The Review 2002

The University is able to enter into these exchanges with leading universities because we of fer highl y-regarded, high-qual i ty programmes. We cont inuousl y st r i ve to develop and improve the education we offer, as indicated in the Review of our teaching and learning processes. We also endeavour to serve the communi ty, both through our undergraduate and post-graduate programmes and through the School of Professional and Continuing Education, which is the leading provider of lifelong education in Hong Kong. The ultimate measure of our success in these efforts is our students. The University attracts the brightest students from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas. Our goal is to ensure they have ample opportunities to develop their social, thinking and creative skills, as well as knowledge in their subject areas. The feedback we receive indicates that we are achieving that goal, for our students are the most sought-after graduates in the region. They are well-prepared to become productive, leading members of society. A more recent development in our interactions with the outside world has been to move beyond student exchanges and enter into joint teaching programmes. On the Mainland, we offer a joint International MBA with Fudan University, which has been very popular and produced 337 graduates. As a result of this success, we introduced a Master of Social Sciences and Social Administration degree in Shanghai in 2001– 02. Another new programme, the Master of Publ ic Administ rat ion degree, wi l l be offered in 2002–03 in Shanghai and Beijing. Shorter taught programmes have been developed in tr i lateral arrangements wi th universities in China and the United States. Hong Kong students in selected programmes, and their counterparts in China and the United States, rotate among the three places to work on a joint project. So far, participants in triangle programmes include Tsinghua University, Tongji Universi ty and Fudan Universi ty in China and Pr inceton Universi ty, Yale Universi ty, the Whar ton Business School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. Kwok Yiu Tung graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2002. He spent one year on a study exchange at Tokyo’s Waseda University. “Before I went to Japan, I thought perhaps I might get lazy after a year there. But the reality was totally different. Their approach required lots of interaction between students. At first I felt a bit uncomfortable watching my friends from America be so aggressive in class. After a while, I really enjoyed expressing my opinions and listening to others. “When I returned here, I didn’t feel shy raising questions in class any more. By participating more, I found I was willing to devote more time to my studies. And my academic results improved significantly. It would not be easy for me to get a job in the current economic downturn without having overseas experience.” Ho Sik Ying is Assistant Professor in the Depar tment of Social Work and Social Administration. She was recently named a Teaching Fellow. “Teachers are encouraged to do things differently when they face students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. They have to examine their use of language, choice of examples and explanations of theories. Students, on the other hand, are encouraged to improve their communication skills and intellectual ability. This is what Hong Kong University can and should offer students. “It is interesting how students behave differently when they are in project groups. Most students initially prefer not to be placed in groups with English-speaking students. But when they are, they find it rewarding to get to know the experiences of people from different cultures. The shocks, surprises and misunderstandings that arise enrich their learning experiences.” Our academic programmes are designed to prepare students for the demands of a technology- and information-driven world. 14