CUHK
News Centre

Dear Students, Colleagues and Alumni,

Today marks the beginning of a new academic year; it is also a monumental date for CUHK: today we enter a new chapter with the undergraduate curriculum reverting back to four years.  Since its inception in 1963, CUHK had always adopted a four-year curriculum, up until 1994.   Much effort has been devoted to improve the educational system, and we are gratified to see the four-year curriculum back with a vengence.

CUHK started planning for the curriculum reform from as early as 2005.  We have not simply dusted off the old curriculum; instead we have created an innovative curriculum fit for the times, on the basis of firm foundations and valued heritage.  The new curriculum puts much emphasis on multi-disciplinary teaching and general education, allowing students to build their specializations upon a broad knowledge base.  Through a diverse range of co-curricular experiential learning opportunities, including overseas student exchanges, internships, community outreach and service programmes, we hope that students will develop critical thinking, social awareness, a caring attitude and an appropriate set of values.

The new curriculum offers myriad opportunities; it also presents a few challenges.  In this double-cohort year, there are suddenly more students on campus; inevitably you will find that the queues for the school buses are longer, and the canteens at lunchtime more crowded.  But I am sure that we shall come together for the common good, overcome the teething problems, and embrace the ideal of a four-year curriculum dear to the heart of CUHK.  I am sure that our new students will take full advantage of the rich learning experiences on offer.  They will become well versed in different cultures, armed with expert knowledge and guided by virtue, and will contribute to society as responsible citizens.

I look forward to seeing you all in various activities on campus. 

Joseph Sung
Vice-Chancellor

Link to transcript and video of Prof. Sung’s speech at the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2012:
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/governance/officers/joseph-sung/english/speeches/speeches.html

For more photos, please visit:
https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/events_recap_detail.php?1=1&id=81&s=