In the last issue, we celebrated the establishment of HKMU as Hong Kong's first University of Applied Sciences (UAS), and looked at the features of a UAS and how the University fits in. Several months have passed since then. What moves has HKMU made in alignment with its new identity?
The gist of a UAS is its application orientation made possible by maintaining close ties with industry, a task that HKMU has always been working on to ensure that we are providing our students with the most relevant education, and making an impact that counts in Hong Kong and beyond.
Collaborative programmes leading to industry qualifications
While we have always designed our curricula with reference to industry trends and standards, we are now working even more closely with industry partners in developing specific programme components, allowing students to be trained for relevant industry qualifications as part of their studies.
After becoming a UAS, HKMU signed its first major programme collaboration agreement with the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), a civil aviation academy established by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). This involved adding a new “Cadet Pilot” concentration to the existing Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Aviation Services Management programme, which has been jointly offered with the HKIAA since 2022. Starting from this academic year, students taking the concentration can enrol in the HKIAA's 14-month Cadet Pilot Programme, leading to the Hong Kong Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument Rating (Aeroplane) in addition to their degree. After the training, those who perform well in preliminary interviews may be given conditional job offers by partnering airlines, including Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines and Hong Kong Air Cargo. The first batch of graduates are expected to get their degree and licence in 2026 at the earliest.
At the master's level, the University has just launched a specialised Master of Applied Science in Intelligent Construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM) programme in collaboration with the Construction Industry Council. Other than training in cutting-edge BIM technology, the programme includes a project course co-supervised by HKMU faculty and an industry practitioner to allow students to apply their newly learnt skills to an intelligent construction project model.
More collaborative programmes are in the pipeline. In April, HKMU concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BGI College, an education centre of the genetic research giant Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Group, providing for the joint development of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in cutting-edge areas of life sciences, such as medical bioinformatics, applied health informatics and biotechnology. In the meantime, a joint training programme is being established for HKMU students, featuring courses in bioinformatics, multi-omics and other relevant areas offered by BGI College, and on-site training at the College in Shenzhen.
The MoU with HKIAA is signed on the part of HKIAA by President Mr Simon Li Tin-chui (far left) and witnessed by AAHK Chairman Mr Jack So Chak-kwong (second left).
Representing BGI College, Vice Dean Dr Xiao Minfeng (second right) concludes an MoU with HKMU under the witness of BGI Group Vice President and BGI Global Development Executive Vice President Dr Li Ning (far right).
Learning in the workplace
Every year, HKMU signs a substantial number of agreements with industry partners to bring students practical learning opportunities. Many of them are driven by individual Schools, seeking internship places and work-based learning opportunities for students in specific programmes. Becoming a UAS is pushing us to expand the scale of such partnerships, so that more students get to benefit from even wider industry exposure.
One of the latest MoUs concluded at the University level looked beyond Hong Kong to its neighbouring city of Guangzhou. This agreement with the Youth of Guangzhou and Hong Kong Association (YGH) brought our students internship opportunities from as many as 300 corporations in a diverse range of industries, including large companies and groups such as Yuexiu Group, Guangzhou Broadcasting Network, Clifford Group, GAC Group and China State Construction International Investments Limited this past summer. Students experienced first-hand the work culture of different industries in mainland China, and met with local students during visits outside office hours.
From YGH: Chairman Mr K. M. Fok (second right) and President Mr Rex Wong (far right).
All-in-one partnerships
In establishing partnerships with corporations and organisations, we always look for collaborations in multiple aspects. A recent MoU with Pok Oi Hospital, for example, is opening doors not only for students of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences to be placed in the full range of facilities operated by the organisation, including nursing homes, elderly care homes and other day care centres, but also for our scholars to conduct clinical research, and exchange research data and findings with their personnel. It also allows the two parties to work together in developing and refining up-to-date nursing curricula for Hong Kong. Likewise, the above-mentioned MoU with BGI College also promises to usher in collaborative research to facilitate technology transfer. Ultimately, our close links with industry partners will enable us to build knowledge at the back end and apply it in curriculum development, teaching and professional training.
From Pok Oi Hospital Board of Directors: Permanent Adviser Mrs Winnie Tam Keung May-chu (far right) and Chairman Mr Danny Chau Chun-tat (second right).
New Career Development Advisory Committee
As the primary purpose of a UAS is to train professionals fit for industry, it is our obligation to boost students' career prospects. For this purpose, HKMU has established the Career Development Advisory Committee composed of industry leaders from various corporations, non-governmental organisations, statutory bodies and industry associations. Other than advising the University and its Student Affairs Office on overall strategies and measures to increase students' stake in the job market, it also reaches out to employers and industry partners to line up work-based learning, internship and employment opportunities for HKMU students and graduates.
The University is always on the lookout for new collaborative opportunities. Throughout the year, we welcome potential partners to our campuses to learn about our latest developments and see for themselves the facilities we have invested in to train our students in professional skills. In May, the University management received a delegation from the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, led by its Executive Deputy Chairman Mr Ricky Chan Wai-chung. It is our hope that every HKMU student will have exposure to work-based learning, whether through internships, practicums, service-learning or other practical projects, in and outside Hong Kong.
