Academic Affairs Newsletter, No. 1/07

Abstract

Academic Affairs Newsletter Issue No. 1/07 Spring 2007 Promoting Outcome-based Education at HKUST

The emergence of the outcome-based approach to education (OBE) has been an international development that results from the confluence of three broad trends: Increased demands for accountability, with an emphasis on “outputs” rather than “inputs”; this emphasis is a feature of contemporary accreditation exercises as well as reviews by funding bodies Changing views of what constitute the appropriate attributes of graduates, with a reduced emphasis on specialist knowledge and an increased interest in transferable, higher order capabilities, and personal development Shifts in the underlying teaching and learning paradigm toward a more student-centered, learning-centered education that stresses what students achieve, rather than what instructors cover Locally, UGC has signaled its interest in this approach to curriculum design and accountability. This signal was transmitted initially as part of the TLQPR exercise and has been repeated in relation to the effort to develop the four-year degree. UGC has now launched a campaign to promote OBE at the UGC-funded institutions. No firm deliverables or timelines have been established and UGC has emphasized that the institutions should find their own path to implementing OBE. However, the pressure to demonstrate progress has been increased substantially by UGC’s establishment of a Quality Assurance Council (QAC). The core audit methodology of QAC requires the “articulation of appropriate learning outcomes” and “measures of achievement” in relation to these outcomes. In This Issue ... Outcome-Based Education 1 UG & PG Studies 2 Internationalization 3 Academic Personnel News 4-5 Academic Prizes & Achievements 6 Others 7 Summer Programs 8 http://www. ust.hk/vpaao UG & PG Studies UGC has formed a Quality Assurance Council (QAC) to “oversee the quality of academic programmes...... of the UGC-funded institutions”. Dr Alice Lam, previously Chairman of the UGC, will be the first Chairman of the QAC, but in April 2008, Mr Philip Chen, CEO of Cathay Pacific will take over this role. The QAC will be an “independent” permanent arrangement undertaking institutional audits of “student learning quality” over a four-to-five-year cycle. These audits will cover taught postgraduate programs and research student supervision, as well as undergraduate education. The first audit will take place in early as 2008, with about two institutions audited every year. The establishment of QAC follows from two previous rounds of Teaching and Learning Quality Process Review (TLQPR). As in these previous rounds, there will a requirement to prepare a “self-evaluation” report, a visit by an audit team, and a report on findings. The main difference from the TLQPR exercises will be that the audit team will be smaller – five members, with three members from overseas, and perhaps more expert. Also the audit team will visit to the institution under review for three to five days, rather than one-day-and-a-half, as in TLQPR. HKUST has developed its own style of “quality assurance” over the years and can face the planned QAC audits with some confidence, but we will need to make sure that we make the best possible case during what will be quite a searching review of our work. The Senate’s Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality has already begun the task of reviewing the University’s preparedness for this challenge. VPAAO will keep members of the University informed, as more details on the QAC become available. Keeping the Parents of UG Students on Unsatisfactory Academic Performance (UAP) Informed

