The Department of Chinese and History (CAH) organised two sessions of “Experiencing University Life 2019” for local secondary schools on 3 to 5 and 10 to 12 July 2019 respectively, following the success of the previous years’ similar taster programme.
Supported by the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, this residential summer programme welcomed nearly 100 secondary students from 51 schools for a taste of authentic university life and total immersion in Chinese literature, history, and philosophy. Themed around “explore” and “experience”, the programme allowed students to explore the fields of study that they may choose, their interests and their personal identity, as well as to experience university life and understand life values.
After a warm welcome from the department, the participants took up the role of CAH students and were engaged in an array of academic activities such as lectures, group discussions, presentations, and a field visit. In the lecture delivered by Instructor Dr LO Kar-kee, the participants joined current CityU students for the “Chinese culture: History and Philosophy” lesson. While in the lectures specially designed for this programme, they learnt about poetry of the Song Dynasty written by LIU Yong and SU Shi from Assistant Professor Dr LU Chia-hui; attended the “‘This is Hong Kong’: How will you draw Hong Kong (and its history)” lecture delivered by Professor CHING May-bo; and appreciated the masterpieces written by famous Southern Song female poet Li Qingzhao with Assistant Professor Dr LI Yiwen.
After the lectures, the participants were divided into small groups for discussions. They were also taken on a campus tour and a field visit - the former took them to the CityU library and the Gateway Education Laboratory which supports the University’s Discovery-enriched Curriculum, while the latter led them to Ping Shan Heritage Trail to deepen their knowledge in Hong Kong history.
The participants also experienced living in a hall of residence. Though most of the participants did not know each other at the beginning of the programme, it did not take long for them to get along in a relaxing atmosphere. They were soon chatting and exchanging ideas like good old friends.
“It was an unforgettable experience!” “The faculty members’ interesting and insightful teaching methods aroused my interest in Chinese history and literature.” “Thanks to the guidance of the teachers, I discovered that self-discipline and good time management are keys to achieving the most from university education.” The verbal and written feedback confirmed the positive outcome of the programme in introducing higher education environment to secondary students. It is also delightful to see the participants leave with more confidence and having discovered their strengths, passions, and goals over the time they spent at the department, which will help them plan their study and career paths ahead.
A video and more photos capturing the event are available at https://cah.cityu.edu.hk/event/summerschool2019/ (Chinese version only). Enjoy!
Cover photo: Upon the completion of the programme, participants received certification and brought home a wealth of inspiration.
Photo 2: Lectures in Chinese culture, history, and literature formed the core of the programme.
Photo 3: The field visit to Ping Shan Heritage Trail let participants step out of the lecture theatre and learn about the clan system in Hong Kong.
Photo 4: Participants visited the Gateway Education Laboratory which is equipped with facilities for interactive learning and hands-on activities.
