Persons in custody at Stanley Prison of the Correctional Services Department are presented with certificates at a ceremony. Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing (centre), HKMU President and Prof. Andy Chin Chi-on (left), Dean of the School of Education and Languages of HKMU confer a doctoral degree on a person in custody (right). (Photo: Information Services Department)
Four persons in custody in Stanley Prison, of the Correctional Services Department (CSD), were awarded degrees from Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) at a certificate presentation ceremony today (8 January), including one inmate who is the first in Hong Kong to be awarded a doctorate, specifically, a Doctor of Education (EdD), by HKMU.
The ceremony was attended by Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung, HKMU Council Chairman, Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, and other HKMU representatives. Together with Prof. Andy Chin Chi-on, Dean of the School of Education and Languages, Prof. Lam presented the EdD to the inmate student.
After more than 20 years of studying behind bars, the student completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences and subsequently a Master of Education with HKMU. He then continued his studies to pursue a doctoral degree.
Upon completing his doctoral studies, he said, “I am very grateful to my family and the CSD for their support over the years, which has enabled me to persevere and complete my programme. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to HKMU for their consistent guidance in my study progress and appropriate support, which enabled me to obtain my doctoral degree.”
HKMU has long provided opportunities for continuous learning and higher education for prison inmates, helping them rebuild positive values. “Inmate students often have to overcome many challenges while pursuing their education at correctional institutions. Today, we witness the outcome of their dedication to learn and hard work despite the adversity,” said Prof. Lam.
“I hope that we will not forget that there are inmates who are committed to learning,” he continued. “And I hope that all sectors of society will continue to support HKMU and others in providing resources and assistance for inmate students, helping them pursue and complete their studies and preparing them for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.”
Also present at the ceremony were Prof. Ricky Kwok Yu-kwong, HKMU Vice President (Research and Institutional Advancement), and Dr Li Kam-cheong, Dean of the School of Open Learning of HKMU.
Since 1990, HKMU has provided higher education for persons in custody and is the only university in Hong Kong offering them distance degree programmes. To date, 1,540 inmate students have enrolled in the University, and 296 degrees have been awarded to 190 students, including 30 postgraduate degrees, 123 bachelor’s degrees and 143 associate degrees.
HKMU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSD in October 2022 to provide more comprehensive support, including enhanced financial assistance, credit transfers and programme articulation, for persons in custody to pursue tertiary education.
HKMU's Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE) has also collaborated with the CSD since 2023, offering one-year, full-time Diploma of Applied Education Programmes for the “Ethics College”. The College was established by the CSD to support inmates in continuous learning. Some of the first batch of graduates continued their education last September by studying the Associate of General Studies programme, which was tailored to suit their needs. HKMU instructors visited Lo Wu Correctional Institution, Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution and Pik Uk Prison for face-to-face classes.
Persons in custody at Stanley Prison of the Correctional Services Department are presented with certificates at a ceremony. Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing (centre), HKMU President and Prof. Andy Chin Chi-on (left), Dean of the School of Education and Languages of HKMU confer a doctoral degree on a person in custody (right). (Photo: Information Services Department)
Four persons in custody in Stanley Prison, of the Correctional Services Department (CSD), were awarded degrees from Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) at a certificate presentation ceremony today (8 January), including one inmate who is the first in Hong Kong to be awarded a doctorate, specifically, a Doctor of Education (EdD), by HKMU.
The ceremony was attended by Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung, HKMU Council Chairman, Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, and other HKMU representatives. Together with Prof. Andy Chin Chi-on, Dean of the School of Education and Languages, Prof. Lam presented the EdD to the inmate student.
After more than 20 years of studying behind bars, the student completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences and subsequently a Master of Education with HKMU. He then continued his studies to pursue a doctoral degree.
Upon completing his doctoral studies, he said, “I am very grateful to my family and the CSD for their support over the years, which has enabled me to persevere and complete my programme. I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to HKMU for their consistent guidance in my study progress and appropriate support, which enabled me to obtain my doctoral degree.”
HKMU has long provided opportunities for continuous learning and higher education for prison inmates, helping them rebuild positive values. “Inmate students often have to overcome many challenges while pursuing their education at correctional institutions. Today, we witness the outcome of their dedication to learn and hard work despite the adversity,” said Prof. Lam.
“I hope that we will not forget that there are inmates who are committed to learning,” he continued. “And I hope that all sectors of society will continue to support HKMU and others in providing resources and assistance for inmate students, helping them pursue and complete their studies and preparing them for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.”
Also present at the ceremony were Prof. Ricky Kwok Yu-kwong, HKMU Vice President (Research and Institutional Advancement), and Dr Li Kam-cheong, Dean of the School of Open Learning of HKMU.
Since 1990, HKMU has provided higher education for persons in custody and is the only university in Hong Kong offering them distance degree programmes. To date, 1,540 inmate students have enrolled in the University, and 296 degrees have been awarded to 190 students, including 30 postgraduate degrees, 123 bachelor’s degrees and 143 associate degrees.
HKMU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSD in October 2022 to provide more comprehensive support, including enhanced financial assistance, credit transfers and programme articulation, for persons in custody to pursue tertiary education.
HKMU's Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE) has also collaborated with the CSD since 2023, offering one-year, full-time Diploma of Applied Education Programmes for the “Ethics College”. The College was established by the CSD to support inmates in continuous learning. Some of the first batch of graduates continued their education last September by studying the Associate of General Studies programme, which was tailored to suit their needs. HKMU instructors visited Lo Wu Correctional Institution, Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution and Pik Uk Prison for face-to-face classes.
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