HKU Horizons Experience Awards

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Message from HKU Horizons Office

In support of its internationalization agenda, the University last year launched HKU Horizons, with the specific aim to promote and provide educationally meaningful and robust Mainland and international (ML/INT) learning experiences for undergraduate students.

In order to encourage students to reflect on and share their ML/INT learning experiences, the HKU Horizons Experience Awards have been established. The HKU Horizons Experience Awards competition will be organized annually in January, with a top prize of $10,000 and two further prizes of $5,000 to be awarded.

To enter the competition, undergraduate students must submit a video of not more than three minutes capturing and reflecting on their ML/INT learning experience. Submissions may be made on an individual or a group basis.

Awards will be made on the basis of the substance and value of the learning experience captured, and also the quality of the video presentation. The winning videos, acknowledged as “HKU Horizons Experience”, may be used by the university for promotional purposes, both internal and external. The student producer, individual or group, will be acknowledged as appropriate. The videos may also be refined as appropriate and authorised by the HKU Horizons Committee.

The 2016-17 Round is now open for submission. Further details can be obtained at https://tl.hku.hk/horizons/hkuhea. The deadline for submission is Monday January 23, 2017 (2400).

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)
The University of Hong Kong

UGC Funding Scheme for Teaching and Learning Related Proposals (2016-19 Triennium)

feature-ugcThe UGC has launched a Funding Scheme for Teaching and Learning Related Proposals in the 2016-19 triennium, modelled on the 2012-15 Scheme, to incentivise UGC-funded institutions in exploring and developing further in the following sector-wide strategic areas:

(a) innovation;
(b) enhancement of student learning experience;
(c) enhancement of internationalisation and engagement with Mainland China; and
(d) language enhancement.

Applications are now invited for bidding under the Funding Scheme. Please refer to the invitation circular of August 3, 2016 (document 108/816) jointly issued by the Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) and Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) for further details.

http://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/cdqa/doc/UGC_FS/UGC_Funding_on_TL_2016_19.pdf

Submissions, in hard and soft copies, should reach Ms. Synthia Chau, Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance (CDQA) Section of the Registry in accordance with the internal deadlines specified in paragraph 5 of the circular, essentially,

(a) November 11, 2016 for proposals crossing many or all Faculties, where matching funds support from a central pool contributed by Faculties will be considered; and

(b) December 8, 2016 for proposals that are discipline-specific or cover no more than a small number of disciplines, where the matching funds will come from Faculties/Departments. Prior approval should be obtained from Faculties/Departments on the source of matching funds before submission to CDQA.

Enquiries may be directed to Ms. Chau (tel: 2859 2440; email: schau@hku.hk) or Ms. Julie Lau (tel: 2219 4997; email: julielau@hku.hk) of CDQA.

Teaching Excellence Award Scheme 2016

Message from Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section of the Registry

teas2015This is to remind colleagues and students that nominations are now invited for the various awards under the Teaching Excellence Award Scheme (TEAS). The TEAS aims to recognise, reward and promote excellence in teaching at the University, which comprises four categories of awards, viz. University Distinguished Teaching Award (UDTA), Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA), Teaching Innovation Award (TIA), and Early Career Teaching Award (ECTA). Besides awards to individuals, both OTA and TIA have team awards to recognise and encourage collaborative effort and achievements in enhancing teaching and learning.

Please refer to the circular of May 5, 2016 from the Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) for further details:

URL: http://intranet.hku.hk:8030/web/reg/adqa/rslleung/TEAS-List-A-2016.pdf.

Nominees are encouraged to contact the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) for advice on the preparation of teaching portfolios. In addition to the TEAS workshop organised by CETL held on August 25, 2016 to support interested staff members to prepare for their submissions, another workshop will be held on September 19, 2016, details of which are available via this link: http://www.cetl.hku.hk/tea160919/

All nominations and the supporting documents should reach Ms. Synthia Chau, Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section of the Registry, by September 30, 2016. Enquiries may be directed to Ms. Chau on 2859 2440 or via email to schau@hku.hk.

Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme

Message from Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section of the Registry

tefs-bannerApplications are now invited for the Teaching Exchange Fellowship (TEF) Scheme. The Scheme aims to enhance the scholarship of teaching at the University through enabling academic staff members to share experience and to collaborate on teaching and curriculum development initiatives at reputable universities where excellent pedagogical practices or curriculum innovation are being implemented, and to facilitate reciprocal visits to the University by academic staff of these institutions. The Scheme is a measure also to ensure that our curriculum and pedagogy are benchmarked against international best practice.

All full-time teaching staff with a minimum of two years of service at the University are eligible to apply. Applicants are expected to take a leadership role in curriculum enhancement and pedagogical innovations at the departmental/Faculty level.

