In one of the best known haiku by the seventeenth-century Japanese poet Basho, animate nature transforms stillness into sudden Zen-like enlightenment:

The old pond

A frog leaps in

Splash!

As the summer months draw to a close, the peace and serenity of the CUHK campus are beginning to be muzaked by freshmen being oriented by their seniors and trying to orient themselves. Fully geared up for the challenge, the University is flexing its academic, logistical and infrastructural muscles for the first operating year in the new 3+3+4 academic system.

The CUHK Newsletter, entering its 21st season, is also flexing its sinews and tendons. A new masthead has been designed. Exclusive interviews and features will continue to reward those who put in the effort of turning the pages. Prof. Wong Kam-fai explains to us two concepts which might appear contradictory at first, namely, creativity and engineering. Campus news are given in digest form. The Ins and Outs section, hardly haiku-like, bids farewell to those moving on and those happily retiring and welcomes new members. Some colleagues and departments have preferred the online version. Always environmentally conscious, we are only glad to oblige. Online readers can and are welcome to leave their comments as well.

More exciting splashes will be revealed in the coming issues, particularly when the University gets ready for a golden jubilee leap.