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HAVE, U Can - one of the largest cross-institutional student teaching and learning programme in Hong Kong
01 Jul 2018
The HAVE, U Can Programme, funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) to enhance university students’ holistic competencies, was successfully completed on June 8, 2018 (Friday).
The programme was led by Dr Cecilia Chan, Head of Professional Development at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), collaborated with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University and the Education University of Hong Kong. Two hundred students from the six universities participated in the five-day-four-night programme.
“This is the biggest and the longest cross-institutional programme across universities in Hong Kong. The idea is for the students to work together to develop different competencies that we often find it difficult to integrate into our day-to-day curriculum. Because they get a chance to live together, they will get to know each other very well and that would be the kind of friendship that can last forever. We need to ensure that our students are not just academically brilliant but are all rounded and have positive attitude and values, have heart,” said Dr Chan.
A series of activities were conducted to enhance students’ holistic competencies and virtues. Students gained residential hall experience, took part in a talent show, and were challenged to formulate entrepreneurial solutions for current adolescent problems. On the second last day of the programme, students were invited to join the High Table Dinner, a traditional event in HKU.
The High Table Dinner was hosted in the College Hall at the HKU Jockey Club Student Village III. Professor James Tang, Secretary-General of UGC and representatives from all six collaborating universities were invited to celebrate the success of the Programme, while more than a hundred employers and institution leaders from Hong Kong and Asia joined the dinner to provide career advice and industry insights to programme participants.
The dinner began with opening speeches from representatives from each university and Programme Leader Dr Cecilia Chan. All university representatives acknowledged the significance of holistic competencies development in higher education, and recognised the aspirations and impact of the Programme. In her speech, Dr Chan thanked collaborating universities for their time and effort, and UGC for their generous support. She elaborated on the aim of the Programme and said: “Our motto of the HAVE, U Can Programme is to ‘transform with hearts’. We don’t just want you (participants) to perform well or excellently in academia. We want you to have all the different types of competencies. We want you to consider and appreciate the society.”
Dr Chan then presented a video of recollection of activities from the first three days of the HAVE, U Can Programme. To show appreciation, students presented hand-made knots of hearts to the guests of the High Table Dinner. The knots of hearts, made by the students themsevles, symbolise love and care. After the dinner, Professor James Tang delivered a closing speech. He expressed his gratitude to all collaborating universities for organising the Programme, and said that the UGC would continue encouraging and supporting pedagogical innovations in Hong Kong. The dinner was concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.
A participant of the programme said: “The programme has really given me the opportunity to overcome mental hurdles and enhance self-confidence.”
“I have refined my skills in leadership, socialising, and presentation,” said another programme participant.
Following the end of the first annual HAVE, U Can Programme, continual efforts will be dedicated to support future programmes. It is hoped that through programmes like this, the importance of holistic competencies for students and institutions can be highlighted, leading to educational and cultural shift towards balancing the importance of holistic competencies with academic knowledge in the near future.
About HAVE, U Can Programme
The HAVE, U Can Programme is part of the UGC-funded Holistic Competency Hub, “HAVE Hub”. The three-year project is dedicated to supporting the development and assessment of holistic competencies in the higher education. The hub’s programmes and work include professional development workshops, designing teaching packs for teachers, as well as student competition and programmes for further enhancement of holistic competencies. Dr Cecilia Chan, Head of Professional Development and Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong is the Principal Leader of this project.
Website: http://havehub.cetl.hku.hk/ | Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/HAVEcentre/
For more information about the HAVE, U Can Programme, please contact Ms. Luk at 3917 5272/ ytluk89@hku.hk.