The Review 2007

36 37 Professor Chew Weng Cho Professor Raymond Liang Professor Ralph Lerner Dean of Architecture We are working to establish the Facul- ty of Architecture as the leading centre for architecture and real estate studies in East Asia. We can succeed in this by bringing together a superb constel- lation of architects, scholars and stu- dents equipped to work on the most important questions in our field: what will the urban and rural landscapes be like in 25 years, and what contribution can we make in re-forming these; how will the emerging technologies of build- ing affect the environment and culture; what are the implications of a wholly urbanised planet; and how can we better shape the relationship between globalised culture and the exceptional cultural of China. These are pivotal questions facing our profession today and they represent an array of issues that, in the ideal situation for a great research university, will never go away. Professor Chew Weng Cho Dean of Engineering One of the challenges facing engineer- ing schools in this region is the need to train more broad-based, versatile, and higher-level engineers. Engineers increasingly have to handle more di- verse situations and more upscale technology. As a result, companies want graduates with Master’s degrees and PhDs. This Faculty has done a very good job training undergradu- ate engineers to meet Hong Kong’s needs. Now we need to increase our provision of post-graduate training, which also means strengthening our research capabilities. I think HKU has the edge in this over other universities in the region. We are more exposed to the West and we can assimilate Western concepts and institutions more easily, as well as attract top scholars. With these ad- vantages, we can aspire to be a world- class engineering school. Professor Raymond Liang Dean of Medicine (Acting) We celebrated our 120th anniversary this year and, while we have re-visited our accomplishments, we are also looking to the future. We admit student doctors and nurses who are typically the best and brightest of their classes, and the additional undergraduate year from 2012 will provide an opportunity to broaden their outlook and develop research talent. We already are con- sidered world leaders in several areas of research, such as cancer, influenza and liver transplantation, and we are exploring new fields, such as stem cells. The combined strength of our research and training means we can provide the highest standard of clini- cal care to our patients. Our medical faculty has grown with Hong Kong and we have gained the community’s highest respect by keeping focused on how to serve them best. Professor Ralph Lerner Professor Shirley Grundy Professor Johannes Chan Professor Johannes Chan Dean of Law Our Faculty has a fine tradition of com- mon law scholarship and aspires to be a premier law school in Asia. We have over 60 academic staff from major com- mon law jurisdictions, focusing on public law; corporate, financial and commercial law; comparative Chinese law; interna- tional economic law; intellectual proper- ty and information technology law; and arbitration and dispute resolution. Their research has contributed significantly to legal development and law reform initia- tives in Hong Kong, as well as the devel- opment of the Rule of Law in China. Our students are recruited from the top echelon of secondary school graduates. The Faculty provides an inspiring teaching programme that in- tegrates professional knowledge, skills and ethics, exchange and internship ex- perience, a global outlook and broad lib- eral education. The success of the pro- gramme is evidenced by the numerous prizes our students win in international mooting competitions and the many prestigious scholarships they have re- ceived for further studies overseas. Professor Shirley Grundy Dean of Education This faculty has an excellent interna- tional reputation, but is not content to rest on its laurels. I detect a desire to move forward and adapt. I can see many opportunities for us to take the lead in respect of educational develop- ments and capacity building in Main- land China and elsewhere. We have the knowledge and expertise to make a difference wherever we work, and we will continue to look to excellence and identify where we can have the greatest impact. Our outreach work is inter- twined with innovation and sustain- ability. We want to introduce innovative ideas in new contexts and we want these efforts to be sustainable after we leave. It is the same with developing students as independent and lifelong learners. We want them to continue to learn, even when we are not there to guide them.