Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning
Governance and Planning
Teaching and learning is central to the University’s Mission, which together with the University’s Vision and Role statements articulate HKU’s position as an English-medium, research intensive institution, committed to providing a campus-based education in a comprehensive range of academic disciplines for outstanding students by world-class academics.
Our academic pursuits, benchmarked against leading institutions across the world, are globally competitive and regionally engaged, committed to producing well-rounded graduates with lifelong abilities to provide leadership within the societies they serve.
In the past decade, HKU witnessed a historic reform in its undergraduate education. The new undergraduate curriculum was successfully implemented in September 2012. HKU took full advantage of this opportunity to re-envision our curriculum as a ‘total learning experience’. We have introduced new and innovative forms of learning, upgraded our infrastructure and extended learning into all corners of university life.
In July 2021, the University has published its Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Strategy 2021-28 – Delivering for Our Students.
Educational Aims and Institutional Learning Outcomes for Ug Curricula
Benchmarked against the highest international standards, the 4-year undergraduate curriculum at HKU is designed to enable our students to develop their capabilities in:- Develop in-depth knowledge of specialist disciplines and professions
- Maintain highest standards of intellectual rigor and academic integrity
- Critique and apply received knowledge from multiple perspectives
- Sustain intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning
- Respond positively to unanticipated situations and problems
- Identify and define problems in unfamiliar situations
- Generate and evaluate innovative solutions to problem
- Maintain highest standards of personal integrity and ethical practice in academic, social and professional settings
- Heighten awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses
- Respect individual differences and preferences
- Heighten awareness of own culture and other cultures
- Develop cultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills for engagement with people of diverse cultures
- Perform social responsibilities as a member of the global community
- Communicate effectively in academic, professional and social settings, making appropriate use of available technology
- Work with others and make constructive contributions
- Play a leading role in improving the well-being of fellow citizens and humankind
- Uphold the core values of a democratic society: human rights, justice, equality and freedom of speech
- Participate actively in promoting the local and global social, economic and environmental sustainability
Educational Aims and Institutional Learning Outcomes for TPg Curricula
Benchmarked against the highest international standards, the taught postgraduate curricula at HKU are designed to enable our students to develop their capabilities in:Aim 1: Critical intellectual enquiry and acquiring up-to-date knowledge and research skills in a discipline/profession
- Critically review, consolidate and extend knowledge, skills and practices and thinking in a discipline/profession
- Critically evaluate new knowledge and research skills of specialist disciplines and professions from a range of global sources
- Demonstrate enhanced analytical skills
- Apply disciplinary knowledge to practice or theoretical exploration creatively
- Employ research skills in practice or theoretical exploration in an original way
- Demonstrate critical awareness of the appropriate application of knowledge and research skills to practice or theoretical exploration
- Apply knowledge and skills in a broad range of professional work activities, drawing on relevant local, regional and international experience
- Respond positively to unanticipated situations and problems
- Identify and define problems in unfamiliar situations
- Generate and evaluate innovative solutions to problems
- Deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in novel situations
- Work with others in a constructive manner to complete tasks
- Negotiate with others in making a decision
- Communicate ideas professionally, making appropriate use of available technology
- Effectively communicate disciplinary knowledge with key stakeholders locally, regionally and internationally
- Maintain highest standards of personal integrity and ethical practice in academic and professional settings
- Demonstrate critical awareness of global best practice in personal and professional ethics
- Play a leading role in professional settings
- Articulate ideas effectively and motivate others to action
- Address critical issues and make contribution to change and development in the profession
- Attain familiarity with global best practice in the profession
Forms of Learning
The incorporation of experiential and ‘out of classroom’ learning into the formal curriculum is standard practice in professional programmes and is increasingly being formalized in non-professional programmes at HKU. This bottom-up initiative has been made one of the common learning experiences in the 4-year curriculum.
Other experiential learning is also organised at University level. The HKU Worldwide Student Exchange Programme administers reciprocal academic student exchanges with over 280 partner institutions in 37 countries. Incoming exchange students contribute to internationalising the campus while outgoing undergraduates invariably return as more mature and resourceful individuals after having acquired a rich learning experience in a different educational, social and cultural environment.
Introducing
Experiential Learning @ HKU
Embedded in the plans for implementing the 4-year curriculum are strategies for making curriculum objectives and pedagogical concerns a more explicit focus. This is achieved through incorporating OBASL as an integral part of Curriculum Reform to ensure that the educational aims are achieved in students’ learning experiences rather than as a separate initiative in response to the University Grants Committee’s call. OBASL entails a shift in focus from teaching to learning. The ultimate goal is to engage students in deep understanding (deep learning) rather than a surface factual recall (surface learning) which teaching and learning research indicates is achieved through clear understanding and appreciation of the Learning Outcomes.
The University adopts problem-based and student-centred learning to stimulate active learning among students. Authentic problems or situations are used as a way of stimulating students to discover and explore the key concepts and skills of the discipline in class, while teachers act as facilitators and guides in the process. This new learning method helps students to reason their way through problems, to think critically, and to learn to become self-directed lifelong learners.
Co-curricular Learning
The Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) is the main provider of co-curricular non-credit-bearing learning activities at HKU. Students also engage in community service or advocacy projects which typically entail a process of training, service and reflection. CEDARS liaises with Faculties on how to better integrate service learning with the formal curriculum.
Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement
Teaching Excellence Awards (TEAS)
The Teaching Excellence Award Scheme (TEAS) aims to recognise, reward and promote excellence in teaching at the University. Under TEAS, there are four awards, viz. the University Distinguished Teaching Award (UDTA), Outstanding Teaching Award (OTA), Teaching Innovation Award (TIA) and Early Career Teaching Award (ECTA). In addition to individual awards, both OTA and TIA grant team awards to recognise and encourage collaborative effort and achievement in enhancing T&L. All staff members and students are encouraged to nominate teachers who have made outstanding T&L contributions for these awards. All Faculties also have their own teaching award schemes.
The University nominates TEA winners for the UGC Teaching Award which was launched in 2011 to signal the importance placed by the UGC on quality T&L in the higher education sector. The UGC Teaching Award Scheme comprises three categories, viz. General Faculty Members, Early Career Faculty Members, and Collaborative Teams.
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an innovative pedagogical approach that connects, through online technology, teachers and students from different geographical and linguacultural regions to enable them to engage in discussions, collaborative projects and other virtual exchanges, with a view to providing a transformative, cross-cultural and transnational learning experience. The University’s COIL Guidelines and associated forms for undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses are available below:
Awards and Scholarships for Students
Undergraduates can apply directly for scholarships advertised on the Faculty notice-boards and on the Student Intranet. The Registry also advertises scholarships and prizes for students as they become available throughout the year.
Teaching Development Grant (TDG)
The TDG Scheme underlines the University’s commitment to furthering its mission in Teaching and Learning. The TDGs are intended to support projects and activities that will have an impact on the strategic development and promotion of Teaching and Learning. To view completed TDG projects (awarded from 2005-2006 onwards), please click here. For HKU staff members who are interested in submitting TDG applications, please access News for Staff.