Bulletin No. 2, 2013

6 Chinese University Bulletin No. 2, 2013 Raison d’Etre of International Links Exchange students sharing a meal with local faculty in the 70’s The University is the most experienced among local institutions of higher learning in having academic linkages; it’s also one of the veterans in Asia. But while CUHK sets a lot of store by internationalization, it never considers it a goal in itself, but a means to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, research and services to the community. Director of Academic Links, Ms. Shally Fan (right) stressed that CUHK does not forge agreements for the sake of numbers. ‘At the end of the day, it’s all about the students,’ she said. ‘Exchange is important for three reasons. First, to make our campus international. Not every student gets the chance to go abroad. Currently only 24% of the annual cohort undertakes term-time exchanges (though we’re hoping to bring this up to 30% in the near future). When we send students on exchange, we receive students for a semester or a year of study at CUHK. These students come from all corners of the world and enrich the campus with their cultures. Second, we need to make ourselves known to the world. Outgoing students and faculty spread the word about CUHK; incoming students and visiting faculty experience first-hand the uniqueness of CUHK through engaging in academic and cultural exchange on the campus. Third, agreements provide the