The pandemic changed much about how we as a University operate, forcing us to reflect on the future and rethink our strategies for the years ahead. At the same time we saw another global development that affected our entire society, including the education sector. That was the arrival of ChatGPT-4, a breakthrough signalling the onset of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. It was against this backdrop that we developed our latest five-year Strategic Plan, for 2024 to 2028, in which we have set out strategies for extending our horizons in six major areas. The plan recognises that we must increase the impact we make while staying aware of, and addressing, the unique challenges of our times.
Our essential work is to cultivate talent, and to do this we are determined to offer students a well-rounded education that will launch them on a smooth and prosperous life journey. “Metro FAITH” is an experiential learning model developed by the University to help students build a positive mindset, strengthen their resilience, and establish a personal faith in their ability to face adversity in life. As its organising principle, the “Metro FAITH” Scheme takes essential principles from the positive psychology of the West and educational concepts of the Confucianism of the East, integrated and reengineered so that they match with modern social and technological realities. The letters of the acronym FAITH stand for five vital qualities that the University strives to instil into its students:
uture skills & intelligence
esthetics & spirituality
gniting & sports
emperance & justice
umanity & love
“Metro FAITH” is also linked closely to the University's motto and core values, reinforcing our underlying emphasis on good character and flourishing living.
Certainly, as a university determined to be at the cutting-edge of human endeavour, we want to be an integral part of the upcoming AI revolution and ensure that our students are AI literate. We have been running workshops, seminars and training for staff and students in recent months to help them get to grips with this emerging technology. Looking ahead, all our new programmes are being designed with AI as an integral component. For instance, our new Bachelor of Arts with Honours in New Music and Interactive Entertainment and Bachelor of Science with Honours in Construction Management and Quantity Surveying are both AI-enriched, and we will be revisiting all our existing programmes to incorporate AI elements in them.
As AI comes to play an ever more important part of learning and living, we plan to further step up our integration of AI into every facet of the University's operations. This is based on our belief that, used wisely, AI holds huge potential for learning and teaching in areas such as the collection of information, data analysis, organisation of figures and translation of articles. Towards the end of the academic year we launched our own ChatGPT portal, first for staff and then for students. We are currently developing a chatbot powered by ChatGPT to answer questions about our services, beginning with the Library, Online Learning Environment and IT Service Desk.
“Impact” is a term that is important to me personally,
and to this University. One of the best ways we can
have an impact is by carrying out relevant,
socially-useful research and knowledge creation. This
belief has driven our efforts in the past year to
encourage and support impact research; efforts, I am
pleased to say, that have begun quickly to pay off in
terms of attracting external funding. A few statistics
relating to our results in the 2023–24 Competitive
Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing
Degree Sector will make this clear.
▪️ Total funding: HKMU ranked first, with our
proposals receiving total funding of HK$29.1
million, the highest of all institutions.
▪️ Faculty Development Scheme (FDS): HKMU ranked
first in total FDS funding (HK$22.1 million) and total
number of funded FDS proposals (25). The latter is
78% higher than the last year's results. One FDS
proposal received the largest grant (HK$2,033,250)
of all funded FDS proposals.
▪️ Research Infrastructure Grant (RIG): HKMU's proposal
received the largest funding (HK$6,515,000) of
all funded RIG proposals. This is the seventh time
the University has received RIG funding from the
Research Grants Council, the best result among all
institutions.
▪️ Overall: HKMU's total funding, total FDS funding
and number of funded FDS proposals were all
record highs for us in all rounds of applications.
The projects our researchers are involved with tend to have highly practical social, commercial and educational benefits, which typically require a knowledge transfer process to actualise them into practical outcomes. This is why we have set up a new Patent Committee, which has already begun filing patents on behalf of the University.
This year we have already seen some exciting outcomes of knowledge transfer. One is the “VR Driving School” project, a brilliant idea involving utilising the possibilities of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to simulate driving conditions for learners that may be seldom experienced in real life. Inspired by a student project, this initiative proceeded through private, public and internal funding that epitomises the knowledge transfer process. It brought together staff, students, University networks, government support and industry participation to turn a bright idea into a working system benefiting real Hong Kong learners.This year we have already seen some exciting outcomes of knowledge transfer. One is the “VR Driving School” project, a brilliant idea involving utilising the possibilities of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to simulate driving conditions for learners that may be seldom experienced in real life. Inspired by a student project, this initiative proceeded through private, public and internal funding that epitomises the knowledge transfer process. It brought together staff, students, University networks, government support and industry participation to turn a bright idea into a working system benefiting real Hong Kong learners.
Similar examples can be seen in two other activities we have been involved with recently. The School of Nursing and Health Studies' “Jockey Club 'BaMa Chill Club' Perinatal Support Project” has drawn on over HK$20 million in funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to develop a mental health programme for new parents and their support networks. It is a fine example of clinical knowledge and expertise being transferred into the community. Meanwhile, our University's much-used Open English textbook series for primary and secondary school students is being given a major upgrade and modernisation. With the help of a HK$23.1 million grant from the Education Bureau's Quality Education Fund, the series will be turned into an interactive mobile app.
It is immensely gratifying to see the work of our talented academic staff, researchers and students attracting funding, undergoing rigorous review, and eventually generating meaningful, impactful outcomes that are making people's lives better. This is surely at the heart of what every university aspires to, and I am proud of the efforts of HKMU in this respect over the past year. As always, we will not remain static. As society changes and as new needs develop, HKMU will move forward alongside, identifying new needs and providing new talents and entrepreneurs, new skilled workers, and new research: in short, having an impact in creating a better society.
Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing
October 2023
