Bulletin No. 1, 2012

16   Chinese University Bulletin No. 1, 2012 Rising to the Challenge T he conversion to a four-year curriculum is a stupendous task, not only for the University management, but for the entire CUHK community. The transition can be a little tricky, particularly in the watershed year of 2012 when there will be a double cohort consisting of students from the last cohort of the old secondary seven-year curriculum alongside students from the first cohort of the new six-year secondary curriculum. Mr. Eric S.P. Ng summed up the logistical challenge, ‘The double cohort will be with us for three years beginning in September 2012 until at least July 2015 when the three-year cohort undertaking the old curriculum will have graduated. But then, we shall still have double cohorts for the BEd, medical and Chinese medicine programmes. September will be a milestone after years of preparation, but the work will continue beyond that.’ That said, the Provost has also observed that the CUHK community has performed admirably despite the weight on its shoulders. ‘Apart from the pedagogical work, staff have to take care of administrative chores... which have been labour- intensive and time-consuming. They've also worked hard in areas ranging from consultations on new transportation routes and canteens, to the building of teaching complexes, the library, and the new Colleges, not to mention the endless trail of dust and trucks on campus. But what impressed me most is the never-ending support, cooperation, dedication, and pe r s eve rance t hey have demons t rated throughout the process. Though we are only a few months away from the implementation of the new curriculum, I am confident that with the support of the CUHK community, we can overcome the challenge.’ The University Administration is working closely with all academic units to handle unforeseen situations, especially during the critical period in the first few weeks of September. Professor Wah advised, ‘Staff may need to rearrange their annual leave, having staggered lunch hours between noon and 2 pm, especially in the first few weeks of classes, may also alleviate congestion in canteens. Because students will not select their classes until late in August, the timetable of classes set for students today is only our best preliminary estimate for logistical and facility planning.’ To make sure that University members will be updated on the latest scenarios on campus, the CUHK Mobile App will be enhanced to provide information on bus routes and schedules, canteen capacities, classroom locations, and urgent notifications. Canteens Classrooms