Newsletter No. 5

CUHK Newsletter Op t i c a l Fibres Used to L i nk up Computers on Campus ------ The University has linked up the computing networks in the Department of Electronic Engineering and the Computer Services Centre (CSC) through an optical fibre link. The optical link is the first of its kind in operation at the University. The 400 metre long, six-core optical fibre has been installed with the help of Hong Kong Telephone. The fibre is ducted through the new cable ducting route at the University and has initially been routed to Mong Kwok Ping Computer Communication Laboratory at the Department of Electronic Engineering, where a pair of fibres were fusion spliced for connection to the Departmental Computing Laboratory. Three-way communications among CSC, Mong Kwok Ping Computer Communication Laboratory and the Departmental Computing Laboratory are possible with data, voice, still image or video transmission. The Department of Electronic Engineering can also be connected to other member institutions of the University and Polytechnic Computer Centre and overseas computer networks through CSC. The first fibre pair connecting CSC and the Departmental Computing Laboratory is an Ethernet link through optical transceivers operating at a data rate of 10 Mb/s. The remaining two fibre pairs will be used in the future for the development of ISDN trial with simultaneous on-campus and off- campus voice, data and video transmission. Two additional optical fibre cables linking Shaw College and CSC (1 km) and Lady Shaw Building and CSC (400 m) are being installed. These cables are six-fibre single-mode fibres capable of operating at phenomenally high data rate. The two cable links are expected to be completed this summer The University recently received a donation of HK$12 million from Mr. Chiang Chen, managing director of Chen Hsong Holdings Ltd., to build a new hostel which wi ll provide accommodation for visiting scholars and Do n a t i on of $12 M i l l i on for New Hostel fellows on training programmes. The hostel will be built at the eastern tip of the campus near the Yah Guest House. At a time when the University is actively developing exchange programmes with overseas institutions, and when the number of visiting scholars and research fellows, especially from mainland China, is expected to be on the steady increase, the donation from M r . Chiang is most timely and welcome. Fong Yun Wah Ha l l Opened The Fong Yun Wah Hall was formally opened by Mr. John Higginbotham, Commissioner for Canada, and Mr. Fong Yun Wah, MBE, JP, chairman of the Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation, on 15th March. Over 100 guests from the education, business and industrial sectors attended the ceremony. The new hall with a total floor area of 282 square metres has been built with a generous donation of HK$1.3 million from the Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation. It is an extension to the Fong Shu Chuen Building which houses the New Asia -Yale-In-China Chinese Language Centre, and will provide additional teaching facilities and student/staff amenities for the language centre. 3