Collaborative Team led by HKU Honoured in UGC Teaching Awards 2024

Message from Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

 Dear colleagues and students

 I’m delighted to share with you the exciting news that the Holistic Competency and Virtues Education (HAVE) Team led by Professor Cecilia Chan (Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre / Faculty of Education) has won the prestigious 2024 UGC Teaching Award (Collaborative Teams Category). The HAVE Team also comprises Professor Samson Tse (Dean of Student Affairs), Professor Albert Ko (Lingnan University), Professor Ben Chan (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) and Dr. Theresa Kwong (Hong Kong Baptist University).

 Since 2016, the HAVE Team has spearheaded numerous initiatives seeking to integrate competencies such as critical thinking and adaptability into university curricula, transcending traditional educational boundaries to equip students for global challenges and opportunities. Notable examples include an AI-driven Career Future-Readiness Platform, which aims to align students’ career aspirations with essential competencies, and a Community of Practice, which facilitates knowledge sharing and innovative pedagogies across institutions. The Team has also developed a Holistic Competency Development Framework for experiential learning that has reached thousands of students across multiple institutions. Additionally, it has established the International Holistic Competency Foundation to accredit courses with holistic competencies. All these efforts stand as a testament to the Team’s dedication to fostering innovation and students’ holistic development in an interconnected world.

Please join me in extending our warm congratulations to Cecilia and the HAVE Team!

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Teaching and Learning)

Link: HKU Press Release

Quality Assurance Council Audit Report on HKU

Message from Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues, students and alumni

The Quality Assurance Council (QAC) of the University Grants Committee (UGC) has published its Report on the third institutional Quality Audit of the University of Hong Kong. I am very pleased to inform you that the Report is highly positive.

The QAC Audit Panel acknowledges the University’s efforts in reviewing and enriching our education provision and enhancing our quality mechanisms. Its Report notes that the University has effective systems in place for managing academic standards and quality across all programme levels. It recognises our strengths in external engagement, as well as global and local benchmarking. It also acknowledges our comprehensive policies and procedures for programme development, approval, monitoring and review, and the clear academic governance frameworks at the University and HKU SPACE.

Regarding teaching and learning (T&L) enhancement, the Panel recognises the University’s commitment to continuously reviewing and improving T&L in both face-to-face and virtual T&L contexts, noting the effectiveness of the University’s arrangements in this regard.

The University values the Panel’s acknowledgment that externality is comprehensively embedded within quality assurance processes, resulting in significant local and global benchmarking that enhances programmes and the curricula. The Panel also highlights the array of professional development activities offered by the Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre (TALIC) to effectively support academic staff throughout their careers, as well as the quality support services provided by the Centre of Development and Resources for Students. The University is committed to fair, transparent and rigorous assessment. We are very pleased to note the Panel’s compliments of TALIC’s comprehensive support which enhances the diversification of assessment practice across the University, and of the robust regulatory processes of HKU and HKU SPACE. The Panel views the development of the Student Information System and its integration with the Learning Management System positively for identifying students who may need additional support.

The Audit Report, along with the University’s response, is accessible on the Teaching and Learning website (https://tl.hku.hk/tl/quality-assurance/hku-qac-audit-2023). This Audit has provided us with a very constructive opportunity to reflect on our T&L provision at all levels and showcase our collective efforts and achievements. I extend my gratitude to all for your dedication to T&L excellence, and for enhancing the quality of our academic programmes and services.

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)
The University of Hong Kong

Teaching Matters

Message from Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President (Teaching & Learning)

 

Dear colleagues,

Just a couple of teaching matters to bring to your attention ahead of the new academic session.

 

Plagiarism

The University is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, and has in place a Policy on Student Plagiarism in Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Curricula. Please do inform your students about proper academic practice. Relevant resources can be found on the plagiarism website.

 

Assessment

Assessment is an important vehicle for supporting and guiding student learning. The University has an overarching assessment policy which sets out the philosophy and principles that guide and regulate assessment practice. The key principle is that students should be assessed in an appropriate, fair, rigorous and transparent manner. Solid and timely feedback, not restricted to scores or grades, should be provided. The QAC Audit Panel advised us to enhance students’ understanding of the grade descriptors used in undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses, and to provide better feedback.

I’m therefore writing to ask you at the start of each semester to talk students through the grade descriptors used in your courses, so that they understand the level of performance expected of them. Please also give timely feedback on assignments and written examinations, to enable students to learn from what they have done well and what they have done badly.

The Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre (TALIC) will continue to work on enhancing assessment practice and providing good feedback to students. If you have any thoughts or need any help, please contact the TALIC staff liaison for your Faculty/Office:

TALIC Staff Liaison Email Faculty/Office
Professor Cecilia Chan ckchan09@hku.hk Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Medicine
Professor Lillian Luk lyyluk@hku.hk Architecture, Engineering, Law
Dr Alex Shum alexshum@hku.hk Law, Science
Dr Jessica To jkaryan@hku.hk Arts, Business, Dentistry, Education
Dr Peter Lau pfmlau@hku.hk Business, Social Sciences
Dr Carson Hung carsonks@hku.hk Common Core, Medicine, Science, Social Sciences
Ms Ellen Seto setoe1@hku.hk Arts, Communication Intensive Courses (CIC), Dentistry

 

Happy teaching!

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

HKU Co-op Education

Message from Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President (Teaching & Learning) <coopedu@hku.hk>

Dear colleagues

During our Faculty Board visits earlier this semester, we floated the idea of a new undergraduate Co-op programme. We’ve since worked up the idea into a draft Senate paper, which can be viewed at https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/cdqa/doc/draft_Co-op_Education.pdf (HKU Portal login required). We’re writing to seek your comments on the draft.

We’ll also be hosting an open forum next week. Please join us if you’d like to be part of the debate. These are the details:

Date: May 14, 2024 (Tuesday)

Time: 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Venue: Room 223, 2/F, Knowles Building (Main Campus)

Many thanks in advance for your feedback!

Best wishes
Ian and Pauline

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Teaching and Learning)

Professor Pauline Chiu
Associate Vice-President
(Teaching and Learning)

HKU Joins EDUCAUSE

Message from Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President (Teaching & Learning)

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to let you know HKU is a now a member of EDUCAUSE. 

EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to lead the way to advance the strategic use of technology and data to advance higher education.

As a member organization, we now have access to a vast collection of best practices, research and publications, as well as analytics and benchmarking services, peer connections, professional development opportunities and online conferences that we can join and make use of, to facilitate the use of AI, technology and data for teaching and learning as well as administration in many domains of university work.  This resource will also help our teams advance their professional growth.

Membership with EDUCAUSE is at an organizational level, which means colleagues from across the University have access to its membership benefits, and we hope that as many of us would take advantage of it as possible!

Please take a moment and have a look of Educause’s Member Benefits page and create an EDUCAUSE Profile so you can tailor your member experience to your interests.  In particular, we would encourage you to subscribe to their EDUCAUSE Reviews.

If you have any questions about the membership, please feel free to contact us at ithelp@hku.hk.

Best regards,

Ian, Pauline, Flora and Wilson

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

Professor Pauline Chiu
Associate Vice President (Teaching and Learning)

Ms Flora Ng
Chief Information Office and University Librarian

Dr Wilson Kwok
Assistant IT Director (CIO and Librarian Office), Information Technology Services

Applications for Teaching Development Grant (TDG) 2024

Applications are now invited for funding under the Teaching Development Grant (TDG). TDGs are intended to support projects and activities that will have an impact on the strategic development and promotion of Teaching and Learning (T&L). To ensure alignment of TDG proposals with T&L strategies at Faculty level, Faculties are required to provide matching fund equivalent to one-sixth of the total project cost for a successful TDG proposal submitted by their Faculty members. For priority areas and other details, please refer to Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)’s invitation circular (document 50/324), which may access via https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/cdqa/doc/TDGS/TDG_2024/TDG_List_A.pdf

All applications should be submitted online via the TDG system, which is accessible through HKU Portal > Manager Self Service > Teaching Development Grant (TDG) > TDG System or through the link below:

https://tdg.hku.hk

A video guide is available here.

TDG applications will be processed in batches according to the following cut-off dates in 2024:

1st round – Friday, April 12, 2024
2nd round – Thursday, October 10, 2024
3rd round – Friday, December 27, 2024

General enquiries may be directed to Ms. Cynthia Wong (email: cynwong@hku.hk; tel: 2241 5535) in the Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section (CDQA) of the Registry.

Questions on technical matters of the TDG system may be sent to Dr. Carson Hung of Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre (TALIC) (email: tdg@talic.hku.hk; tel: 3917 6189).

2023 Teaching Excellence Awards

Message from Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students

I am very pleased to announce the recipients of the University’s 2023 Teaching Excellence Awards. The Selection Panel was deeply impressed with the awardees’ dedication to teaching, their tireless and creative efforts to make learning enjoyable and challenging, and the impact they have made on student learning.

Outstanding Teaching Award

  • Dr. John T.C. Fung, School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Early Career Teaching Award

  • Dr. Enoch Chan, School of Clinical Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
  • Professor Linda Chan, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
  • Professor Ying Wai Chan, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
  • Professor Frank van der Wouden, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Dr. Joni H. Zhang, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Teaching Innovation Award

Individual award

  • Professor Kristof H.C.G.J. Crolla, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture for Online E-Learning Database for Flipped-Classroom Tutorials on Digital Design Tools & Techniques in Architecture
  • Ms. Susanne E. Trumpf, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture for TAL-L (Taxon-Archive-Lab – Library) – A Materials Archive for Landscape Architecture

Team award

  • Dr. John T.C. Fung of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (Leader), Dr. Siu Ling Chan (Medicine), Dr. Vichy W.C. Ho (Arts), Mr. Chun Kit Chan (Medicine) and Dr. Alice H.Y. Yau (Arts) for A Cross-Disciplinary Transmutable Application of Interactive, Immersive 360 Virtual Reality Videos on a Learning Management System (LMS) Combined with Facilitated Structured 3D Debriefing- an Innovative Experiential Learning Pedagogy in Enhancing Student Learning Engagement
  • Dr. Mei Li Khong of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (Leader), Professor Julian A. Tanner (Medicine), Dr. Fat Man Lau (Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre) and Professor Gary K.K. Lau (Medicine) for Students as Co-Designers – Formalising Student-Educator Partnerships in Curriculum and Pedagogy Co-Creation
  • Professor George L. Tipoe of Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (Leader), Professor Fraide J.A. Ganotice (Medicine), Dr. Jannie Roed (Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre), Professor Linda Chan (Medicine) and Dr. Jian Yang (Medicine) for Reinventing Near-Peer Teaching: The “START to STaR” Programme at the Li Ka Shing, Faculty of Medicine

I would like to thank our external assessor Professor Moira Fischbacher-Smith (Vice-Principal (Learning and Teaching) of the University of Glasgow) for providing us with expert advice during the final selection process. I would also like to thank the other Panel members: Professor Pauline Chiu, Professor Cecilia Chan and Mr. Derek Cho (student representative) for their assistance in this important exercise

Please join me in congratulating the awardees!

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
Chair, Selection Panel for 2023 Teaching Excellence Awards

HKU Laidlaw Scholars showcasing research & leadership learning journey in a poster session

 

A Poster Session of the HKU Laidlaw Scholars Programme was held on October 4, 2023 to facilitate experience sharing and networking among some 50 HKU Laidlaw Scholars as well as research supervisors, and to celebrate the achievements of the Scholars in their pursuit of research excellence and leadership development under the HKU Laidlaw Scholars Programme.

The event was graced by Ms Susanna Kempe, the Chief Executive of the Laidlaw Foundation, who visited the University on October 3-4, 2023 to meet with HKU Laidlaw Scholars who have completed their summer research either at HKU or in one of the partner Laidlaw universities including University College London, University of St Andrews and University of Leeds, as well as those who were engaged in leadership-in-action projects in Fiji Island, Mexico, Uganda or the US as part of their two-year Laidlaw journey.

The Poster Session is a platform for the Scholars to showcase their research projects and findings. “The camaraderie and enthusiasm displayed by everyone were truly remarkable. It was heartening to see scholars supporting and encouraging one another, even in fields different from their own. The event served as a reminder of the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and the potential impact it can have on our respective research endeavors, said Zahra Lotfifard, a Year 3 HKU Laidlaw Scholar majoring in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology who presented her Laidlaw research on “Arterial ageing – SIRT1 Regulation of Vascular Tone”.

Ms Kempe also visited LKS Faculty of Medicine to meet with Professor Wang Yu, who gave an overview on her research on SIRT1, which is an anti-aging protein in human body, and ways to utilise this protein to prevent aging associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and stroke. Dr Vengatesen Thiyagarajan (Rajan) from the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, organised a tour for Ms Kempe in the Hongkong Oyster Hatchery and Innovation Research Unit, which demonstrates a new incubation technology which could be adopted by local farmers in 2024 to improve the sustainable development of the oyster farming industry in Hong Kong, and South China in the longer term.

The HKU Laidlaw Scholars Programme was introduced at HKU since 2017-18. The Programme invests in talented and motivated undergraduate students, enabling them to acquire knowledge and skills in research as well as training in leadership. The Programme comprises five main elements: a research project, leadership development, a leadership in action experience, an ethical leadership masterclass and networking through a global network.

Each year, the University selects 25 scholars to receive the HKU Laidlaw Scholarship, which enables them to take part in 6-week summer research in the first summer, and a leadership-in-action project in the second summer. As of today, over 130 students have received the scholarship to conduct their research projects in the summers of 2018-2023.

For more details about the HKU Laidlaw Programme, please visit https://tl.hku.hk/horizons/laidlaw/. The next call for applications (2024 cohort) will be announced in November 2023.

Please check the photo album here