Thursday, 31 October 2024
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has enrolled nine elite athletes through the Talented Athletes Direct Admission Scheme (TADAS) and Students with Exceptional Talent Direct Admission Scheme (SETDAS) in the 2024/25 academic year.
The eight athletes admitted through TADAS are windsurfer Chan Wing-yu, basketball player Choi Man-huen, athletics athlete Chung Tsz-sing, triathletes Fok Wang-hin and Tsang Wai-chun, combat sport athlete Heung Tsz-ying, and taekwondo athletes Lo Wai-fung and Wong Siu-ho. Handball player Yip Tak-hei has been admitted through SETDAS. All of them were enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Physical Education and Recreation Management programme offered by HKBU.
Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, presented certificates to the student athletes at the scholarship presentation ceremony held today (31 October). As a token of thanks, the athletes presented a gift, which is a special souvenir from the Paris Olympic Games, to Professor Wai.
Other guests who attended the ceremony included Mr Ron Lee, Director of Community Relations and Marketing of the Hong Kong Sports Institute; Mr Man Yue-hin, Head of Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Department of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; together with HKBU representatives Dr Albert Chau, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning); Ms Christine Chow, Vice-President (Administration) and Secretary; Professor Anita Koo, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; Professor Sandy Li, Director of the Academy of Wellness and Human Development; and Professor Patrick Lau, Professor of the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health.
In his remarks, Professor Patrick Lau said: “I am thrilled to witness the diversity of students that the University’s Direct Admission Schemes have successfully attracted. Over the years, we have admitted student-athletes from a wide range of sports. These admission schemes continue to draw high-performing talents year after year, demonstrating both the sporting excellence in Hong Kong and our university's commitment to supporting athletes in their pursuit of both sport and higher education.”
The ceremony also featured a sharing by the four elite student athletes. Chan Wing-yu and Lo Wai-fung discussed the advantages of joining the University through TADAS and shared their experiences in handling pressure and challenges. Volleyball player Kong Cheuk-hin and fencer Leung Lok-man, who were admitted to HKBU through TADAS last year, provided advice to the new cohort of student athletes on adapting to university life and balancing training with academic studies.
HKBU is committed to providing comprehensive support to Hong Kong athletes and contributing to the city’s sports development. In 2016, the University established the Elite Athletes Admission Scheme (EAAS), and in 2022, it introduced TADAS in response to the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme (SALSA Scheme) launched by the University Grants Committee. These initiatives aim to provide flexible study arrangements for outstanding athletes in Hong Kong. HKBU has also launched SETDAS to acknowledge exceptional talents that may not be fully reflected in academic performance, further enhancing support for athletes.