All Messages from the Senior Management Team

Thoughts at the Lodge

The world is bracing for a new wave of COVID-19.  In this difficult time, and with online teaching continuing until the end of the semester at HKU, I’d like to reach out to ensure we stay connected.

Since February, my colleagues and I have been visiting residential halls, laboratories, and faculties whilst meeting students, academic staff, hall wardens and administrative heads.  We have also been communicating with off-site students online to keep in touch with the needs of the university community.  These efforts are vital as we try new ways to facilitate students’ learning.   

Standing tall for over a century, HKU has never had to rely almost solely on online teaching, the quality of which has become our top priority.  I have realized that this has been a mammoth change that has conjured up old ghosts such as ‘established practices’ and the limitations of our systems.  Together with my colleagues, I have taken the challenge up with a great deal of seriousness.

I am grateful for your candid feedback and determination to rise to ever-changing challenges whilst we tackle long-standing problems like limited WiFi bandwidth in student halls. With a website set up to continuously collect student feedback, I am pleased that we have now enhanced online teaching, ensuring meaningful exchange and interaction.  

In these trying times, we have faced many exceptionally challenging and complex issues, and sometimes with competing demands from our community.  We have dispelled misunderstandings on the topical issue of self-isolation arrangements, which are not determined by place of origin but the last country the students have visited.  We have also addressed frustrations with what some may have considered to be a delayed suspension of face-to-face classes – a significant decision made only after meticulous considerations and balancing of health risks against academic tradition.  Our dedication to serve every member of the community comes with a price, but we have chosen to put humanity first.  

To that end, our rapport will enable us to work as a team towards HKU’s next level of excellence.  Our students, professors and staff have been giving generously, pouring out their knowledge, advice, time and care.  These invaluable collective efforts also work to help the wider community cope with the epidemic.  Looking beyond the crisis, I believe the current heat will only make HKU and Hong Kong stronger. 

HKU has long been prized for its culture of openness and constructive debate. I am moved to see that much of the detailed feedback we have received reflects only our community’s eagerness to question the default and improve.  Regardless of race, nationality and ideology, the world is united in the fight against COVID-19, and ultimately, we shall heal together.  There is no room for prejudice or stigmatization, only an opportunity to rise above differences – to give, collaborate, lend support and constantly innovate for solutions.  The Senior Management Team and I thank you for your patience and trust as we navigate turbulent waters.  

As I walk around the campus these days, I would inevitably run into masked cleaners, guards and back-office colleagues quietly going about their duties.  I feel a surge of gratitude as I offer them my special thanks: it is their daily support behind the scenes that bolsters us to do our work on the front line.  

Nobody expected or wanted this pandemic.  In our current state of discordance, however, I find the century-long HKU spirit of resilience ringing louder than ever before.  Our constant quest for improvement and curiosity to explore continue to transform and elevate the university.  No storm lasts forever.  As we ride out this one together, we shall emerge stronger in confronting the unknown.  

Xiang Zhang
President and Vice-Chancellor

(Posted on March 23, 2020)

Work Arrangements beginning March 23

In light of the latest developments of the COVID-19 in Hong Kong, the University will, starting from March 23 until further notice, make necessary adjustments to its operations. Apart from staffing for emergency and essential services, staff shall work from home to provide basic department services.  Heads of Departments will communicate with their staff members about the detailed work arrangements to be made as per the department's situation.

The Main Library and the Learning Commons will be open with restricted access to current students and staff. The University Health Service (UHS) will continue to maintain operation with the necessary adjustments to non-urgent services in order to redeploy more resources to handle the care related to the COVID-19 threat. The sports facilities under the Centre for Sports and Exercise will be closed.  On-campus catering will continue on a reduced basis, for which separate announcements will be made.

The University will continue to monitor and assess the situation, and keep the University community posted. Please check with the COVID-19 INFO HUB on the University Main Page for services update.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

(Posted on March 21, 2020)

New Government Policy on Arrivals to HK and Update on Campus-related COVID-19 Case

An official at the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has described Hong Kong as facing a “second wave” of Covid-19 infections, since many of the newly recorded cases seem to have been individuals infected while outside Hong Kong. 

Starting from March 19, all inbound arrivals to Hong Kong, except those from Macau and Taiwan, will be required to undergo compulsory quarantine.  Staff and students concerned must stay at the designated places (quarantine centre, home or other accommodation) for a 14-day compulsory quarantine. 

If you are living with someone who is under quarantine, please inform your Department Head or supervisor, be vigilant at all times and practice the highest level of hygiene and infection control measures, such as maintaining a social distance, avoiding sharing personal items and having meals separately.  If you have any symptoms, you should not come back to work and should seek medical attention immediately.   

Please also see https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/Points_to_note_for_household_members.pdf

There is also more reference information available from the CHP at https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html

We would also like to update you about the three HKU colleagues who were required to go into quarantine on March 13. Two of them have tested negative for COVID-19, while the third one, awaiting test results, was never on campus when there might have been a chance of transmission. 

The University will continue monitoring the situation and provide further details as appropriate.  Updates and related information can be found on the COVID-19 Info Hub, in particular its FAQ. 

We wish to remind colleagues and students returning to Hong Kong to fill out the University’s e-health screening form as soon as possible:

• e-Health screening form for staff
• e-Health screening form for students

For the protection of the community and your own individual health, please continue to stay vigilant, exercise good hand hygiene and seek medical attention if you feel unwell.

Thank you for your attention.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

(Posted on March 18, 2020)

From Task Force on Travel Restrictions

As we all know, the number of COVID-19 infection cases, the regions affected by the virus, and the countries on the Government’s list for mandatory quarantine continue to grow. Apart from heightened exposure to health risks, especially in places where surveillance measures might not be sufficient, the rapid developments of travel restrictions imposed by different countries and regions could result in visitors to these places being stranded abroad.

In view of all these, the University wishes to discourage its members to travel before the virus situation improves. With immediate effect and until further notice, the University will, in general, not entertain applications for leave or grants for business trips.

For private trips, colleagues choosing to visit countries and regions on the Government’s list for mandatory quarantine will be required to apply for annual or unpaid leave to cover the period of mandatory quarantine when they return.  As a health precautionary measure, the University may also require colleagues returning from places currently not included in the Government’s list for mandatory quarantine to undergo health screening and clearance before they return to the campus.

Please visit the University’s COVID-19 Info Hub from time to time for updates on the COVID-19 situation and related arrangements of the University.  In particular, staff returning to Hong Kong are advised to visit the webpage with e-health screening form.  Those who have travelled to places with active community transmission of COVID-19 as listed by the Government are required to fill out the form upon their arrival back to Hong Kong.

Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

(Posted on March 14, 2020)

From Vice-President (Research) on RPG programmes

In the current COVID-19 situation, the University is delivering most of the teaching online for UG and TPG programmes until the end of the semester. The following is the advice to Research Postgraduate (RPg) students and their supervisors:

Research laboratories in the University should remain open as far as possible, and RPg students are encouraged to return to normal research work for their studies. In case of difficulties of returning, students should discuss their work and study plans with their supervisors.

RPg supervisors and Department Heads are also requested to ensure a low-density working environment for their RPg students. Those with medical symptoms should not return to work, and those returning to work should wear surgical masks. The University is working at its best to source face masks. When enough masks are obtained by the University for RPg students, details on the arrangement for distribution will be announced.

(Posted on March 6, 2020)

From Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) on Teaching Schedule

Until the end of the teaching period on May 16, all teaching and learning will be delivered online. There are just a few exceptions, including:

(1) Non-clinical laboratory, studio and practical skills components of courses for final-year students that have to be taught through face-to-face classes in order for students to graduate on time. We will arrange for these students to come on campus for low-density laboratory, studio and practical skills teaching sessions beginning no earlier than March 30. Their other classes will remain online. When required to come on campus, these students will be provided with face masks. Faculties will inform final-year students taking these courses of detailed arrangements at the start of next week.

(2) Clinical programmes in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of Medicine. These two Faculties will reach out separately to students enrolled in these programmes.

Assessment
Assessment components and weightings will conform to the arrangements already announced by course coordinators. However, for all courses taught online there will be no proctored, in-hall exams during the assessment period from May 18 to June 6. Instead, all ‘final exam’ components will be moved online. We’re asking teachers to rethink the tasks that will constitute the ‘final exam’ to ensure they’re suitable for online assessment.

Assessment choices
As in Semester 1, we’re offering all UG and TPG students three assessment choices:
- Continue with letter grading, where applicable (contributing to GPA)
- Change to pass/fail grading (not contributing to GPA)
- Opt out of the course entirely through a late drop option
Students will be able to make these choices through a link on SIS from March 23 to April 30. Full details will be announced within the next two weeks.

