Our work benefits greatly from the ever-increasing collaboration and partnerships we enjoy with educational organizations in Hong Kong, in Greater China and worldwide. These were further bolstered by a number of exchanges during the past year.
The OUHK and Yunnan Open University will strive to complement each other’s strengths and foster mutual development following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in April 2011. Our President, Prof. John C Y Leong, was appointed as an Honorary Professor and Advisor of Yunnan Open University.
An MOU on academic collaboration was signed between the Indira Gandhi National Open University and the OUHK in May 2011. The two institutions will seek to collaborate on developing and sharing course materials and services for lifelong learning, as well as research activities and the development of course curricula.
Hanyang Cyber University in South Korea and the OUHK aim to collaborate on online learning under the terms of an MOU signed in November 2011.
A 10-member delegation led by Mr Lawrence Wong, the Singapore Minister of State (Defence and Education), visited the OUHK in January 2012. The two parties discussed various topics, including the mode of funding at the OUHK, our open access mechanism, the employment outcomes and public perceptions of our graduates, and financing options for our students.
Mr Sheu Ruey-horng, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations at the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, visited the OUHK in November 2011 to gain a better understanding of our operations.
Earlier in 2011, representatives of Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan visited the OUHK in April and discussed student exchange and e-learning collaboration opportunities with the OUHK. The University also received Prof. M Alimullah Miyan, Founder and Vice-Chancellor of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, Bangladesh.
In May of the year, eight education experts from four institutes in Eastern Europe visited the OUHK and were briefed on our assessment mechanism, the production of educational TV programmes and the arrangements for tutorials and examinations.
A group of nursing lecturers from the University of Gavle in Sweden learned more about our nursing teaching facilities when they visited the OUHK in the same month.
Also in May 2011, a group of senior officials from the Education Bureau, including its Permanent Secretary Mrs Cherry Tse, was briefed on the recent developments at the OUHK.
Strengthening mainland links
The Vice President (Academic), Prof. Danny Wong, led an OUHK delegation on a three-day trip to Fuzhou at the invitation of the Fujian Fu Guang Foundation in June 2011. They visited Fujian Medical University, attended a discussion with leaders of Fujian Health College and met representatives of Fujian Commercial College.
Another OUHK delegation led by Prof. Wong was warmly received by the Vice Mayor of Zhuhai, Ms Deng Qunfang, in November 2011. The delegation visited several educational institutions, including Zhuhai Radio and Television University, to explore collaboration opportunities.
A delegation from Shenzhen Open University led by its President, Mr Deng Mengzhong, was briefed on our educational philosophy and practices, the allocation of academic resources and the learning support services when it visited the OUHK in the same month.
In March 2012, a delegation from Sichuan Changjiang Vocational College visited the OUHK to explore further opportunities for student exchange and activities. The delegates were led by the Chairman of the College, Mr Han Jin, and Senior Advisor, Prof. Wan Guanzhi.
Seven full-time undergraduate programmes were offered to mainland high school leavers in 2011–12. An interview day for mainland applicants was conducted at the OUHK Shenzhen office, The OUHK Consultants (Shenzhen) Ltd, in June 2011 and, following written tests and face-to-face interviews, 16 students were admitted.
