The OUHK builds and fosters academic collaboration to benefit the University, its staff and students. We continue to work with our counterparts in Hong Kong, mainland China and other parts of the world and have strengthened our links with an ongoing schedule of new partnership programmes, seminars, conferences, visits and academic exchanges.
International learning programmes
In May 2010, we signed a memorandum of understanding with International Telematic University UNINETTUNO in Italy to offer a Master of Laws in Chinese Business Law programme in Europe and the Mediterranean region, together with a Master in European Law and Policies programme in Hong Kong, mainland China and Southeast Asia.
To improve our Putonghua learning facilities and promote related research and academic exchange, we signed an agreement with the Centre for Putonghua Training and Testing, the State Language and Writing Commission, to extend our collaboration on the National Putonghua Proficiency Test and training in Hong Kong.
Seminars and conferences
Seminars, conferences and exhibitions provide an ideal platform not only for the exchange of views and experiences, but also to link up with education institutions both in the region and internationally. During the year, we attended a number of such events and took part in discussion forums and roundtable debates.
Activities in the region
In July 2010, we joined a high-level delegation to Japan and Korea, led by Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, to promote Hong Kong as a regional education hub. The group, which included the presidents, vice presidents and professors of seven universities in Hong Kong, also took part in a ‘Study in Hong Kong’ exhibition in Seoul. As part of this delegation, President Prof. John C Y Leong gave a talk on ‘A Model of Innovative and Flexible Tertiary Education’ at an education seminar in Tokyo.
In October 2010, a senior OUHK delegation attended the 24th Asian Association of Open Universities Annual Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, during which Prof. Leong was elected as a member of the Executive Board. Also in the same month, Prof. Leong and Vice President (Academic) Prof. Danny Wong attended the ‘Learning Society and Open Education International Conference’ organized by the Asia International Open University (Macau).
Links with mainland China
In view of our close links with mainland China, we were particularly active on this front, taking part in a number of initiatives. The first of these events, a distance learning forum at the Beijing Open University in September 2010, involved more than 120 participants from eight distance learning institutions on the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. At the forum, Vice President (Academic) Prof. Danny Wong presented a paper entitled ‘Recognition and Quality Assurance in Open Education’.
In addition, the OUHK took part for the first time in the Conference on International Exchange of Professionals 2010 and Forum. Held in Shenzhen and co-hosted by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, this event was attended by representatives from more than 50 countries and regions.
The OUHK joined the ‘2011 Mainland Affairs Officers of Guangdong and Hong Kong Higher Institutions Seminar’ in March 2011. The main areas of discussion centred on the education reform and development of Guangdong Province, as well as innovative modes of collaboration. We also participated in the 16th China International Education Exhibition Tour in Guangzhou, at which over 100 universities and educational institutions from 15 countries and regions were represented.
Visits and exchanges
During the year, we received a number of visitors, with whom we shared our knowledge and experience while learning from our counterparts in the region.
Two incoming visits took place in September 2010, the first consisting of a group of 30 students and teachers from the School of Health Sciences of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore. Staff and students of nursing studies gave the visitors an overview of our nursing programmes and facilities. Also, at the end of that month, we were visited by a senior 15-member education delegation from western China, comprising officials from the Ministry of Education, representatives from tertiary and higher education institutions, and key members of the Pathways to Higher Education project.
Academic staff from seven IBM partner institutions in mainland China also joined us for an exchange programme in December 2010. They met representatives from the School of Science and Technology to exchange views and experiences with training computer mainframe professionals. In the same month, a nine-member delegation from the Korea National Open University visited us to discuss admissions, video lectures and e-learning programmes.
In turn, the OUHK explored the potential for further collaboration by visiting the mainland. A high-level OUHK delegation, led by Vice President (Academic) Prof. Danny Wong, paid a visit to Shunde in Guangdong Province, in November 2010, where they were welcomed by the Deputy Head of Shunde District and Chief of the Education Bureau of Shunde. The two sides exchanged views on how to deepen bilateral academic collaboration.
Another delegation, led by Prof. Ip Yiu-keung, Dean of the Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration and Prof. Ho Kin-chung, Dean of the School of Science and Technology, visited San Jiang University in Nanjing in March 2011 to explore opportunities for collaboration. They met faculty members and representatives of the Jiangsu Education Department.
Our Mainland China Projects Coordinator joined a delegation to Guizhou in August 2010. The group, consisting of representatives from local tertiary institutions responsible for mainland affairs, visited a number of higher education institutions and met officials from the Guizhou Education Department.