Newsletter No. 73

2 No. 73 4th September 1995 CUHK Newsletter Comments from Senior Administration ANew Academic Year From the Vice-Chancellor On behalf of the University may I extend a very warm welcome to those staff and students who have just joined us. At this juncture in time, your faith in this university and in Hong Kong is a clear demonstration to all that Hong Kong will have a bright and prosperous future. It is my pleasure to note that the newcomers, be they staff or students, are of superior quality. It is a consequence of a conscientious and sustained effort on the part of our existing staff and students to build up a good image of the University. Our alumni, through their exemplary performance in the professional world and in the community, also help to establish a solid reputation for our institution. They effectively attract good students for us. Over my eight years as vice- chancellor, I see ever more clearly the importance of a concerted and unified insistance on quality. We have witnessed a gradual and persistent effort to work towards excellence — in teaching, in research, and in service. The increasing pressure of competition from without on the tertiary education sector has given extra drive to this effort for excellence. We have risen to the occasion and we have taken up the challenges. The results are gratifying. We have earned our standing in the academic circles both within Hong Kong and without. Some critics may rightfully say that we can do better. I agree with that. We cannot rest on our laurels, and we must continue to improve. The teaching quality audit, which will take place soon, will be an excellent opportunity for us to be self-critical. We shall see how we can achieve further improvement, especially in the area of teaching. I have found my experience at this university to be extremely broadening. I have had the opportunity to meet many people of different academic disciplines, and to learn from their knowledge and experience. I now appreciate more than ever before how a university is improved by the quality of its staff and students, especially if they work together cohesively and constructively. At the same time, leadership must exist at many levels. By insisting on quality and a sense of responsibility, unhindered progress can be made and the outcome will be a great university. We have a beautiful campus that is ideally suited for academic pursuits. I hope that all our students and staff will avail themselves of its amenities and use them to the best advantage. May I wish you all a fruitful and enjoyable year. Charles K. Kao HK$ 1 , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 Raised i n Round-the-CU Walkathon A total of HK$1.2 million was raised in the Round-the-CU Walkathon organized by the CUHK Convocation in association with the Community Chest of Hong Kong on 26th March 1995. Of the money raised $600,000 was donated to the Community Chest to support a wide range of social welfare services, $400,000 was used to purchase sound equipment for the new auditorium of the Department of Music, and $200,000 was donated to the Children's Cancer Foundation to support children cancer programmes in the Prince of Wales Hospital. At the cheque - presentation ceremony held on 20th June 1995, acting vice-chancellor Prof. Ambrose King presented the donations to the three beneficiaries, while the chairman of the Convocation, Mr. Lee Kam-chung, presented souvenirs to various patrons and sponsors of the walkathon. The CUHK Convocation is a statutory body of the University with all its graduates as members. Its functions are to promote good relations between the University and the general public, to advise and to make recommendations on matters relating to the University, and to raise funds for the University. ACADEMIC EVENTS IN SUMMER The University hosted a series of academic activities during the summer: * Chung Chi College, the Department of Geography, and the Association of Chinese Professionals of GIS Abroad (CPGIS) jointly organized an 'International Symposium on Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems and Global Position Systems in Sustainable Development and Environmental Monitoring' from 25th to 28th May at the Wong Foo Yuan Building. Over 200 scholars, professionals and government officials from more than 20 countries and regions attended the conference and the associated workshops and exhibitions. * The Chemistry Department launched its Open Chemical Laboratory Programme, which comprises a series of workshops on chemical instrumentation to train young Chinese scientists and to promote research collaboration between China and Hong Kong. The first workshop on 'Modern Techniques of Single Crystal X-Ray Analysis' ran for three weeks from 17th June. The second workshop entitled The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Biological Molecules' began on 31st July. More workshops have been scheduled for the summers of 1996 and 1997. * The University co-hosted the second Asia Pacific Congress of Endoscopic Surgery which was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 19th to 23rd June 1995. The congress was attended by 600 surgeons and operating-room nurses from Asia and countries around the Pacific rim. * The University hosted the Tenth International Conference on Integrated Optics and Optical Fibre Communication at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26th to 30th June. Over 200 papers were presented at the conference which was attended by some 500 international experts in the field. * The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences hosted the International Symposium on Modern Challenges in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Furama Hotel from 30th June to 3rd July. It was attended by over 180 specialists and guests from around the world. * The Architecture Department organized the first international conference on Chinese architectural history from 7th to 10th August on campus. The conference included presentations on different aspects of Chinese architecture and featured an exhibition on 'The living Building' which will be on until 19th November at the Antiquities and Monuments Office in Kowloon. Chinese Ceramics and Bronzes on Display at Art Museum 'Gems of Chinese Art — Selections of Ceramics and Bronzes from the Tsui Art Foundation', an exhibition organized by the Tsui Art Foundation and jointly presented by the Foundation and the University's Art Museum, is being staged at the museum until 8th October 1995. The exhibition features over 100 pieces of Chinese ceramics from the Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty, and 10 pieces of bronze vessels from the Shang dynasty to the Warring States period. Part of the exhibits, together with 300 other pieces of Chinese relics from the foundation, will be donated for permanent display at the Regional Council Museum now under construction in Sha Tin. The Governor and Mrs. Patten, and Dr. T.T. Tsui, founder of the foundation, officiated at the exhibition's opening ceremony on 7th July. Large dish with mouldedand underglazeblue decoration of flowers within panelsandagarden scene, Yuan dynasty. Dr. T. T. Tsui (righ t 1), the Governor (right 2) and Mrs. Patten viewing exhibits.

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