Newsletter No. 102

CUHK Newsletter No. 102 4th February 1997 3 Comf o r t ab le and Spacious The emphasis is also on glass, for partitioning and panelling, so as to give themaximum impression of space. The reception table is also glass-topped, with an open shelf underneath to facilitate access to the pamphlets and brochures kept there. There is a selection of the most comfortable and easy-on-the back chairs that can be adjusted to various angles. The aim was to look for the least expensive model that would suit a tired body,' says the MBA Programmes director who suffers from back problems himself. There are also six 'break out' rooms (with 5-6 chairs each), and these serve three purposes — as offices for the instructors, as computer rooms, and for group discussions and case studies. And of course, there is a conference room that can also stand in for a seminar room. Custom-made 'break-up' tables here make it multifunctional too. The entire centre is linked by a computer network. Each classroom has a computer at the podium to help the instructor. Prof. Law would like to see this happening in the faculty classrooms on campus too, for the BBA and the Two-Year MBA students. Money We ll Spent Generous donations had made the purchase of the original MBA Town Centre possible. Who funded this HK$26 million purchase-cum-renovation project? 'The MBA Programmes and the endowment fund, the EMBA Programme, and the BA Faculty,' Prof. Law replies. 'This was an essential, high-priority need. Every penny was deservingly spent.' The project has made possible a 90 per cent increase in space, and a corresponding 50 per cent increase in the Three-Year Part-Time Programme intake, from 60 students to 90 as of September 1996. The pressure over the years to increase the intake is, according to Prof. Law, a testimony to the demand for the University's quality programme, attributable in a large measure to the dedication and commitment of the highly professional faculty staff. W i l l the expansion of the premises have any direct bearing on the quality of the Programmes per se? 'Yes, definitely so,' says Prof. Law. ' Fo l l ow i ng the increase in the intake, the class has been split up into two groups of 45 each. So, we have virtually shrunk the class size from 60 to 45. Small classes are very important for MBA students, who need to interact with and learn from one another, and for whom the instructor often plays the role of facilitator and mediator instead of just the lecturer. 30, or better still, 25, would be an ideal size.' Has there been any encouraging feedback f r om users of the new facilities? Indeed yes. Prof. Law has been down to speak with the students after classes, and finds all the hard work to have been worthwhile when he listens to appreciative staff and students. Lots Ahead 'Theproject is a substantial investment in resources beyond only money, and reflects the commitment of the Faculty and the University to MBA education in Hong Kong,' summarizes Prof. Law. 'Our focus now is to increase the utilization of the facilities. We will explore the business and training needs of the community, and how the centre can accommodate them.' And, with the 'hardware' in place, the 'software' is the, next target. 'Having optimally utilized the space we have, we cannot accommodate any more student numbers in the near future,' says Prof. Law. 'We are hoping instead to add more dimensions to our existing part-time programmes, like student-exchanges with our overseas counterparts. What is also being emphasized is greater interaction between our full-time, part- time, and executive MBA programmes in their various activities — to achieve synergy between the programmes.' Prof. Law is of the opinion that, no matter which programme they attend, at the end of the day the students are all going to be CU MBA alumni and fellow businessmen in Hong Kong, and hence would benefit from knowing one another. Shalini Bahadur Prof. Japhet Law Service t o t he Community and I n t e r na t i onal Organizations • Prof. Lee Kam-hon, dean of business administration, has been appointed by HE the Governor as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Social Work Training and Manpower Planning from 1st January 1997 to 31st October 1997. • Prof. Andrew Chan Chi-fai, professor in the Department of Marketing, has been appointed by the Financial Secretary as a member of the Consumer Council for a year from 1st January 1997. • Dr. Cheung Kwok-wai, reader in information engineering, has been appointed as a member of the Electronics Committee of the Industry and Technology Development Council for two years from 1st January 1997. • Dr. Joseph Lau, director of the Centre for Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Research, has been invited to serve as a member of the Committee on Education and Publicity on AIDS till 31st July 1999. • Prof. Archie C. C. Lee, professor in the Department of Religion, has been appointed to the Management Board of the Hong Kong Christian Institute for three years from 1st December 1996. • Prof. Daniel T. L. Shek, professor in the Department of Social Work, has been invited to serve as a member of the editorial board of Research on Social Work Practice from January 1997. • Prof. Chan Wing-wah, professor in the Department of Music, served as vice-chairman of the adjudicating panel for the '1997 Return of Sovereignty Composition Contest' organized by the China Ministry of Culture in Beijing from 17th to 22nd November 1996. • Prof. Kwok Siu-tong, professor in the Department of History, has been appointed as a visiting professor of Hunan Normal University. (All information in this section is provided by the Information and Public Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registrationand verification before publication.) New Book The Chinese University Press The following book will be sold at a 20 per cent discount to staff of the University at the University Bookstore, John Fulton Centre. Neonatal and Perinatal Screening: The Asian Pacific Perspective Edited by Stephen T. S. Lam and Calvin C. P. Pang, the book is a compilation of edited and revised papers presented at the Second Asian Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Society for Neonatal Screening. At the meeting, held in Hong Kong in November 1995, leading medical scientists presented their findings on the implementation of neonatal screening programmes and analytical techniques for congenital diseases. The book covers such topics as screening programmes in the Asia Pacific, management of screening programmes, molecular studies on inherited metabolic disease, phenylketonuria, Fragile X Syndrome, and Down's Syndrome. ISBN 962-201-765-7, hardcover, 212 pages, HK$160. 中大通訊 CUHK NEWSLETTER 1.本刊逢四日及十九日出版。 2. 來函或投稿請寄沙田香港中文大學秘書處出版事務處（中大通訊》 編輯部（電話 2609 7297，圖 文傳眞 2603 6864 ，電子郵遞 pub2@uab.msmail.cuhk.edu.hk )。 3. 投稿者須附眞實姓名、地址及聯絡電話，文章則可用筆名發表。 4. 本刊編輯有權刪改及決定是否刊登來稿，不欲稿件被刪者請預先聲 明。 5. 本刊所載文章只反映作者之觀點和意見，並不代表校方或本刊立場。 6. 本刊內容未經編者書面准許，不得轉載。 7. 本刊每期發行三千六百份，免費供校內教職員索閱，部分郵寄本地教 育機構及與大學有關人士。私人索閱，請致函本刊查詢。 1. The Newsletter is published on the 4th and 19th of each month. 2. All contributions and suggestions should be sent to the Editor, CUHK Newsletter, Publication Office, University Secretariat, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (tel. 2609 7297; fax. 2603 6864; e-mail pub2@uab.msmail.cuhk.edu.hk ). 3. Contributions should bear the writer's name and contact telephone number, and may be published under pseudonyms. No anonymous letters will be published. 4. The Editor reserves the right to reject contributions and to edit all articles for reasons of clarity, length or grammar. Those who do not want to have their articles amended should indicate clearly in writing. 5. The views expressed in the CUHK Newsletter are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the University or the Editor. 6. No part ofthis newsletter may bereproducedwithout the written consent ofthe Editor. 7. This publication has a circulation of 3,600 and is primarily intended for staffmembers of CUHK. Copies are also sent to local educational institutions and individuals associated with the University. Those who wish to be included on the mailing list please contact the Newsletter direct. 截 稿 日 期 Deadlines for Contributions 期數 Issue no. 出版日期 Issue date 截稿日期 Deadline for contributions 103 4.3.97 14.2.97 104 19.3.97 28.2.97 105 4.4.97 14.3.97 106 19.4.97 2.4.97 107 4.5.97 16.4.97 108 19.5.97 2.5.97 109 4.6.97 16.5.97 110 19.6.97 29.5.97 香港中文大學出版事務處出版 編輯：梁其汝 助理編輯：李琪 蔡世彬 陳偉珠 製作：黎寶翠 林綺媚 Published by the Publication Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Editor Amy K. Y. Leung Assistant Editors: Lawrence Choi, Piera Chen, Shalini Bahadur Graphic Designers: Stella P. C. Lai, Ada Y. M. Lam 印刷：鮑思高印刷有限公司 Printing: Don Bosco Printing Co. Ltd.