Newsletter No. 176

2 No. 176 4th January 2001 CUHK Newsletter C U HK Celebrates 100th Successful Cochlear I mp l a nt T he University's Cochlear Implant Programme was launched in December 1994. On 3rd November 2000, the 100th patient was implanted with the device at the Prince of WalesHospital .A celebration was held on 9th December to mark the success of the programme. Cochlear implantation has a particularly significant impact on a child's development and cognitive learning. It offers children born deaf the opportunity to develop learning and language skills as children with normal hearing. Of the 100 implantees, 59 were children aged from 13 months to 15 years. The surgery has significantly improved their communication skills and quality of life. M e d i c a l s t a f f a t the University have also pioneered research into the surgical, audiological, and rehabilitative aspects of cochlear implantation and assisted in the establishment and development of 16 similar programmes throughout China, Asia, and Africa. Capitalizing on such apool of expertise and experience, an Institute of Human Communicative Research wi ll be established within the Faculty of Medicine to promote and conduct clinical and basic scientific research in the field of communicative sciences and related clinical specialities. Representatives of sponsoring agencies attending the celebration ISPOR Chinese Chapter Inaugurated T he Chinese Chapter of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) was inaugurated at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile on 9th December 2000, with Prof. Kenneth Lee of the School of Pharmacy and Prof. Thomas Chan of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics as the initiators. The main purpose of the Chinese chapter is to promote research into the relative costs of treating diseases with drugs and other therapies, and comparing these costs to those incurred in terms of human misery and lost productivity when the diseases are not treated properly. The formation of the Chinese chapter of ISPOR wi ll greatly facilitate the coordination and expansion of existing research in this field at the University, and, most importantly, translate all related efforts into direct benefits for Hong Kong and other Chinese societies. The inauguration ceremony was followed by talks on the practice and local relevance of pharmacoeconomics by senior pharmacists and physicians. Researchers from the University also presented findings on the long-term relative costs o f different drugs. (From left) Prof. J.A.J.H. Critchley of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Dr. S.P. Mak of the Health Department, Dr. S.V. Lo of the Hospital Authority, and Prof. Sydney Chung, dean of medicine, posing for a photo at the inauguration ceremony Exploring the Chinese Way of Managing Business C lose to 20 academics from Hong Kong and the US delivered papers at the Conference on Chinese Business Management which took place at the University on 11th and 12th December 2000. The conference was j o i n t ly organized by the Committee on China Research and Development of the Centre for Chinese Business Studies at the University's Faculty of Business Administration, and the Hang Lung Centre for Organizational Research of the School of Business at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The conference, part of the CUHK-HKUST Joint Area of Excellence Project, aimed at exploring issues related to Chinese business management. Topics ranged from organizational structure and state enterprise reform to the potential impact of foreign direct investment on China's telecommunications industry and the management of high technology industries. Chung Chi Alumni Homecoming A bout 100 alumni of Chung Chi College returned to the college campus for Alumni Day 2000 on 28th October 2000. Activities on that day included a tour introducing plants grown at Weiyuan Lake by Prof. Hu Shiu Ying, a visit to the new teaching block on the college campus, a reception by the College head, and an alumni dinner at the college staff club. Servic e t oth eCommunit y an d Internationa l Organization s • Prof. Leung Ping-chung, professor of orthopaedics and traumatology, has been appointed by the Secretary for Security as amember of the Management Committee of the Police Children's Education Trust and the Police Education and Welfare Trust from 1st December 2000 to 31st March 2004. He has also been appointed a consultant on performing arts affairs [演藝事務顧問] by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department from 9th November 2000 until 31st October 2002. • Dr. Tso Wung-wai, senior lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, has been appointed by the Deputy Secretary for Planning and Lands as a member of the Buildings Ordinance (Chapter 123) (Section 45) Appeal Tribunal Panel for three years from 1st December 2000. • Prof. Kwok Siu-tong, professor in the Department of History, has been appointed a consultant on performing arts affairs [演藝事務顧問（歷史）] by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department from 9th November 2000 until 31st October 2002. • Prof. Clive S. Cockram, professor of medicine, has been elected vice-president of the Medicine and Therapeutics Association for the triennium 2000-3. He has also been re-appointed to the Board of Management of the International Diabetes Federation, and as chairman of the Education Foundation of the International Diabetes Federation. • Prof. Chan Wing-wah, professor in the Department of Music, attended the UNESCO International Society for Contemporary Music 一 World Music Days and its Annual General Assembly in Luxembourg in October 2000 in his capacity as Executive Committee member. He has also been elected a member of the Administrative Council of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. • Prof. Tan Chee-beng, professor in the Department of Anthropology, has been re-appointed as honorary professor to the Faculty of Arts, University of Hong Kong, for one year from 1st September 2000. • Prof. Jack C.Y. Cheng, professor of orthopaedics and traumatology, has been made visiting professor of the year 2000 to the Department of Orthopaedics at Cheng Kung University Medical Centre in Taiwan. • Prof. Yeung Yue-man, professor of geography, has been appointed consulting professor at Nanjing University for two years from October 2000. • Prof. Cynthia Chan, associate professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine, conducted a three-day clinical teacher training course for teachers from medical schools and various hospitals in Shanghai in October 2000. (Information in this section is provided by the Information and Public Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registration and verification before publication.)