Newsletter No. 252

Study Shows HK Students Perform Well in Mathematics and Science H ong Kong's 15-year-olds were ranked first in Mathematics, third in Science, and 10th in Reading (Chinese) among their peers from 41 participating countries and regions, according to the recent Hong Kong Programme for I n t e r na t i onal Student Assessment (HKPISA). Hong Kong students were also ranked second for Problem-solving Skills, a new assessment domain in which students are assessed on their general competency to overcome life's challenges. The results of H K P I SA 2003 were released on 7th December 2004. HKPISA 2003 was commissioned by the Education and Manpower Bureau to the Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment of the Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research, The Chinese University. Mathematics was the focus of this year's assessment. From May to July 2003, 4,478 students from 145 schools were randomly selected for the exercise. Researchers also found that although the effect of socio-economic status, including parental occupation and educational level, to student performance is modest in Hong Kong, reflecting that educational opportunities in the territory are relatively high in quality and equity. But students with better communication with parents and who spend more time chatting and taking the evening meal together tended to perform better. Learning strategies and attitudes were also important. High achievers tended to have a better self-image and sense of self-efficacy. They also showed greater interest/enjoyment in learning and tended to employ multiple learning strategies. The Programme for International Student Assessment organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development compares and evaluates the effectiveness of the education system by assessing how we ll 15-year-olds approaching the end of compulsory education have acquired the knowledge and skills essential for participation in society. The study provides strong proof that the active involvement of teachers, parents, and school authorities can improve the quality and equity of the learning environment for students. Conferences T he following conferences were held by University units in the month of December: • Translation Software: The State of the Art Date: 4th December 2004 Venue: Cho Yiu Hall Organizer: Department of Translation Purpose: To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the BA in Translation Programme and the 20th anniversary of the MA in Translation Programme • Airport Privatization and Deregulation: Theory and Empirical Evidence Date: 14th December 2004 Venue: MBA Town Centre, Central Speaker: Prof. Zhang Anming, director of the Centre for Transportation Studies at the University of British Columbia (photo below) Organizer. Aviation Policy and Research Centre 宣布事項 ANNOUNCEMENTS 新任講座教授 Professorial Appointment 大學委任孔祥復教授為病毒學講座教授，任期由二零零四年十二月四日起生 效。孔教授的簡歷已刊於今期第一頁的相關報導。 Prof. Kung Hsiang-fu has been appointed professor of virology from 4th December 2004. Prof. Kung's profile can be found on page 1. 電子證書資訊日 ITSC Digital Certificate Information Day 資訊科技服務處將於本月十四日（星期五）在碧秋樓一二零至一二二室舉辦電 子證書資訊日，介紹電子證書的功能，尤其如何加強網上保安。 在網絡世界中，電子證書是保障個人身分的最佳方法。電子證書最常見的用途 為加密電郵，確保電郵只可由指定收件人開啟。中大教職員及學生現可向資訊科技 服務處申請使用免費的中文大學電子證書。 電子證書資訊日的活動包括攤位及一系列講座，並有專人即場示範。重點內容 有： •公匙基建（ PKI) 及電子證書簡介 •如何於校園內使用電子證書 •個人電子證書如何免於外洩 •電子證書如何加強網絡安全 參觀者亦可掌握更多有關電郵加密、電子簽署、核證機關、香港郵政電子證書 與中大電子證書差異等資料。坐位有限，員生請盡快於網上（ http://www.cuhk.edu. hk/itsc/training) 報名。 You can apply for a CUHK digital certificate from the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC) and use it as a highly secure token of identification in cyberspace. One of its most popular uses is e-mail encryption which ensures that only the target recipient can open the e-mail. To provide more information on the capabilities and possible applications of digital certificates, a Digital Certificate Information Day will be held on 14th January 2005. There will be seminars, display booths and demonstrations at Room 120-122, Pi Ch'iu Building introducing the following topics: • Introduction to public key infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates • How to use a digital certificate on campus? • How to protect your personal digital certificate? • How can a digital certificate help you surf the web in a safer way? Through display booths and demonstrations, you can learn about e-mail encryption, digital signature, certificate authority, Hong Kong Post eCert vs CUHK Digital Certificate, and other devices. Seats are limited. Please register now at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/itsc/training. 崇基學院神學院第十屆「傳經講座」 主題：言說的權能：聖經與「帝國」 講員：美國哈佛神學院 Krister Stendahl 神學教授費許妮莎 (Prof. Elisabeth Sch ü ssler Fiorenza) 內容：講座一：聖經話語與帝國權力（一月十四日晚上七時半至九時半） 講座二 ：帝國與屈從（一月十六日下午二時至六時半） 講座三：帝國的修辭與言說神聖（一月十六日下午二時至六時半） 回應：文化及宗教研究系黃慧貞教授 語言：英語主講，粵語傳譯 地點：香港灣仔軒尼詩道三十六號循道衛理聯合教會香港堂 費用：每位一百港元（包括講義） (神學學生或五人以上集體報名者，每位七十五元） 查詢：電話二六零九六七一一（神學院張小姐） 傳真二六零三五二二四 電郵 theology@cuhk.edu.hk 報名表可於網上（ www.cuhk.edu.hk/theology) 下載。 訃告 Obituary 校本部庶務組辦公室助理梁黃淑珍女士於二零零四年十二月十日辭世。梁女士 於一九八四年一月加入本校服務。 Mrs. Leung Wong Suk Chun, office assistant at the Central Administration Support Services, passed away on 10th December 2004. Mrs. Leung first joined the University in January 1984. 3 No. 252 4th January 2005