Press Release

The 3rd HKBU Professional Journalism Fellowship opens for applications

Friday, 23 February 2024

The HKBU Professional Journalism Fellowship (PJF@HKBU) scheme is now accepting applications for the 3rd cohort of fellows, starting from today (23 February). Initiated and funded by Professor Raymond R Wong, PJF@HKBU is the first-of-its-kind in Hong Kong. It aims to elevate journalism standards by offering practising journalists a unique opportunity to take a break from their professional duties and engage in full-time studies at HKBU. The scheme now invites applications from full-time journalists employed by established news organisations based in Hong Kong, with a minimum of five years of journalistic experience.

The selected fellows will have the privilege of studying at HKBU for one or two semesters, and they will be able to attend any courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with the prior approval of the course instructors. The scheme also provides a stipend that corresponds to the fellows’ individual income, ensuring financial support is available throughout their study period.

In the second cohort of PJF@HKBU, four fellows were selected. Mr Alec Chan, Greater Bay Area Desk Bureau Correspondent of Ming Pao, is currently studying at HKBU, while the other three fellows, Mr Wu Jiangchuan, Senior Broadcast Journalist and Desk Editor of BBC News Chinese; Mr Arthur Hung, Managing Editor of International News of Ming Pao; and Victor Lee, Assistant Managing Editor, News & Information Services Division of TVB, have completed their studies in December last year. The courses they have taken spanned a diverse range of subjects, including artificial intelligence (AI), data science, fact-checking, journalism, communication, public relations, marketing, branding, history, film, and Chinese medicine. The fellows greatly enjoyed and appreciated the immersive education experience at HKBU, emphasising how it expanded their knowledge and skillsets and recharged them mentally. This exposure will better equip them to respond to the challenges of an increasingly complex and evolving media landscape. They highly recommend their journalism peers to participate in this enriching scheme.

Professor Zhong Bu, Dean of the School of Communication, said: “We are thrilled to learn about the fruitful and inspiring experiences of the fellows, particularly on how they were inspired by classes on AI and technologies. We eagerly look forward to welcoming the next cohort of fellows, who will bring new perspectives and fresh insights to our classrooms and campus, inspiring the younger generation to join the media industry.”

Professor Raymond R Wong, Founder of PJF@HKBU, highlighted that news professionals who have participated in this scheme over the past two years have expressed a deep appreciation for the opportunity to return to campus to acquire new knowledge and enjoy an enriching experience. Therefore, he hopes that chief editors from local media outlets will actively encourage their employees to participate by nominating them for this year's scheme. Professor Wong said: “PJF@HKBU not only benefits individual employees within media organisations, but also provides advantages to the organisations themselves and contributes to the overall advancement of the media industry.”

Professor Raymond R Wong is a recipient of HKBU’s doctorate degree in Social Sciences, honoris causa, and Honorary University Fellowship. He is also an Honorary Permanent President of the HKBU Foundation. During the 1970s, Professor Wong served as the Head of the Department of Communication at the then Hong Kong Baptist College, and later became the Principal Lecturer of the School of Communication in the early 1990’s. With over five decades of dedication to journalism education and the media industry, he has earned the well-deserved title of "Godfather of Journalism." He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government in 1998.

In 2020, Professor Wong made a generous donation of HK$50 million to the School of Communication, establishing the Dorothy Shen Wong Memorial Fund in memory of his late wife. This remarkable gift stands as the largest single donation the School has ever received, fuelling its strategic development and reinforcing its pursuit of excellence in journalism education. PJF@HKBU is one of the strategic initiatives launched in 2022 supported by this Memorial Fund, marking a significant milestone for the School.

The 3rd PJF@HKBU application deadline is 12 April 2024. Details of the scheme are available on its website.

The video interview with the fellows of the 2nd PJF@HKBU can be viewed here.

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