The Review 2005

T HE R E V I EW 2 0 0 5 Indeed, the University has been exploring the idea of a four-year university education for many years. An extra year opens up possibilities for greater experiential learning, broader curricula and further development of leadership and communication skills. Our students are already impressing employers with their training and skills, securing 37 per cent of internships and graduate trainee positions offered by the top employers in Hong Kong, more than any other university. I firmly believe a four-year curriculum will excite students and produce even better graduates, bringing dividends to employers and the community. An additional year of study does pose several challenges for the University, however. Student numbers will increase by at least one-third because we also have plans to increase international student enrolment to twenty per cent on top of our local student intake. More space and more staff will need to be in place by 2012. We are planning now for these challenges and we have little time to spare. Space is already a constraint, particularly on the Main Estate. We are proposing a substantial new Centennial Campus to cope with the increased student intake and house the requisite facilities. This will be an estate to serve our needs for the coming decades and hopefully be a model for others in Hong Kong. Sustainability will be the guiding principle here as we seek to minimise our impacts on the environment and enhance our influence on the neighbourhood. Staffing is the other major issue, made more urgent because we will be competing for academics in a tight international market. We hope to start recruiting as soon as possible to secure talented teachers and researchers. This is not simply a numbers exercise as we are keen to build on our recent achievements, particularly in research, and hire scholars who can propel us further up the international ladder. The Times Higher Educational Supplement of London ranked The University of Hong Kong among the world’s top 50 universities, a proud achievement that we want to improve on over the next few years. An expanded campus and staff complement will, of course, require additional funding. All Hong Kong universities have experienced budget cuts in recent years and, although the government offers us strong financial support, we realise we cannot expect taxpayers to provide an endless supply of funds. The University therefore has been investigating alternatives. Alumni and individuals in the community have become keen supporters of the University in recent years. During the year, Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing donated a very generous $1 billion to support education and biomedical science within the University. Dr Stanley Ho, an honorary graduate and long- term supporter of the University has recently announced he wi l l match other donations dol lar-for-dol lar up to $500 million over the next five years, as a gift to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2011. Another 500 gifts, many from the University family, were also made during the year. All of these donations enable us to press ahead with initiatives that would otherwise go unfunded. Facing page: The University was the first academic institution in the Asia-Pacific region to join the World Community Grid , which offers unused computing power to support research into humanitarian and environmental issues.