CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is fully ready to implement the ‘3+3+4’ academic structure, with a new four-year normative undergraduate curriculum in place and new campus facilities proceeding according to plan. With a prime focus on cultivating interdisciplinary knowledge and general education, the new curriculum will take effect in the academic year of 2012 (applicable to Secondary 6 entrants) to sharpen students’ intellectual faculty with both breadth and depth of knowledge across disciplines as well as within specialties; and help develop critical thinking skills and instil care for society through all-round experiential learning.

Whole-person Education to Enhance Self-learning Capabilities

Back in early 2005, CUHK established a university-wide task force to work on the design of the four-year curriculum, drawing expertise and contributions from departments in the University. In the new curriculum, different disciplines are closely integrated and brought into complementary synergy. Many overseas academic exchange and internship opportunities will be offered, making for an exciting and rewarding learning experience. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Kenneth Young said, ‘The new curriculum is student-centred and driven by desired outcomes. It is not merely adding one more year of studies. In addition to specialized and interdisciplinary knowledge and critical thinking skills, the new curriculum will enhance general education, languages and information technology, cultivating the capacity for self-learning and life-long learning among students.’

New ‘Capstone Courses’ to Bring All Undergraduates into Research

In the new curriculum, all major programmes will include a ‘capstone course’ that gives students the opportunity to participate in research and/or internship, allowing them to gain research and working experience. ‘The “capstone course” targets the synthesis of subject knowledge, as well as independent research or practical work such as creative design in the fine arts or architecture, scientific experiments, engineering design, social surveys and fieldwork. This innovative course is a culmination of the undergraduate experience, sharpening students’ thinking through conducting research and helping them to integrate and apply their knowledge. In the new curriculum, all CUHK undergraduates will have gained research or internship experience before graduation, and will be keenly sought after for their skills and maturity,’ said Professor Young.   

Interdisciplinary Learning to Widen Knowledge Base

To enrich students’ interdisciplinary knowledge, each faculty will provide a faculty package offering a basket of different courses for students to take outside their majors, thus broadening their knowledge beyond their chosen fields of specialization and complementing their major studies. Students will also enjoy greater flexibility to pursue double majors and double minors, significantly raising their competitiveness upon graduation with their extensive knowledge base.

Opportunities for Exchange and Internship Increased to 100%

Overseas academic exchange and internship are instrumental in shaping students’ global perspectives. At CUHK, a large variety of co-curricular experiential learning opportunities complement the formal curriculum to expose students to different cultures and learning styles, with a view to elevating their language competence, broadening their horizons and building up their confidence. Currently, there are enough opportunities to enable over 90% of each cohort to undertake exchange, of which 20% go on exchange to over 200 prestigious institutions worldwide for one semester or one academic year. With the implementation of the new curriculum, students will enjoy even greater opportunities. Professor Young remarked, ‘In the new four-year curriculum, our goal is for 100% of each cohort to have at least one opportunity for exchange, of which 30% will be able to go on exchange for one semester or more. We hope that all undergraduates who wish to go on exchange will be given such opportunity, broadening their horizons and enabling them to set higher aspirations.’

Proven Successes

The University core requirement for all undergraduates will be increased from 23 units to 39, and will account for about one-third of the overall required units. The core programme includes Chinese Language (6 units), English Language (9 units), General Education (21 units), Physical Education (2 units) and Information Technology (1 unit). Some courses for the core requirement and in the faculty packages have been piloted and have received very positive response and acclaim from students, giving tremendous confidence for the full launch in 2012.

New Curriculum Website

A comprehensive website (www.cuhk.edu.hk/334/)has been launched as a one-stop platform to introduce the new curriculum design, possible combinations of double majors and double minors, various experiential learning activities and admission requirements to keep secondary school students and the education sector informed of the learning experience offered by the University. The website will be regularly updated to allow the public to access the latest information on the development and continuous improvement of the new curriculum at CUHK.

CUHK is keenly anticipating the golden opportunity brought by the launch of the new curriculum in education. With new components in the curriculum and diverse experiential learning opportunities, the University is committed to nurturing students to become responsible citizens with talent and integrity, who possess broad knowledge and a good understanding of China and the West to play a leading role in contributing to the community.

A Comparison of the Unit Requirement under the New Curriculum in the Academic Year of 2012 and Current Curriculum: