Message from Director of Undergraduate Admissions
Hello to all Members of the HKU Academy for the Talented,
A very warm welcome to you all!
President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Xiang Zhang has made an introductory statement entitled “An International City Starts with a Global University”.
The University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary education institution in the city of Hong Kong. Way back to March 16, 1910, Sir Frederick Lugard, the then-Governor of Hong Kong, laid the foundation stone for the University, which housed the first three faculties: Arts, Engineering and Medicine. Now, in our 111th Anniversary, we are proud and honoured to celebrate our magnificent achievements together with a total of over 33,000 students, consisting of 17,000-plus undergraduates and 16,000-plus postgraduates from 10 faculties.
In the past decade or even more recently, the University has dedicated efforts to identify, educate and support gifted and well-accomplished secondary school students through The Academy for the Talented (Act) scheme. Since its establishment in 2011, the Academy has stayed the course to provide members with an exclusive introduction to campus life through the provision of our flagship pre-university academic programmes. Among the 10 faculties that host the programmes and school-based chapters, the disciplines of Business, Engineering, Law and Medicine are our members’ favourites. While the programmes challenge our members’ academic minds, the engaging activities get them fully immersed in typical university student lives. On that note, I am excited and delighted to announce that the Faculty of Dentistry will host its first Pre-University Intensive Programme this summer, allowing our members, during their junior school years, to engage with one of the most renowned and prestigious faculties in the world.
With the extensive support from schools internationally, I am particularly pleased to see the successes of the scheme when our 9,000-plus Academy members across the globe have been engaging in our exclusive networking and cultural exchange events. Each year, new members with distinct competencies join the Academy, a lineup with other most curious and brilliant students to identify their interests whilst developing their unique talents and potentials. Under the management of the HKU Admissions Office, we recruit the brightest minds with diverse backgrounds, locally and abroad. Today, the Academy houses members from over 90 different nationalities worldwide.
The Academy undertakes a mission to build upon the proud traditions and strengths of HKU, Asia’s Global University. We have had a long history of producing graduates of distinction committed to lifelong learning, integrity and professionalism, capable of responsive leadership and communication in their fields. To stay safe and healthy, the flexible combination of in-person and online programmes are applied during different stages of the recent pandemic, enabling our members to level up amid the pandemic. A variety of learning formats are also offered to ensure that students find the one that best fit their needs and busy schedules under different circumstances. Indeed, all programmes are designed to be intensive, engaging and fun.
HKU is the proven place where our possibilities can be infinite. Hong Kong has come a long way, and not just in recent years where the ongoing pandemic has tested our resolve as a city and community. Over the course of 111 years since its founding, our University has served humanity. In the end, my deepest thanks go to every one of you for your support. I hope to see you soon in future Academy programmes/events and wishing you to become our undergraduates students at HKU eventually!
Prof. Bennett Chi Kin YIM
Chairman of the Academy for the Talented
Director of Undergraduate Admissions and International Student Exchange
Professor
Stelux Professor in Marketing