Details of the Scheme and application procedures can be viewed at:
http://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/cdqa/doc/TEFS/TEFS_2016-17.pdf

Interested colleagues are encouraged to attend the CETL seminars to be held in October 2016 and February 2017. Applications should be submitted to Ms. Julie Lau, Secretary, Teaching and Learning Quality Committee Sub-Group on TEF, c/o Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section of the Registry. Applications in 2016-17 will be processed in two rounds with the following deadlines:

1st round – Friday, November 18, 2016
2nd round – Friday, March 17, 2017

Enquiries may be directed to Ms. Lau (julielau@hku.hk).

Teaching Excellence Award Scheme 2016

Message from Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section of the Registry

teas2015This is to remind colleagues and students that nominations are now invited for the awards under the Teaching Excellence Award Scheme (TEAS) in 2016. The invitation circular dated May 5, 2016 from the Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor is accessible at http://intranet.hku.hk:8030/web/reg/adqa/rslleung/TEAS-List-A-2016.pdf.

The TEAS aims to recognise, reward and promote excellence in teaching at the University. In addition to the existing three categories of awards, viz. University Distinguished Teaching Award (UDTA), Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA), and Teaching Innovation Award (TIA), the University introduces a new Early Career Teaching Award (ECTA) this year to recognise the outstanding contributions and commitment of our colleagues who are at an early stage of their teaching career. Besides individual awards, both OTA and TIA comprise team awards to recognise and encourage collaborative effort and achievement in enhancing teaching and learning. All Faculties are encouraged to nominate colleagues who have made outstanding teaching and learning contributions for these awards.

Please refer to the abovementioned circular for further details. Nominees are encouraged to contact the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) for advice on the preparation of teaching portfolios. Seminars/workshops will be organised by CETL to support interested staff members to prepare for their submissions.

All nominations and the supporting documents should reach Ms. Synthia Chau, Curriculum Development and Quality Assurance Section, by September 30, 2016. Enquiries may be directed to Ms. Chau at 2859 2440 or email to schau@hku.hk.

One-day Join-the-Conversation: Community of Practice – Aspects of Internationalisation

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One-day Join-the-Conversation: Community of Practice – Aspects of Internationalisation
Date : 24 June 2016 (Friday)
Time : 8:45 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Venue : CPD 3.28, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong
Keynote Speakers:
Professor Betty Leask, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), La Trobe University
Professor Gerard Postiglione, Chair Professor in Higher Education, The University of Hong Kong
Dr. Steve Woodfield, Associate Professor, Kingston University London

Abstract

This year, the University of Hong Kong was ranked the third most international university in the world. Indeed, as part of the University’s vision for this triennium, we proclaim ourselves Asia’s Global University.

This event acts as a showcase of what we know and value about the internationalisation of teaching and learning at the University of Hong Kong, and what we can learn about trends in internationalisation globally. The programme focuses on three key aspects of internationalisation in relation to students, academic staff and the curriculum, and explores how, collectively, they help to shape an international university. As is only fitting for an event focused on internationalisation, we have invited renowned scholars from around the world to share their insights and experiences with us.

This event is taking place under the aegis of CETL’s Community of Practice Project, which has resulted in collaboration with staff from across the campus with the intention of fostering a community of practice in teaching and learning – collaboration which has already resulted in a creation of a large bank of teaching and learning resources based on case studies at the University of Hong Kong and internationally.

Programme

Time Section Speaker/Panellist
08:45 – 09:10 Registration and Refreshments
09:10 – 09:15 Opening Remarks Prof. Ian Holliday
09:15 – 09:30 Overview of the Event Prof. Grahame Bilbow
09:30 – 11:00 Internationalisation of Teaching and Learning (1):
the Curriculum		 Prof. Betty Leask
11:00 – 11:30 Tea Break
11:30 – 13:00 Establishing and Fostering a Community of Practice on Teaching and Learning: the HKU Community of Practice Project Prof. Grahame Bilbow,
Prof. Dai Hounsell and
Dr. Tracy Zou
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Internationalisation of Teaching and Learning (2):
Academic Staff		 Prof. Gerard Postiglione
15:00 – 16:00 Internationalisation of Teaching and Learning (3):
Students		 Dr. Steve Woodfield
16:00 – 16:15 Tea Break
16:15 – 17:00 Panel Discussion – Internationalisation of Teaching and Learning: Ways Forward? Discussant:
Prof. Dai Hounsell
17:00 – 17:15 Closing Dr. Tracy Zou

Registration

For information, please contact:
Ms. Noranda Zhang , CETL
Phone: 3917 4729; Email: noranda@hku.hk​

Second issue of the Teaching and Learning Connections

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We are happy to inform that the second issue of the Teaching and Learning Connections e-newsletter focusing on ‘Revisiting Assessment for Learning’ is available here http://www.cetl.hku.hk/teaching-learning-cop/issue-02/. The present issue has gathered a number of innovative assessment practices adopted by HKU colleagues across faculties, departments and units.

