Annual Report 2008–09

6 Research The latest round of the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme saw two new projects led by CUHK researchers being selected for preferential funding by UGC. They are the ‘Institute of Network Coding’ led by Prof. Raymond Wai-ho Yeung, Professor of Information Engineering, and ‘The Historical Anthropology of Chinese Society’ led by Prof. David Faure, Professor of History. Together they will receive funding of some HK$103 million over an eight-year period. Professor Faure’s project is the first humanities project ever accorded the status of an AoE. Out of the 15 AoE projects funded by UGC, five ongoing projects are led by CUHK researchers. With the approval of the State Ministry of Science and Technology, the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK) was officially opened at the Chinese University in December 2008. This is the second state key laboratory established at CUHK since the first—the State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China (CUHK)—was inaugurated in 2006. The two laboratories bear testimony to the high standards achieved by our researchers in the oncological and agrobiotechnological fields. On the individual level, many of our colleagues received honours and accolades testifying to their seminal contributions to the advancement of knowledge in various disciplines. Details are separately carried in the sections ‘Research’ and ‘Services to Hong Kong and the World’ in this report. I would like to record a note of thanks to them for bringing credit to the University. Preparations for 3+3+4 The University accorded high priority and devoted substantial resources to preparations for the reversion to a four-year curriculum in 2012. A new undergraduate curriculum framework was proposed stipulating a common University Core that comprises 21 units of general education, 9 units of English language, 6 units of Chinese language, 2 units of physical education and 1 unit of information technology. To broaden students’ knowledge base, a Faculty Package of 9 units will be included in the major requirements of all programmes except the LLB. It is also a requirement in the new curriculum to include research and internship opportunities. The framework was approved by the Senate on 30 September 2009. Capital works to cater for the increased demand for learning facilities and student amenities in 2012 and beyond were in steady progress. The Teaching Complex at Western Campus was completed in the last quarter of 2008, providing state-of-the-art lecture 研究蓬勃 享譽無數 在最新一輪卓越學科領域計劃中，兩個由 中大教研人員主持的研究項目，獲得教資 會專項撥款支持。訊息工程學教授楊偉豪 主持的「網絡編碼研究所」和歷史學教授 科大衛的「中國社會的歷史人類學研究」 共獲撥款逾一億零三百萬港元，展開為期 八年的研究。科大衛教授的研究更是首個 獲該計劃資助的人文學科研究項目。教資 會至今選出了十五個卓越學科領域項目， 其中五項進行中的項目由中大教研人員 領導。 二零零八年十二月，農業生物技術國家重 點實驗室（香港中文大學）正式啟用。這 是中大第二個獲國家科學技術部核准成 立的國家重點實驗室，第一個是二零零六 年開幕的華南腫瘤國家重點實驗室（香港 中文大學）。兩所實驗室的設立，足證中 大在腫瘤學和農業生物技術的科研實力， 已達全國領先水準。此外，中大教研人員 的學術建樹，屢獲表揚，內容詳見本報告 「研究」和「服務香港，放眼世界」兩章。 同仁為校爭光，忝為校長，欣感尤深。 迎新學制 準備就緒 本科四年制將於二零一二年復行，我們尤 重其事，故特劃撥資源，積極部署。教務 會於二零零九年九月三十日通過了新學制 的本科課程，其中大學基礎核心課程包含 通識（二十一學分）、英文（九學分）、中 文（六學分）、體育（兩學分）和資訊科技 （一學分）。為擴闊學生的跨學科知識， 所有主修課程將增設學院共修科目（九學 分，法學士課程除外），學生並須參與研 究或實習。 農業生物技術國家重點實驗室 （香港中文大學）研究團隊 Research team of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK)