Campus Digest

HKBU holds Convocation and confers Honorary University Fellowships; President Albert Chan encourages freshmen to make most of Whole Person Education

10 Sep 2013

At the HKBU’s 58th Convocation and Honorary University Fellowship Conferment Ceremony: (from left) President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Albert Chan, Mr. So Chung-ping, Mr. Allan Kwong, Ms. Barbara Fei, HKBU Council and Court Chairman Mr. Cheng Yan-kee, Mr. William Leung, Mr. So Wing-kin, HKBU Deputy Council Chairman Mrs. Pamela Chan and HKBU Council Treasurer Mrs. Doreen Chan. At the HKBU’s 58th Convocation and Honorary University Fellowship Conferment Ceremony: (from left) President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Albert Chan, Mr. So Chung-ping, Mr. Allan Kwong, Ms. Barbara Fei, HKBU Council and Court Chairman Mr. Cheng Yan-kee, Mr. William Leung, Mr. So Wing-kin, HKBU Deputy Council Chairman Mrs. Pamela Chan and HKBU Council Treasurer Mrs. Doreen Chan.
At the HKBU’s 58th Convocation and Honorary University Fellowship Conferment Ceremony: (from left) President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Albert Chan, Mr. So Chung-ping, Mr. Allan Kwong, Ms. Barbara Fei, HKBU Council and Court Chairman Mr. Cheng Yan-kee, Mr. William Leung, Mr. So Wing-kin, HKBU Deputy Council Chairman Mrs. Pamela Chan and HKBU Council Treasurer Mrs. Doreen Chan.

 

HKBU held its 58th Convocation and Honorary University Fellowship Conferment Ceremony today (10 September). At the ceremony presided by Mr. Cheng Yan-kee, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU, the University welcomed around 1,400 University Grants Committee-funded new undergraduate students and around 200 exchange students from different countries and territories. Honorary University Fellowships were conferred on Ms. Barbara Fei Ming-yi, Mr. Raymond Kwok Ka-sing (in absentia), Mr. Allan Kwong Hing-chuen, Mr. William Leung Wing-cheung, Mr. So Chung-ping and Mr. So Wing-kin in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society and in appreciation of their highly valued support to the University.

In his speech, Professor Albert Chan, President and Vice-Chancellor, praised the Honorary University Fellows and hoped they would serve as sources of inspiration to HKBU students. President Chan said, “HKBU has faithfully subscribed to the ethos of providing Whole Person Education since its establishment. Through Whole Person Education we hope to nurture each one of our students into a well-rounded individual who possesses the full range of skills and attributes required to thrive in this globalised world.” He highlighted five simple dos and don’ts to help freshmen make the most of their time at university: (1) Do broaden their horizons – using the extra year of university education to expose themselves to a wide range of ideas and knowledge in order to discover where their interest lies. (2) Don’t be afraid – to ask questions, pursue ideas passionately, and think about how to take them forward. (3) Do be curious – the University lectures are designed to stimulate students’ critical and innovative thinking. Use what they learn in class as the starting point for further exploration. (4) Don’t be late – adjust their schedule and embrace each opportunity to learn. (5) Do step out of their comfort zone – to make new friends among a diverse student body to experience cultural difference and widen their perspectives.

Speaking on behalf of the Honorary University Fellows, Mr. William Leung expressed their gratitude to HKBU for bestowing the distinguished honour on them. Mr. Leung, using his experience as an employer of university graduates over the years, gave some advice which may be useful in helping students set their direction and learning objectives. He said, “University education is not the same as vocational training. Rather, the study habit used in high schools changes to an attitude of self-learning at university.” He encouraged students to explore their own potential during their time at university. With an understanding of their own strengths, students could match these strengths against the career spectrum to identify potential job types after graduation. If necessary, students could groom themselves to make up for what they are lacking. He added, “Today, university graduates are faced with a lot of challenges as well as frustrations. However, if you prepare yourselves better in your undergraduate studies, you will have a better chance than the others to have fewer frustrations.”

On behalf of the HKBU Student Union, its President Miss Fung Ching-man, welcomed the new students and said that the University offers plenty of opportunities for learning and thinking. She encouraged the students to treasure every opportunity to learn, think and identify their goals and direction. They would thus be able to master their lives well and continue to fight for what they believe in and their dreams.

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