Annual Report 2013–14

analysis, and the contextual learning of the world’s best practices in sustainable urban development, planning and design. The programme was born when the two academic units saw the needs of society and found they were a perfect match. So they began to co-design the new programme from their perspectives. The programme is run under the Faculty of Social Science and housed at the GRM. Apart from the GRM which offers core courses on statistics and research methods, and some elective courses, other departments of the Faculty of Social Science and Faculty of Arts also provide elective courses on the politics of space, on urban sociology and on the history of Hong Kong, epitomizing the philosophy of multidisciplinary education. The programme integrates different knowledge domains instead of just offering the existing courses of the GRM and the School of Architecture. Most of the courses are specifically designed according to the programme’s aims. They include Urban Sustainability, Urban Design and Place Making. Another highlight is its stress on sustainability. On the whole, it hopes to inspire students to think from different perspectives and come up with win- win solutions that will lead to improvement in living conditions. To raise students’ awareness of current affairs such as urban renewal, housing in new towns, as well as heritage preservation, the programme holds urban forums regularly, inviting scholars, urban planners, representatives of community organizations, government officials to share their views on different issues. For example, Mr. Li Cho-ming, senior town planner of the Planning Department, was invited to deliver a talk on the projects in the North East New Territories New Development Areas; Ms. Athena Wong, social worker of the Tin Shui Wai Community Development Alliance, also analysed urban problems in Tin Shui Wai, which is sometimes known as the ‘City of Sadness’. Students are also given many opportunities to reach out to the community. They explored the Kwun Tong Town Centre project spanning Yue Man Square and Mut Wah Street, and experienced the living condition of a vacated cage-home. Students also went to the North East New Territories Development Areas to learn about the concerns of local farmers and the land-banking activities by the developers. Admission is limited to 20 in each cohort. Problems in relation to urban development are complicated and have extensive impact on society. University graduates who can give priority to the most important aspects in urban issues and iron out disputes among stakeholders will be most sought after in the future. 為提高學生對市區重建、新市鎮房屋及 文物保育等城市議題的觸覺，課程定期 舉行論壇，邀請學者、城市規劃師、 社區人士、政府官員等，就不同發展項 目或議題抒發己見。例如規劃署高級城 市規劃師李祖明先生曾講解新界東北 發展計劃；天水圍社區發展陣線社工 黃穎姿女士也曾獲邀，到校剖析被稱為 「悲情城市」的天水圍的都市問題。 學生亦經常走出課室，深入社區，例如 考察裕民坊和物華街一帶的觀塘市中心 項目發展，於區內大廈體驗籠屋生活 環境；往新界東北發展區，了解本地 農夫所關心的議題，以及發展商如何收 購土地。 課程每年嚴選錄取不多於二十人。都市 發展的問題錯綜複雜，牽連甚廣，由此 課程培訓的人才，能掌握都市問題的 關鍵、化解各範疇爭議，將是各方爭相 羅致的對象。 14 嶄新課程與新學習方式 New Programmes and New Learning Methods