Newsletter No. 239

Senate Deliberates on Academic Development Proposals 2005-2008 T he University Senate held an extraordinary meeting on 3rd March 2004 to discuss the University's Academic Development Proposals (ADP) for 2005-8. The highlights of the proposal included the establishment of a law school and requesting more student numbers. A Law School The University proposed to establish a School o f Law, which had been one o f its aspirations for over a decade. Prof. Ambrose K i ng, chairman o f the Senate, pointed out that he had already mentioned in the 4th October 2002 issue of the CUHK Newsletter that the setting up of a law school had been the first item on the University's agenda. With its role confirmed by the UGC as a comprehensive research university, CUHK was duty-bound to have a law school. A Planning Committee on Legal Education at CUHK had been appointed some two years ago to study the issue. The committee had formulated a proposal, calling for an L L B Programme to be launched in 2006—7 and other law-related programmes in 2006-7 and 2007-8. Prof. King also said that the start letter from the UGC in January had indicated that student numbers for L LB programmes in the territory would be increased to 170, allowing CUHK the opportunity to proceed with the undertaking. He believed that the University could provide quality law graduates, who can serve not only as lawyers or judges but also as legal experts in other fields. Areas w i th an urgent demand for legal experts included e-commerce, IT and communications, finance, products and their supervision, intellectual property, entertainment and media, international trade and China business. Extra Student Numbers The University would request the UGC for additional student numbers for the L LB Programme, i f the proposal was accepted. It would also make the same request for the Language Education, Physical Education and Sports Science, and Nursing Programmes. Second-year Entry Students The Government has decided to allocate places for universities to admit ' second - year e n t r y' students — graduates o f associate degrees and higher diploma programmes, as we ll as transfer students f r om other i n s t i t u t i o n s. Th is w o u l d mean that graduates o f the community college set up j o i n t ly by C U HK and the Tung Wah Group o f Hospitals, and other c ommun i ty colleges, w i l l have a chance to gain entry to local universities in the future. The University proposed to b i d f or 325 ' second - year e n t r y' places out o f a t o t al o f 840 available, a realistic calculation based on the aspirations o f students and the Un i ve r s i t y 's capacity. Student Quotas for Higher Degree Programmes A t the taught postgraduate level, the University would ask the UGC to provide additional student numbers for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme (PGDE) so that it could make greater contributions to teacher education. The Faculty of Education believed that it could increase the number of PGDE students up to 900. It was also of the view that the 'first degree + PGDE' model was better than the ‘2 + 2’ model currently being offered by another institution. A t the research postgraduate level, the University would ask the UGC to provide 30 per cent more places from 1,275 to 1,658. As a comprehensive research university, CUHK should have a higher percentage of research postgraduate students, which is currently on the low side. Ideally the University's postgraduate student number should double in the coming decade. The UGC w i ll respond to the University's various proposals later this month. Grand Reunion of CUHK Business Alumni S ome 700 faculty members, alumni, friends, and supporters of the Faculty of Business Administration gathered at a gala dinner held at J.W. Marriott Hotel Hong Kong on 3rd A p r i l 2004 as a celebration o f the 40th Anniversary of the University and a faculty reunion. The event was co-organized by the BA Faculty and the CUMBAA l umni Association, and the guest list read like a mini who's who of Hong Kong's public and private sectors. Dr. Victor Fung, chairman of the L i and Fung Group, was the guest of honour. Other dignitaries included Dr. Edgar Cheng and Mr. Roger Luk, r e s p e c t i v e l y c h a i r m a n a n d t r ea s u r er o f the University Council, P r o f . A m b r o s e K i n g , vice- chancellor, the pro- vice-chancellors, as w e l l as m a n y business leaders f e a t u r ed i n t he Talking to CEOs, New Thinking in Management, and Talking to CEOs: CEOs in the New Century radio/TV series. Highlights o f the evening included a 'Talking to Deans' show, wherein Prof. C.F. Chan, E M BA director, and Prof. Leo Sin, professor in the Department of Marketing, interviewed two past deans of the faculty — Prof. Mun Kin-chok and Prof. Lee Kam-hon. A l umni f r om different decades were also invited on stage to share with attendees their experiences at the faculty. Prof. Lee Tien-sheng, dean of the faculty, described the reunion as a ' t r u ly historic occasion'. Faculty of Medicine Sets Up SE Asia's First Eye Genetics Research Centre T he L i m P o r - y en E ye Ge n e t i cs Re s e a r c h Ce n t re was o f f i c i a l l y established on 26th March at the Prince of Wales Hospital to provide molecular genetic screening service for genetic eye diseases. The setting up of the centre, the first of its kind in South-east Asia, was made possible by a generous donation of HK$10 million from Mr. L i m Por-yen. The c e n t re was f o u n d ed on the a c h i e v eme n ts o f the D e p a r t me nt o f Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the University, which recently made important findings on eye diseases including glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, retinoblastoma, and high myopia. It established the differential patterns of mutations causing eye diseases in Chinese in more than 10 candidate genes. For clinical genetic screening, it managed to establish, using blood samples, a number o f genetic markers f or early and presymptomatic diagnosis based on disease- causing mutations. A press conference was held on 26th March at the Postgraduate Education Centre of the Prince of Wales Hospital to announce the research findings. A cheque presentation ceremony and a naming ceremony for the new centre were also held on the occasion with Mr. L i m Por-yen ( r i g h t ) presenting the donation in person to Dr. Edgar Cheng ( l e f t ) , chairman of the University Council. Officiating at the ceremony was also Prof. Amb r o se K i n g , v i c e - c han c e l l or o f the University. 1 No. 239 19th April 2004