The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) presented financial awards with a total value of over HK$11 million to 1,094 students in the year 2019/20. Among the recipients, 589 students received scholarships in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements while around 500 students were given bursary grant to relieve their financial burden. Both the number of recipients and amount of awards have set the record, demonstrating an incessant increase in support from the society towards the University and its students.

Since the establishment in 1989, the OUHK has evolved into a full-fledged university offering quality and diversified education. To cater for the needs of society, the University has been firmly committed to providing a wide array of academic programmes to young people and working adults who aspire to pursue knowledge and strive for excellence in their career development. With long-standing support from all sectors of the society, the University set up the Student Assistance Fund in 1992 and established various scholarship and bursary awards, enabling students to attain ample assistance, recognition and encouragement.

To further enhance the scholarship and bursary scheme, the OUHK has allocated additional resources for a suite of quality enhancement measures (QEM) since 2017. The measures, including the introduction of a number of scholarship and bursary awards such as Entrance Scholarship, Minority Student Award, Outstanding Student Scholarship and Sports Achievement Award etc., help motivate students to achieve higher academic and personal goals. This year, nearly 200 recipients benefited from about HK$2.6 million financial awards which were established by the University. QEM also aims to support the robust development of the University through advancing teaching and learning, enhancing campus facilities and equipment, and enriching students’ learning experience, etc.

Many donors have been supporting the University for more than a decade. This year, OUHK is particularly grateful for the renewed support from various donors including University Fellow and Alumna Ms Katie Shu Sui-pui, Lu’s Foundation Limited, Providence Foundation Limited, and Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation. In addition, OUHK deeply appreciates the benefaction of new donors including Bamboos Health Care Holdings Limited, alumnus Mr Chung Chun Wa, and alumnus Mr So Chi Yin for their kind support to establish various new scholarship and bursary awards. Their generosity show that alumni and corporations share the same vision with the OUHK.

President of the OUHK Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the donors, corporations, organizations, community leaders and alumni for their unwavering support towards the University’s Student Assistance Fund. Their generosity has not only helped the University get extra resources for development, but also contributed toward nurturing future talents in Hong Kong. To sustain the University’s long-term development, OUHK relies very much on the enthusiastic contribution from the community for providing quality higher education to aspiring learners. As the economic downturn may adversely affect the students’ financial situations, the Student Assistance Fund is expected to play an increasingly important role in helping those in financial hardship to carry on with their studies. Prof. Wong hoped all the awardees will keep up their best efforts, develop their full potential, and contribute to society and their alma mater when they are able to give back in the future.

Besides, 860 students of the OUHK were awarded with scholarships from the Government's Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme (SPSS) this year, which amounted to over HK$14 million in total (see Table 1). Both the number of awardees and the amount of scholarships set a record high for the University, reflecting the outstanding performance of the OUHK students in academic studies, extra-curricular activities and personal development, as well as the affirmation from the Government to the achievement of self-financing institutions. Since its establishment in 2011, over 4,400 OUHK students have already received various scholarships from the Scheme. To learn more about it, please visit: http://www.cspe.edu.hk/content/Overview-Measures-Fund-SPSS .

Table 1: OUHK's result in the 2019/20 Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme