rings loud and clear is that HKU has a great pool of talent, energy and ambition. My task ahead will be to work very hard, in collaboration with the University community, to steer HKU towards new heights of excellence and fully realise its potential.