The Review 2007

about the total university learning experience and it includes everything from internships, exchanges and community involvement, to hall life and student societies. The Centre of Development and Resources for Students is working closely with faculties to ensure that experiences outside the classroom are more integrated with students’ studies.” Chong Chan-yau Director of Student Development “I worked at Oxfam for 13 years where I kept meeting young people who wanted to make a difference in the world but didn’t know how to do it. So when I joined the University in October 2006, I was excited to learn that HKU wanted to promote global citizenship and encourage students to work towards improving the human condition as one of the educational aims of the four-year curriculum. So far I have discovered quite a number of students who are interested in issues like HIV/AIDS, climate change, fair trade, corporate social responsibility, and victims of war and conflicts. I am encouraging them to reflect on their experiences and act for change.” The University of Hong Kong is always the first-choice university of local secondary school students, and we indeed admit the best and brightest to our programmes. We also attract considerable interest from outside Hong Kong. In 2006-07 we received a record 11,023 applications from the Mainland for the 250 places available, including the top-performing student in each of seven provinces. We also received 7,680 applications from well-qualified overseas students from 50 countries and regions. The Government currently imposes a quota of 10% of the University’s intake for the admission of non-local undergraduate students, and has planned to gradually relax the quota to 20%. This will enable us to increase our non-local undergraduate student intake, providing we are able to gain the support of Government and the community in building new halls of residence to accommodate the additional student numbers. Dr Albert Chau Dean of Student Affairs “The undergraduate curriculum is no longer perceived as something that happens only in the classroom. It is now Admitting the Best A n education at the University of Hong Kong has long been highly prized in Hong Kong and the region. We are one of the most recognised names in tertiary education and we regularly attract the top secondary school students locally and, increasingly, from Mainland China and the rest of the world. Our success has been built on first-rate teaching and a willingness to transform ourselves to meet changing demands. In the dynamic environment of the 21st century, that means providing students with a broad-based, international education to deal successfully with the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. We are currently reforming our undergraduate curriculum to meet these new demands. The catalyst for change has been the coming expansion of undergraduate education in Hong Kong. From 2012 all normal undergraduate programmes will increase from three years to four – a fantastic opportunity to look at how and what we teach and to enrich student learning. In 2006-07 we reached a consensus on our vision for the new curriculum following extensive consulta- tions with staff and students. We want to incorporate greater freedom and flexibility in choice of programme, interdisciplinary and broadening experiences and internationalism into a student-centred learning programme. Through this, we hope to extend the boundaries of learning beyond the campus walls and further develop students’ abilities to cope with new situations and new environments. Many faculties already have elements of these goals in their programmes and they will be reviewed and expanded so all students can benefit as soon as possible. The Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences, for example, have a common admissions system and students undertake a broad range of study during their first year before declaring their major. This ap- proach will be extended to the Faculty of Science in 2007-08. The Faculty of Social Sciences will also make it mandatory that new undergraduates in selected programmes undertake off-campus internships from 2008 under the headings of social innovation and global citizenship. University-wide, we are continuing to expand our substantial international exchange programme – in 2006-07 455 of our students went abroad and 681 came here from 19 countries. These examples provide models for the new curriculum. A common core of study will be phased in across all disciplines from 2009, together with increased international and capstone experiences. By 2012 all undergraduates, whether they are completing their three-year programme or embarking on the new four-year programme, will benefit from a wider selection of learning opportunities. They will also benefit from the continued high quality of teaching and support at the University. We are de- termined that the current staff to student ratio should not change adversely, even as we prepare for an overall increase in student numbers of more than 40 per cent. Between 2006 and 2009 we will recruit 120 new aca- demic staff and by 2012 the number will rise to 200. We are seeking talented scholars from around the world who can help us develop the four-year curriculum and augment our research strengths. A university education has the power to transform young people and inspire them to make their mark on the world. With an extra year of undergraduate education, we will be able to provide students with learning experiences that have the potential to open their minds and develop their maturity, and that will be the hallmark of a modern, world-class education. Dr Albert Chau Chong Chan-yau