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No. 77 4 December 2006
 

 

Convocation of alumni
CityU places great pride in its former students, and in order to facilitate greater input from alumni, the Council has approved the setting up of the University Convocation. This Convocation, which will be established with effect from 1 January 2007, will comprise representatives from the CityU alumni associations. The Chair of the Convocation will serve as a member of the Council, thus giving alumni a stronger voice in University affairs.


New measures to ease space shortage
Between now and the end of 2009, when the first of the three new buildings is due for completion, the University will need extra space to cope with the anticipated increase in the student and staff population. Professor Richard Ho Yan-ki, Vice-President (Undergraduate Education) and Chairman of the Accommodation Committee, and Dr Jerry Yu Jer-tsang, Chief Information Officer and the Convener of the Campus Facilities Improvement Working Group, addressed the issue in a meeting with deans and heads of departments at an information session on 1 December. New measures being considered include leasing off-campus sites in nearby public housing estates, Hong Kong Science Park, InnoCentre, other commercial buildings, and disused schools in Shek Kip Mei. During the session, departments were invited to propose how to capitalize on the extra space to enhance the University's core activities in teaching, learning and applied research.

 

Library 24-hour trial
The University is constantly seeking ways to improve the learning facilities for students on campus, especially access to resources. In light of the recent increase in the size of the student population and the greater need for access to learning and research materials, the Library is collaborating with the Facilities Management Office to open 24-hours a day on an experimental basis from 4 to 20 December. During this trial, which falls during the forthcoming revision and examination periods, the University will conduct a needs analysis for future planning. The arrangement is strictly for CityU staff and students (including SCOPE smartcard holders).


Applied research at ITU Telecom World
Telecom-related technology is one of the University's great strengths and several related applied research projects will feature prominently at ITU Telecom World 2006, a major international exhibition. Two CityU academics have been invited to give major presentations during the exhibition, which is themed "Living the digital world", at the Stage for Excellence, a forum organized by the Hong Kong, China Pavilion for local experts to showcase their research. Professor (Chair) Yan Hong of the Department of Electronic Engineering will discuss a project entitled "Automated avatar system for e-learning and entertainment", and Professor Deng Xiaotie of the Department of Computer Science will present on "Internet identity frauds and counter measures". There will be five other CityU researchers presenting their work at the exhibition, which is being held for the first time outside of Switzerland. The exhibition will be held from 4 to 8 December at the AsiaWorld Expo.


Staff lounge and staff rooms
CityU encourages colleagues to strike a balance between work and free time in order to create a more comfortable working environment. The staff lounge at City Top on the 9/F, Amenities Building, is ideal for informal get-togethers, anytime from 11:30am to 10:30pm daily. Colleagues can enjoy snacks, meals and a full range of beverages. There is room enough for large-scale University events by combining with the existing City Top area, and two adjacent staff rooms can be reserved for special occasions for up to 16 people. Guests accompanied by University colleagues can enjoy the catering services during non-peak hours, and students can access this area during University events.

 

Smoking ban on campus
The University campus will be a healthier environment from 1 January 2007 onwards. A total ban on smoking will be imposed in the new year in compliance with the Government's Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2006. The Facilities Management Office will remove all existing designated smoking areas on campus by the end of the year, and smoking within the boundary of the University could lead to a fine of $5,000. The University hopes that extra resources for monitoring the new regulations will not be needed and that the entire CityU community will benefit.


SLW signs agreement with Shanghai Financial Law Research Institute
As part of the drive to establish closer relations with institutions on the mainland in areas such as finance, judicial practice, and legal education and training, the School of Law (SLW) has signed an agreement with the Shanghai Financial Law Research Institute.

 

Marketing grant secured
The Department of Marketing was awarded a grant by the Marketing Science Institute (MSI), a funding organization in the US that supports leading-edge marketing studies. The winning project, which is a joint effort between Professor Zhou Nan and Dr Dou Wenyu, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Marketing, respectively, plus an academic from Penn State University, US, will look at how sales force management may affect customer relationships in mainland China. This is the first time CityU has received an MSI grant.

 

External appointment
Mr Wong Ka-yu, Director of the Facilities Management Office, has been re-appointed to the Appeal Tribunal Panel in the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau for a period of three years from 1 December 2006.


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