The Review 2005

1 5 T HE R E V I EW 2 0 0 5 Students who do not go abroad have plenty of opportunities to engage with people from other cultures, too. A growing number of non-local students are choosing to enrol in this University full-time. Some 220 high-achieving Mainland students were admitted in 2004-05 from 2,400 applications. Another 145 students from 14 other countries were admitted into full-time undergraduate studies. When postgraduate students and overseas exchange students are added into the equation, there are more than 3,000 non-local students on campus, 15 per cent of the total. In addition, about half of our academic staff comes from outside Hong Kong. A final component in broadening students’ experiences happens here in Hong Kong. Our general education programmes offer many opportunities for students to challenge themselves, develop new social networks and take on leadership roles. For example, the Lee Shiu Socio- Economic Study Project is an intensive, six-week summer study programme involving students from this University, six Mainland universities and Harvard University. The Intensified Learning Opportunity Programme is a 14-month leadership programme for 30 selected students. Altogether, we offered 171 personal development growth courses and workshops in 2004-05, as well as general interest, career guidance, health education and other programmes. Furthermore, the Mentorship Programme brings students into direct contact with community leaders. Second-year undergraduates are paired with alumni from business, politics, government, medicine, education and other fields. The mentors provide guidance and a glimpse of the opportunities awaiting students when they graduate. In 2004-05 there were 550 pairings, as well as several overseas alumni mentoring exchange students. University students are at a critical, formative age. They need exposure to different viewpoints, cultures and experiences to develop their intellectual and leadership skills. Universities play a central role in providing this exposure and grooming society’s future leaders. For this reason, every sector in society has a stake in ensuring we succeed. Collaborating with universities and providing opportunities for students are immediate ways of providing assistance. In the longer term, supporting and approving sufficient funding for universities will surely pay off, as new generations of leaders emerge with the appropriate skills and vision to navigate the rapid changes and challenges of the 21st century. Tiger Chen Yinhua of Shanghai is studying economics and finance. “The professors here at HKU always inspire students to think deeply about the questions they pose, you have to engage in critical thinking and participate more in the learning process. The extracurricular activities are good, too, because they inspire students to take the initiative in leading activities and organising events.” Architecture students engage in projects with a strong community element. Second-year students also learn basic construction skills so they can build structures for community groups.