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No. 37 4 April 2005
 

Four-year normative degree structure
Chaired by President Professor H K Chang, the Steering Committee on Planning for the Four-year Normative Degree Structure held its first meeting on 29 March to discuss directions and issues in order to guide the University's transition to the new degree sturcture. At the meeting, the Committee endorsed an initial report to the University Grants Committee (UGC) outlining the University's student profile, curricula, pedagogical and other items relating to the four-year structure on 1 April. After receiving feedback from the UGC in May, the University will submit a fuller report in October. In the meantime, the Committee will invite relevant committees to consider the policies and activities relating to the new degree structure, including admissions requirements, curriculum design, student experience, capital projects, budget provision and staffing requirements.

The move towards the four-year undergraduate degree structure is one of the three major new tasks of the University in the medium term. The other two major tasks are internationalisation and expansion activities on the mainland.

 

Revision of outside practice regulations
On 24 March, the Management Board approved revisions to the regulations governing outside practice, effective from 1 July 2005. The major revisions are as follows:

  • The scope of teaching and related activities is extended to include education administration and instructional activities.
  • Outside practice will no longer be undertaken on a departmental basis. Staff will be assigned to undertake the departmental activities/projects as duty and no additional pay will be given. Gross income will be split in the ratio of 70:30 (or 80:20 for those conducted outside Hong Kong) between the Faculty and the University.
  • The rate of University charge for undertaking professional services on an individual basis will be set at 16.5% of the gross income.
  • The time involvement in outside practice will not be more than one working day (eight hours) per week for all grades of staff.
  • Staff must apply for leave if outside practice is undertaken during official duty hours. Academic staff (including teaching-related and visiting staff) need to apply for leave if they undertake outside practice off-campus for a full day on an official University working day.
  • Income-earning activities undertaken during a sabbatical outside Hong Kong will not be classified as outside practice, and the income derived will not be subject to income-sharing.
  • The regulations will only apply to visiting staff whose duration of employment is one year or more.

 

CityU homepage revamped
The University homepage has been revamped through the concerted effort of various offices. The new Homepage, to be launched the first week of April, will boast enhanced functionalities and better-structured substance.

The six static photographs displayed at the top of the front page have been replaced by news-worthy photos, each related to a story on the latest developments of the University. Click on "About CityU" and users will read about the University's achievements in summary. The new "Admission" webpage will provide potential students with user-friendly access to information on CityU's diverse educational offerings.

Other new functions include an enhanced "Campus Map", "Events" search capabilities and a trial of the e-portal2 enabling students, staff and alumni to access secure information and personal data.

 

Mainland student recruitment
The University participated in the China International Education Exhibition Tour (CIEET) in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao and Shenzhen, from 25 February to 13 March, showcasing the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to prospective applicants on the mainland. More publicity plans for mainland student recruitment will be launched from April to June in selected cities of the 17 cities and provinces under the Unified National College Entrance Examination System.

 

External appointment
Professor Y S Wong, Vice-President (Administration), was appointed to the University Grants Committee for a period of three years with effect from 1 April 2005.


Kudos
Ms Suraiya Kamaruzzaman
, Research Fellow of the Southeast Asia Research Centre, was invited by the United Nations to participate in the panel discussion "From Vulnerability to Empowerment: Women at the Heart of Tsunami Recovery" held in New York, from 28 February to 11 March.

 

More Kudos
Five undergraduate students, Sham Man-yi, Chan Wai-chu, Chow Wai-yin, Wong Ching-yuen and Yu Wai-hang, from the Department of Public and Social Administration, clinched the first prize of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Student Day 2005 in March.

CityU won the Men's Overall Champion and Women's Overall Second Runner-up titles in this year's Hong Kong Post-Secondary Colleges Athletic Association (HKPSCAA) competitions. Chung Kwok-leung, student of the Division of Language Studies, was elected Sportsman of the Year by the HKPSCAA.

 

Moot competition
Eighteen law schools from Asia, Europe and America will take part in the second annual Willem C Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition, hosted by the School of Law, 4¡V10 April.

 

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