Newsletter No. 74

Workshop for New Teachers Workshop participants engrossed in discussion. Techniques and awareness may help improve teaching effectiveness. But what is perhaps more important is the devotion and sense of responsibility of the teachers,' said vice-chancellor Prof. Charles Kao to the 35 participants of a workshop entitled 'University Teaching: Challenges and Enjoyment' held on 23rd August. The one-and-a-half day workshop was organized by the newly established Teaching Development Unit to prepare new teachers for the tasks awaiting them in the new academic year. The director of the unit Dr. Leslie Lo also explained on the occasion that the unit was established 'not to teach colleagues how to teach, but to gather and disseminate information which w i l l facilitate teaching as we ll as assist colleagues to guide and enlighten their students'. The workshop featured panel discussions, small group activities, visits to the University Library System and the Computer Services Centre, and a briefing on the organization of the University and the functions of its Personnel Office. To Know More About the TLQPA O v e r 200 academics, administrators, and students of this University gathered at lecture theatre L1 of the Science Centre on the afternoon of 5th September to discuss with UGC representatives issues pertaining to the impending Teaching and Learning Quality Process Audit (TLQPA). The TLQPA aims at assessing the effectiveness of various mechanisms for maintaining and improving teaching and learning quality in local tertiary institutions. CUHK and HKU are the first two to be audited and the University has already submitted relevant documentation to the UGC outlining mechanisms that are in place. A UGC audit panel will visit the University on 4th and 5th January 1996 to ascertain that such mechanisms actually exist and are functioning as they should. An audit report will in due course be produced and made public. To forestall any possible misunderstanding about the objective and procedure of the audit exercise, UGC chairman Mr. Anthony Leung, head of the audit panel Prof. William F. Massy, and other audit panel members held a pre-visit discussion session with University members to answer any queries they might have about the audit. Many questions were raised in the two-hour session. UGC representatives stressed that it was not the quality of teaching but rather quality assurance processes that they wanted to assess. They explained the philosophy behind the whole exercise and indicated that panel members w i l l meet w i th University senior administrators, members of its task force on teaching and learning quality, teachers, and students during the audit visit. They will also visit individual departments and groups to discuss various themes, details of which will be supplied to the University around early December 1995. University to Launch Electronic News Media We may soon be able to watch/listen to T.V. news, radio news, and advertisements in English or Chinese by simply switching on our personal computers at home or in the office. This is the scenario painted by Dr. Cheung Kwok-wai, senior lecturer at the University's Department of Information Engineering, of a successful launch of electronic news media. Dr. Cheung is the principal investigator of a consortium project entitled 'Electronic News Media and Publishing Consortium'. Funded by the Industry Department's Additional Funding for Industrial Support Scheme, the project aims at setting up a common mu l t i med ia hardware and software platform specific to the Hong Kong media industry for electronic information delivery, retrieval, and library services. The software platform w i l l handle multimedia information including video, voice, images, graphics, and Chinese/English texts. Besides, a highspeed multimedia network connected to the Internet w i l l be set up to enable communication across oceans. Several mass media organizations have joined the consortium: Ming Pao, Commercial Radio, and the China News Service ( HK ), and many others have expressed interest. According to Dr. Cheung, electronic delivery of information services is more cost and time efficent and environment-friendly. Staff Training and Development in 1994-95 T h e University administers a variety of fellowships and scholarships for teaching and administrative staff to conduct research, pursue further studies in local or overseas institutions, or to broaden their experience through participation in conferences and publication projects. The following is a summary of the major grants for staff development in 1994-95 and the recipients of such grants: Sponsor Awardee P r o j e c t Asian Productivity Organization Dr. Robert Ian Westwood, senior lecturer in management To attend a study meeting on 'Women and Productivity' in the Philippines (15th — 18th August 1994). Freemasons' Fund for East Asian Studies Dr. Julian A.J.H. Critchley and Dr. Thomas Chan Yan-keung, reader and lecturer respectively in clinical pharmacology To launch a research project on 'Optimizing the Diagnosis and Management of the Commonest Cause of Snake Bite in Hong Kong: the "Bamboo Snake" or the White- lipped Green Pit Viper ( Trimeresurus a l b o l a b r i s ) ' (August 1994 - July 1995). Japan Foundation Training Programme Ms. Fong Wan, instructor, Department of Japanese Studies To attend a training course for foreign teachers of Japanese language in Japan (4th July - 30th August 1995). C.Y Kwan Endowment Fund for Staff Development Dr. Joseph Hung Hin-wai, lecturer in English To conduct research at University College, London, UK (1st November 1994 一 31st August 1995). Mrs. Chau Cheung Ching-mei, instructor, Physical Education Unit To attend the International Amateur Athletic Federation Level 1coaching course, organized by the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association (17th 一 3 1 st December 1994). Dr. Chow Pak-ham, Patricia, senior lecturer in anatomy To attend two short courses at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University of London, UK (13th-17th March 1995). Ms. Beatrice Ma Kuen- fong, senior instructor, English Language Teaching Unit To Pursue part-time studies for a D.Phil. programme at the University of York, UK (29th May-21st July 1995). Dr. Fung Kwok-pui, senior lecturer in biochemistry To conduct research at the University of Toronto, Canada (1st June 一 31st July 1995). Mr. Joseph Yau Yau- kwan, instructor. English Language Teaching Unit To continue part-time doctoral studies at the University of Nottingham, UK (5th June 一 1st July 1995). Mrs. Erlinda Boyle, senior instructor, English Language Teaching Unit To pursue a Ph.D. research degree at Oxford Brookes University, UK (5th June - 11th August 1995). Dr. Ngai Ngan-pun, lecturer in social work To continue doctoral studies at the University of Sheffield, UK (1st July 1995 - 30th June 1996). Lee Hysan Foundation Endowment Fund for Staff Development Dr. Thomas Lee Hun-tak, lecturer in English To conduct research at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science at MIT, Massachusetts, USA (1st September 1994 - 31st August 1995). Dr. Li Hon-lam, lecturer in philosophy To conduct a research on 'Marx and Justice' at Oxford University, UK, and Cornell University, USA (1st January 一 30th June 1995). Dr. Shaw Pang-chui, lecturer in biochemistry To conduct a research study at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, UK (2nd January-31st August 1995). Mr. Alfred Yeung Kwong- fai, lecturer in architecture To attend a course on 'Building, Land Administration and Town Planning Practice' at the University of Hong Kong (24th June 1995).