The OUHK is always alert to opportunities to harness the latest developments in information technology in order to create a better learning environment for both the students who study on our campus and those in their own homes. To this end, we have recently made some major advances in our information technologies (IT) infrastructure, and have increased our use of online and electronic media.

Centre for Innovation

The recently completed Centre for Innovation (CFI) project has helped to equip the OUHK with the infrastructure we need to offer a next-generation, student-centred learning environment that blends the strengths of distance learning, face-to-face teaching and online learning, and is characterized by flexibility, connectivity, personalization and intelligence. All 40-odd planned tasks were implemented successfully.

Specifically, the project has provided the OUHK with:

The CFI project, started in 2007 with a $62.8 million grant from the Hong Kong SAR Government, has provided significant benefits to our staff, students, tutors and academics in a variety of ways.

Blended learning

One of the OUHK’s goals is to implement blended learning – the thoughtful and effective integration of different modes and styles of learning in the same programme in a way that enhances its value to students.

The blended learning approach was adopted in a number of courses. The feedback we received indicates that it is producing good results, and we will continue to make it a key feature of our teaching and learning process. The four Schools and the Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE) have produced their plans for blended learning development for the next three years, involving close to 60 courses. A series of staff development activities was also organized.

Integrating student administration

The implementation of our new, web-based Student Administration System (SAS) Phase II, which covers distance learning programmes and courses, was completed in May 2011. Phase I, focusing on LiPACE and full-time face-to-face programmes, came online in 2007–08.

The project’s completion means the OUHK now has a fully integrated student administrative system that offers:

The above developments were achieved through a number of major improvements, including a single system to handle programmes and courses; a one-stop point for online application, payment and enrolment; the provision of a full-range of online self-services to students; and real time data access.

Open learning for all

Open for Learning, our educational TV programme screened on TVB Pearl every Sunday morning, covers a wide range of subjects. From April 2011, it has included an even broader spectrum of topics, ranging from investment, corporate governance and retail management to drama, literature, environmental science and health education. Among the highlights were the ‘MPF Investment Education’ talk series, a seminar on ‘NLP Techniques for Job Interviews’, an international conference on ‘Water Resources and Water Quality Management’ and a seminar on ‘The Writer as Translator: On the Creative Aesthetics of Gao Xingjian’. Much of this material is also available online.

Library service enhancement

The OUHK Electronic Library has undergone a major enhancement during the year. Adopting the latest technologies for the discovery and delivery of print and electronic resources, it was migrated to a new platform in March 2012.

The new portal interfaces seamlessly with the Library catalogue, the electronic resource knowledge base and the Library’s link server. It provides a one-stop service for staff and students to search across the full breadth of contents from the Library’s collection of books, journals and databases. The entire search process has been streamlined from discovery to delivery. Users are able not only to locate items easily and quickly but also obtain high-quality full-text materials that are relevant to their studies or research needs.