Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung Vice-Chancellor of CUHK (2010–2017)

31 中文大學校刊 Chinese University Bulletin | 特刊 Special Supplement CUHK has made great strides in many aspects under your leadership in the past seven years. What are you most happy with? It’s difficult to choose from such a wide array of work. But if I have to name but one, the establishment of the I • CARE programme is what I cherish most dearly. The programme aims at enhancing students’ whole-person development by helping them to identify their goals and establish their values, and by engaging them in exploring social issues. I have been told that since its launch in 2011, I•CARE had gone beyond the CUHK campus to reach students from other universities in Hong Kong, the mainland and overseas, who participate in its events through the Internet and various channels. What is the toughest challenge? In times of unrest and instability, like the past few years in Hong Kong, a university is usually subject to much pressure. This is a great trial to me as my understanding of political or social issues is limited. I hope I haven’t made any wrong decisions when facing grim choices at critical moments. Do you think CUHK has kept abreast of the fast-changing global trends and the rapid development of higher education? CUHK embraces changes and promptly responds to developments and needs in the new era, without forsaking its traditions and core values. Examples are plenty. We provide an e-learning environment which encourages students to be more self-initiated in learning and extend learning beyond the classroom. We promote cross-disciplinary learning which answers societal needs; the newly established Department of Biomedical Engineering which will contribute to medical and in particular geriatric care is a typical example. We embark on forefront research on the relationship between climate change and human health, and the application of big data to finance and logistics. Last year, we offered Hong Kong’s first university-wide induction programme in entrepreneurship and innovation, which is open to undergraduate students of all disciplines ranging from medicine, law to education. 掌領校政七年，中大在各方面都迭有 進展，當中最令你欣慰的是甚麼？ 過去七年工作涉及多方面，難以一言蔽 之。叫我寢寐不忘的也許就是成立了博 群計劃。博群旨在促進學生的全人發 展，幫助他們在成長階段尋找方向和價 值觀，也希望學生透過這個計劃深入了 解社會課題。聽說博群自從2011年啓動 後，不但在中大校園，也吸引了香港其他 大學，內地以至海外的學生透過互聯網 或其他途徑參與，這是值得欣喜的。 最艱巨的挑戰是甚麼？ 這幾年香港經歷不少風雨動蕩，面對不 少衝擊，而大學往往位於衝擊的前方。 這於我是大考驗，因為我本身對政治或 社會問題研究不深。希望在面對一些抉 擇或處理重要事件的時候，我沒有做錯 決定。 在瞬息萬變的全球大趨勢和高等教育 氣候當中，中大過去數年可有與時並 進？ 我們不忘保存傳統和價值，但同時勇於 求變，例如提供網上學習的環境，鼓勵 同學自發學習，並把學習空間擴展到課 室以外。新近成立的生物醫學工程學系， 是典型的跨學科例子，對醫療特別是老 人醫護將大有貢獻。我們也研究氣候變 化和人類健康的關係，推進大數據在金 融物流的應用。去年我們推出全港首個 創業創新課程，希望給所有同學，無論讀 醫學、法律、教育也好，灌輸一點創業概 念。以上種種都是因應新時代的發展和 需要而作出的嘗試。