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No. 51 7 November 2005
 

 

CityU climbs in world rankings
CityU has shot up the rankings of the world's most prestigious educational institutions, according to The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES). The University leapt 20 places from 198 last year to 178 in the Times Higher Education 2005 World University Rankings released recently. CityU is one of four universities in Hong Kong in the top 200. It broke into the list of the top 100 technology universities for the first time, ranked 90. It is also one of four local universities ranked in the top 100 social science universities. The THES findings confirm that CityU has attained international recognition in both teaching and research.

 

2005 Congregation
The 2005 Congregation will take place from 8 to 11 and 15 to 16 November. Through its provision of quality professional education, CityU this year has nurtured 7,462 graduates. Of this group, 2,166 are the first batch of graduates from the Community College of City University.

The University will also confer honorary degrees on Mr Ronald Arculli, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (Honorary Doctor of Social Science); Mrs Rita Fan, President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR (Honorary Doctor of Social Science); Professor Henry T Yang, Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara (Honorary Doctor of Engineering); and Mr Zhang Yimou, a distinguished film director (Honorary Doctor of Letters).

 

University Development Forum on campus development
The University will hold a University Forum on 24 November to discuss CityU's campus development. Professor H K Chang, University President; Professor David Tong, Deputy President; and Professor Y S Wong, Vice-President (Administration), will chair the session, which will take place in the Wei Hing Theatre, Amenities Building, from noon to
1:30pm.

CityU strives to provide a pleasant ambience for staff and students, and the management continues to review proposals to improve teaching, research and other facilities to help alleviate overcrowding and prepare for the four-year curriculum. Discussions on new construction projects within the University community have already begun and the Council's Executive Committee has agreed recently to recommend to the full Council plans to proceed with the construction of two buildings, in addition to the Creative Media Centre. The Forum will present these plans, which include proposed site locations for the new Community College Building and the Academic-administrative Building for the four-year curriculum, to the University community and seek feedback from staff and students. All views will be conveyed to the Council prior to its next meeting when these proposals will be considered. All staff and students are welcome.


Value for Money
The Value for Money (VFM) Steering Committee is holding an open forum on Friday, 18 November from 10am to 11am in Lecture Theatre 7 to discuss VFM matters. The University is committed to the pursuit of VFM as an integral part of its strategy. The intention is to promulgate a VFM culture so that departments can achieve better VFM and to ensure public accountability. At the forum, consultants from a leading education industry consulting group, PhillipsKPA, invited by the University to share their views and experience on VFM, will discuss: what is VFM; how is VFM achieved; what are the key preconditions for successful VFM activity; what are the roles of the PhillipsKPA consultants at CityU, and what have they done so far; what conclusions have they reached at this time; what do other universities do in relation to VFM; and where to go from here. For enquiries, email to VFMcom@cityu.edu.hk.

 

Pioneering double degree programme
The Department of Building and Construction and the School of Law are introducing a pioneering double degree programme in construction and law, one that creates a unique synergy for both professions. The first intake will be in 2006-07.

 

Staff receive QEF funding
Four members of staff secured HK$1.68m in the 8th round of the Quality Education Fund (QEF) from the Education and Manpower Bureau. The projects, all based in local secondary and primary schools, aim to improve the quality of science education, web-based education, English language teaching, and discipline and counselling in local secondary and primary schools. The recipients are Dr Fung Wing-hong, Ivan, Lecturer, Department of Building and Construction; Professor (Chair) Horace Ip, Department of Computer Science; Professor (Chair) Yan Hong, Department of Electronic Engineering; and Dr Wong Sing-wing, Dennis, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Social Studies.

 

External appointment
Professor Richard Ho, Dean of Undergraduate Education, has been appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as member of the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation, effective 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2006.

 

Student hostel rated Excellent
The newly completed Student Hostel Phase III achieved a rating of Excellent in the Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method (HK-BEAM) last month. Operated by the Business Environment Council, the HK-BEAM is a widely recognized industry benchmark for the environmental sustainability of buildings in Hong Kong.

 

Kudos
Dr Kenji Yum, a PhD graduate from the Department of Electronic Engineering, has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence in the 2005 Hong Kong Young Scientist Awards organised by the Hong Kong Institution of Science. This is the first time a CityU student has been honoured with this award.

 

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