For enquires about the e-newsletter, please contact Dr. Tracy Zou by email tracyzou@hku.hk

HKU praised in the Quality Assurance Council Audit Report

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Dear colleagues, students, alumni and friends,

The Quality Assurance Council (QAC) of the University Grants Committee (UGC) has just released its Report of the second institutional Quality Audit of the University of Hong Kong. I am pleased to let you know that the Report is very positive and encouraging.

The QAC Audit Panel complimented HKU for its commitment to quality teaching and learning. The Report praises HKU for its high academic standards, for the Common Core Curriculum which has had a significant impact on the intellectual, social and ethical development of undergraduates across the University, for providing a wide range of formal and informal learning opportunities inclusive of international learning experiences, for offering a comprehensive range of student services promoting the holistic development of students, and for innovations in postgraduate education.

I wish to highlight the Report’s conclusion that “the University has a strong and widespread commitment to the quality of learning opportunities and has put in place an appropriate and comprehensive quality assurance and quality enhancement system that supports its over-arching strategic goal to be a leading international institution of higher learning. Dialogue between the Audit Panel and staff and students of the University revealed a reflective academic community committed to attaining world-class academic standards and an enhanced student experience.” The Audit did indeed provide an excellent opportunity for us to showcase the concerted effort of the entire University in upholding high academic standards and providing students with enriched and valuable learning experiences.

HKU has an established tradition of self-reflection and striving for excellence. The University will continue to build on its robust quality assurance and quality enhancement mechanisms with a view to continuously enhancing teaching and learning quality and the student learning experience. In formulating an action plan in response to the Audit Panel’s recommendations and suggestions, the University intends to reach out to relevant stakeholders for consultation. The key areas include articulation and promulgation of an overarching strategic approach to setting the academic standards of our awards, continued development of a conceptual framework to capture student achievement across the spectrum, and broadening of our strategy for internationalisation of the student learning environment. The Audit Report incorporating the University’s response is available on the Teaching and Learning website (https://tl.hku.hk/tl/quality-assurance/hku-qac-audit-2015/).

The overall success of the Audit belongs to the entire HKU family – my sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to and participated in the exercise. With the ongoing support of staff, students, alumni and friends, I am confident that we will be able to take HKU’s teaching and learning to new heights under the strategic directions of Internationalisation, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity and Impact.

Professor Peter Mathieson
President and Vice-Chancellor

Kickstart your e-learning journey with us

Course Trailer
Here is a chance for you to explore the endless possibilities of e-learning with us. HKU will be launching an open online course on the basics of e-learning for teachers of all sectors on Apr 14. This course will teach you how to create educational videos, flip your classroom and improve your teaching through analyzing students’ online behaviour. You will also gain exposure to the latest EdTech used in both on-campus teaching and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). You will have a chance to create your own videos with our e-learning technologists at HKU.
This course, entitled “Scale Out Teaching; Scale Up Learning”, includes both interactive online lectures and face-to-face video-making workshops. The course schedule is as follows:
Date Session Topics
14 Apr Online Session 0
Online Session 1		 E-learning Ecosystem: Setting the Scene
Interactive Online Learning: Getting Started
22 Apr Face-to-Face Session A Creating Your Online Video
28 Apr Online Session 2 Blended Learning: Teaching On-Campus
5 May Online Session 3 MOOC: Teaching The World
12 May Online Session 4 Learning Analytics: Using Learner’s Data To Improve Teaching
20 May Face-to-Face Session B Show and Tell
boltThe course is part of the Blended & Online Learning & Teaching (BOLT) Project, which aims at supporting professional development of teachers’ skills in online and blended teaching. The project is a collaborative effort of five institutions – PolyU, HKIEd, HKBU, HKU and HKUST. All teachers are welcome to join this vibrant learning community.
Embark your e-learning journey with us now!

Get yourself prepared for catastrophes: A free online course on radiation emergencies

Course Trailer
We all know that nuclear accident is a dreadful disaster. But do you know what actions should be taken if such a disaster strikes today? Learn how to respond to nuclear emergencies in our new online course, Radiation Emergencies. This online course will take you on a journey to explore the fundamentals of radiation and Chemical Biological Radiation Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies. You will learn the proper ways to detect radiation and develop an in-depth understanding of the effects caused by acute exposure to radiation. Enriched by a wide range of learning resources, including videos of clinical demonstration on how to don and remove protective equipment, as well as survey and decontaminate nuclear victims, this course will teach you how to protect yourself from radiation and help nuclear victims. Clinical demonstration on radioactive measurement and decontamination.

This self-paced free online course is suitable for first responders to radiation emergencies and members of the general public interested in the topic. Jointly developed by the Emergency Care Unit of HKU and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute, it is the first in our series of e-learning modules on CBRN emergencies. Join us now and earn a certificate!