Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

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

Dear colleagues and students,

To enhance your AI experience within a protected environment, ITS will release DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-V3 on the HKU ChatGPT web app https://chatgpt.hku.hk/ on 17 March 2025. We are happy to be the first university in Hong Kong to launch Deepseek-V3.

Please note the following:

• We respect your privacy and will only use your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy.
• To comply with our Data Governance and Security requirements, as with the existing ChatGPT supported by Azure OpenAI models, your prompts (inputs), completions (outputs), embeddings, and training data processed by DeepSeek models will NOT be available to other users or used to improve any Microsoft or third-party AI models.
• Deepseek-R1 is a precise assistant skilled at logical reasoning, structured problem-solving, and clearly explaining complex concepts step-by-step, effectively supporting deeper understanding and detailed analysis during study sessions.
• DeepSeek-R1 is currently free of charge in preview mode on Azure, until further notice, with no quota deduction from students’ monthly balance. DeepSeek-R1 is a reasoning model and may take a longer time to respond.
• Deepseek-V3 is an engaging helper excelling at providing clear explanations, and quickly generating fluent answers to general questions, enhancing study efficiency, productivity, and the overall learning experience.

Should you have any questions, please contact ITS at ithelp@hku.hk.

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

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

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

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:

Happy teaching!

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

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)