The Review 2014

THE REVIEW 2014 ⎜ 11 Mainland China, including 16 from the top scorers in their provinces or cities, of which we admitted 339. Another 10,937 applicants came from overseas or outside the local system. The education provided at HKU adds much value to these students through our commitment to excellence, opportunity and innovation. They receive high- quality instruction in their core disciplines, and opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills through experiential learning. These opportunities are not simply focused on academics. We also want our students to have the global perspectives required of leaders in Hong Kong, the region and the world. This means providing them with experiences that take them beyond their local boundaries. The presence of full-time, non-local students is one way of breaking down the boundaries, as are exchanges. Some 1,063 exchange students and 42 visiting students came here in 2013-14 from among our 315 partner universities in 40 countries, while 1,446 HKU students went to Mainland China or abroad. By graduation time, two-thirds of students will have had a chance to study or do service work outside Hong Kong. The success of our curriculum is evident in the success of our students. Every year since 2006, nearly 100 per cent of our graduates were employed either before or just after graduation, or they went on to pursue further study, a remarkable record for any tertiary institution. Looking ahead, the University aims to continue seeking opportunities to enhance students' education and their leadership capabilities. One important way of doing this is to aim for every student to have meaningful experiences in both Mainland China and another country. These experiences could be cultural, academic, internship, research or service, they could last for a summer, a semester or a full year. The point will be to expose students to cultures and lifestyles that are well out of their comfort zones, and bring them in contact with people who think and communicate differently. The evidence from numerous students who participate in this kind of engagement is that they become more confident and gain a deeper appreciation of the complex world they live in. The University believes it is important that every student, regardless of their discipline, has the opportunity to develop global citizenship and a better understanding of Mainland China, in order to prepare them to be future leaders in society. On the Frontlines of Innovation Of course new technology means that you don't actually have to travel to make global connections. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) raise the possibility of tearing down physical barriers to academic learning so people from all five continents can study a shared topic of interest together, under a leading scholar in the field. HKU has joined this great experiment. In 2013-14 we completed preparations for our first three MOOCs, in medicine, architecture and philosophy, for launch in the next academic year on the edX platform. We are also looking at what role MOOCs might play in our own bricks-and-mortar curriculum, too. HKU has joined other top universities in preparing massive open online courses, enabling anyone anywhere to learn via the internet. Teaching and Learning Employment Industry 2013 2012 Difference Civil Service 10.6% 12.9% -2.3% Education 8.8% 9.0% -0.2% Community, Social and Personal Services 20.2% 19.0% +1.2% Commerce and Industry 60.3% 59.1% +1.2% Business Services 13.3% 14.4% -1.1% Financial Institutions 12.7% 10.1% +2.6% Engineering, Architectural and Technical Services 10.1% 9.5% +0.6% Others 24.2% 25.1% -0.9% Employment Situation 2013 2012 Difference Employed 78.5% 78.9% -0.4% Further Studies 19.4% 19.7% -0.3% Unemployed 0.3% 0.3% 0.0% Others ＊ 1.9% 1.1% +0.8% ＊ Others included those returning to home countries or those not seeking employment in Hong Kong. Employment Situation for Graduates of the Class of 2013 Industries in which 2013 Graduates Began their Careers This year Hong Kong moved up two places to become the fifth-best city in the world for international students, according to London-based institution-assessment agency Quacquarelli Symonds' annual report. Hong Kong also replaced Singapore – which was third last year but slid to 15 th this – as the best city for students in Asia. HKU welcomes international students from all over the world, and we also make sure our local students get the best opportunities to learn overseas as an essential part of their curriculum. Future prospects for HKU graduates are excellent, with nearly 100% either finding employment within months of graduating or moving on to further studies. Cultural diversity on campus (clockwise from centre): Mimi Lam and Eric Choi, both from Hong Kong; Othmane Benlafkih from Morocco; Mikk Raud from Estonia and Ana Han Yoon Jin from Korea. Destination Hong Kong Great Expectations