Pass/fail
We strongly advise all students to think carefully when opting for pass/fail grading. Courses that are simply passed will be recorded as P on the transcript, with no GPA. For UG students in particular, this could have important knock-on effects. Internally, we rely on SGPA data for elective opportunities, such as academic exchange and other funded programmes. Externally, employers and universities around the world examine transcripts in some detail when taking decisions about jobs and postgraduate study. Students without solid SGPA data from 2019-20 may therefore place themselves at a disadvantage.

Late drop
Students returning to the University beyond the normative study period solely to make up late dropped credits from 2019-20 will not be asked to pay a composition fee. Normally, this policy will apply only in 2020-21. However, in cases where a student is unable to make up the dropped credits in 2020-21 because the requisite course is not on offer or, in special cases where personal circumstances stand in the way, an extension to 2021-22 may be permitted.

Zoom
We’ve upgraded our Zoom licence for the next 12 months. Previously, HKU Zoom accounts each had 500MB storage for cloud recordings. Now there’s no storage limit, though any recording uploaded by a teacher to the Zoom cloud will be removed after six months. Before this happens, ITS will send a notification to remind the account holder to download the relevant file to a PC or laptop.

Storing files
For storing files, teachers may make use of the HKU Video Streaming Server, which offers 150GB to each account holder. Teachers can apply for an account via CF43. A user guide can be found here.

Teaching rooms
A reminder, more for future semesters than the current one: the University has 159 centrally-managed classrooms, and all are fully equipped with Panopto and Zoom facilities.

(Posted on March 5, 2020)

From Task Force on Work Arrangements

This is to announce that until further review, the University will continue the current work arrangements to provide emergency, essential and basic services. The scale and level of the basic services we are providing may be adjusted, with an ultimate objective of gradually resuming normal levels of services in an orderly manner.

Individual heads will communicate with you on the work arrangements having regard to the nature of the operations of the department/office and the situation on the ground. Measures will continue to be adopted to reduce the risk of infection and the spread of the virus on campus. The current supply will enable us to continue to distribute masks in the coming two weeks on the basis of 50% of staff. We are making hard efforts in seeking new supplies.

Your extra efforts during this challenging time to fulfill our service commitments while combating the virus together is much appreciated. Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

(Posted on February 28, 2020)

From Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) on Online Learning Q&As

In the past couple of days I’ve had opportunities to discuss online learning with the Associate Deans (T&L) and, when visiting with the President, with colleagues in the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences. In recent weeks I’ve also had many email conversations with colleagues and students. I figure it makes sense to circulate some of the lessons learned in the form of another FAQ list.

Can the assessment weightings for a course be changed?
This issue has already been discussed within Faculties. The answer is yes, but the window for making such changes will soon close. Normally by this point in the semester we would require full class consent (all students). However, until 4:00pm on February 21 we’re in the extended add/drop period, so as yet there’s no fixed class for each course. This means we can make changes more easily. All colleagues need to do is revise the assessment weightings as they see fit, inform all students registered for the class, update the relevant course information on SIS, and send a record of the change to Faculty Board for endorsement. Students who feel disadvantaged by the change will be able to drop the course. While this is not an ideal option, it is still a choice. Note that this must be done before February 21. Thereafter, full class consent will be necessary.

Should the assessment weightings for a course be changed?
If a course taught this semester relies heavily on a proctored final exam, it would be a good idea, where possible, to reduce the weighting for that component and boost the weighting for other assessed tasks. At this stage in the unfolding coronavirus situation, we remain committed to holding in-person exams in examination halls at the end of the semester. However, if the disruption becomes more severe, we may have to revise our assessment arrangements. Were that to happen, it would be good not to be too reliant on final exams, which we know generate issues that are difficult to manage.

Should teachers require students to switch on their camera and microphone for interactive classes?
I discussed this issue at length with the Associate Deans. We agreed that at the level of University policy we should not require this because it could be intrusive in the home environment in which many students study (even though Zoom has a function enabling the background to be blurred or replaced). At the same time, we recognized that teachers may have strong reasons to encourage students to adopt this practice. A colleague in Arts also made the point that in some courses it may be necessary to ask students to do this because of the nature of the learning materials and tasks.

How can students be encouraged to participate in interactive classes held online?
Many teachers report very positive experiences with online interaction. In particular, use of the chat box function in Zoom can trigger participation from students who ordinarily are quite recessive. Others face challenges and problems, however. One way to encourage interaction would be to introduce an assessment component devoted to participation. Even a 10-15% allocation could make a difference. There are also Zoom functions, such as the ‘attendance tracker’, that enable teachers to monitor student participation and intervene with a question or private message.

How can students be encouraged to view online lectures?
One suggestion made by a colleague in Social Sciences is to ask students to complete a weekly assignment consisting of a brief account of the lecture and a short list of questions related to the material covered in it.

How are students currently located in the Mainland connecting with HKU?
For our online exam (OLEX) platform at the end of the first semester, we secure a leased line from Alibaba. This enables students located in the Mainland to connect with HKU as if they were in Hong Kong. The line is not monitored because it uses a point-to-point https protocol, where the ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’. All traffic between the two points is encrypted. For online T&L in this semester, we have again secured a leased line from Alibaba.

How can teachers stay in touch with their students during this period of online T&L?
Moodle remains the best way to keep in touch with students. In addition to any uploaded materials, please do post weekly consultation hours for students to schedule individual conversations with you (using, say, WhatsApp or Zoom). Many students have questions, but they no longer have the option of catching hold of a teacher after a lecture or calling by during office hours. This is also a way to keep the academic advising function going.

How can colleagues share good practice and lessons learned from online T&L?
Some Faculties have created online platforms for teachers to post good and bad experiences of online learning. This is also something we could consider doing for HKU as a whole, linked to Faculty pages. In many Faculties informal groups of colleagues are coming together to share experience and provide mutual support. This is clearly a very welcome development.

How can upload speeds on Zoom be enhanced?
We recognize that Zoom is an outstanding T&L platform and we’re keen to ensure it’s fully available to colleagues. At present we’re exploring options for enhancing Zoom functionality at HKU. In the meantime, however, for obvious reasons upload speeds are better at the ends of the day. It’s also possible to download, say, a recorded lecture from Zoom to a desktop computer or laptop and then upload for students to view through Microsoft OneDrive. Details are available here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362473-Local-Recording?mobile_site=true.

How can teachers learn more about online T&L?
We offer support to teachers through:
- TELI training sessions scheduled by some Faculties, and hopefully ultimately by all Faculties since the feedback is uniformly excellent;
- Updates on TELI website: https://tl.hku.hk/2020/02/online-teaching-and-learning-for-staff-updated-february-7-2020/ ;
- TELI gadgets and tools: https://teli.hku.hk/e-learning-resources/ ;
- TELI e-learning quick start guide;
- TELI e-learning demonstration videos;
- TELI individual consultation sessions with Leon Lei (9162 3384) and Tyrone Kwok (5964 8396), who can both be reached via WhatsApp;
- CETL website: https://www.cetl.hku.hk/;
- CETL designated Faculty liaison persons: visit https://www.cetl.hku.hk/, then click “Support for online teaching and learning” (the first iconic picture on the left-to-right scrolling banner). 

As before, many thanks to all and please drop me a line with queries.

Best wishes, Ian

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

(Posted on February 19, 2020)

From Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) on Learning Arrangement

Hong Kong is going through a very challenging time due to the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in Mainland China. The University has been closely monitoring and reviewing the virus situation in Hong Kong. Having continuously received advice from medical experts, we now come to the view that we will need more time before allowing all campus teaching to resume.

Undergraduate programmes

We have decided that campus teaching for undergraduate programmes will be suspended for two weeks from Monday, February 17, 2020, and will resume on Monday, March 2, 2020 (except for a few special programmes for which detailed arrangements will be announced separately in due course).

As previously announced, we will conduct online teaching and learning for two weeks from February 3 to February 17. This is to ensure that students make a start on their second semester learning. Building on the week of face-to-face classes conducted in the week before Chinese New Year, these two weeks will generate an opportunity for teachers and students to lay down the foundations of their courses.

The University will then move into recess for two weeks from February 17 to March 2. In this period, students may undertake self-study based on the three weeks of teaching already undertaken in the semester. However, no formal teaching and learning activities will be scheduled.

We are currently exploring options for ensuring that proper and adequate teaching is provided in the remainder of the semester. Our core aim is to deliver for students the face-to-face experience that has always defined education at HKU.

We are considering many ways of restructuring the semester to generate additional time for campus teaching. We may conduct regular teaching activities during the March reading week (March 9-14). We may extend the semester to end on a later date. We may schedule classes in the evenings and on weekends. This of course has to be decided by consideration of many factors and dynamic change of virus situations.

Postgraduate Programmes

The Faculties or the programmes concerned will announce the teaching arrangements for taught postgraduate programmes in due course.

Research postgraduates should discuss their study plans with their supervisors.

Like many in the society, we are dealing with tremendous human health challenges. The situation is changing rapidly and we hope to work with you to provide best possible delivery for our safety, teaching and learning. We very much appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)

(Posted on January 30, 2020)