Under the current academic regulations, UG students receive a warning letter from the Admissions, Registration and Records Office when their semester grade average (SGA) falls below 3.50 for one or two consecutive semesters, or if they fail in a core or required course. The University treats and respects all students as adults. Students are expected to be independent, responsible and capable of making their own decisions. As such, the University has dealt with students directly and has not involved their parents where students are not making satisfactory progress. However, there has been an increasing number of parents who express serious concerns about not receiving sufficient information from the University on the study progress of their child. In response to the call from parents for timely information about their child's academic progress problem, a new measure has been put in place in March 2007. The measure would first start with UG students from the Mainland and will be extended to cover all UGs at the end of Spring 2007. If a UG student is on UAP, the University will obtain the written consent from the student concerned to communicate to his/her parents. His/Her parents will be invited to provide appropriate guidance and support to the student. UGC’s Quality Assurance Council Audit Keeping the Parents of UG Students on Unsatisfactory Academic Performance (UAP) Informed PGS Terms and Conditions for 2007/08 The Terms and Conditions of PG Studentships 2007/08 was dispatched to all academic departments in early March for dissemination to faculty and RPgs, and is available for viewing and download from the PG Studies homepage (www.ust.hk/vpaao/pg). Printed on recycled paper Spring 2007, AA Newsletter 3 IMSPO - Activity Highlights With the success of the recent student activities, IMSPO hopes to hold more international events in the near future. In April 2007, IMSPO will be collaborating with the student society, NAUTY (eNjoy the pleasures of diversiTY), in a “Multicultural Festival”, an international gala that will bring together local and international students alike with food and performances. In the past semester, IMSPO has been mobilizing international students for activities that promote an international outlook on campus. Here are some highlights of activities that have taken place this year. Welcome Cocktail Gathering, Feb 2007 Every semester, HKUST receives hundreds of international exchange students from all over the world. To help kick off the spring semester of 2007 with a festive cheer, IMSPO brought together international students, staff and faculty for a welcome get-together. The “Cocktail Gathering” was held at the newly renovated UC Bistro bar which provided an idyllic setting for the hundreds of guest to mingle beside the panoramic ocean view. The participants had a good time enjoying the appetizers, drinks and light music. Hot Pot Night, Mar 2007 To show our international students a bit of Hong Kong culture, a “Hot Pot Night” was held at a local restaurant after the Chinese New Year. Over 50 international students joined the event – an adventurous cultural experience for many students who tried hot pot for the first time. An exchange student remarked, “Our table made a mess but it was delicious.” Swire Company Visit, Dec 2006 The Swire International Young Fellows is a full scholarship award for international students. To learn more about Swire’s global vision, the Fellows were invited to a full-day, city-wide tour of the Swire Group’s facilities. Included in the day’s itinerary were visits to the aircraft hangars of HAECO, the training and preparation facilities of Cathay Pacific, lunch at Cathay Pacific Catering Services, and a tour of the Swire Coca-Cola factory in Shatin. The students ended the eventful day with presentations at Swire Properties in Tai Koo, learning about the property development in the district. “The 9-hour trip took us not only to many different parts of Hong Kong but exposed us to a truly globalized company,” commented Swire Fellow, Albert Martienssen, a business student from Germany. Internationalization

Academic Personnel News Substantiation and Promotion The following faculty members have been substantiated and promoted to Associate Professor on 1 January 2007. School of Engineering James Tin-Yau KWOK, CSE School of Business and Management Gilles HILARY, ACCT Substantiation The following faculty member has been granted substantiation upon his successful completion of the academic review in Spring 2006. School of Engineering Vincent Kin Nang LAU, ECE Faculty Appointment Regular Faculty (on board between 1 September 2006 and 31 January 2007) School of Business and Management Jianjun MIAO, Assistant Professor, FINA (PhD, University of Rochester) Visiting/Research Faculty (on board between 1 September 2006 and 31 January 2007) School of Science Minhan DAI, Visiting Scholar, SCIE (PhD, Universite Pierre & Marie Curie (Paris VI)) Nobuhiro FUSETANI, Visiting Scholar, SCIE (PhD, University of Tokyo) Dongxiao WANG, Visiting Scholar, SCIE (PhD, Ocean University of Qingdao) Zhiming MA, Visiting Scholar, MATH (Doctor of Sciences, Academia Sinica) Zhiliang YING, Visiting Scholar, MATH (PhD, Columbia University) Patrick A LEE, Visiting Professor, PHYS (PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Yicheng ZHANG, Visiting Professor, PHYS (PhD, Sissa Trieste and La Sapienza University) Juhn-Jong LIN, Visiting Scholar, PHYS (PhD, Purdue University) School of Engineering Vincent Ming Cheong POON, Visiting Assistant Professor, ECE (PhD, Chinese University of Hong Kong) Man-Hung SIU, Visiting Assistant Professor, ECE (PhD, Boston University) Hon Wah WONG, Visiting Assistant Professor, ECE (PhD, HKUST) Errol Robert HOFFMANN, Visiting Professor, IELM (PhD, University of Melbourne) School of Business and Management Frank CHING, Visiting Scholar, SB&M (MA, New York University) Bruno Henri SOLNIK, Visiting Professor, FINA (PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Jerome YEN, Visiting Professor, FINA (PhD, University of Arizona) Viktoria Rita DALKO, Visiting Scholar, FINA (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) John D DANIELS, Visiting Professor, MGTO (PhD, University of Michigan) Patrick GIBBONS, Visiting Scholar, MGTO (PhD, University of Pittsburgh) Daphna Rachel OYSERMAN, Visiting Professor, MARK (PhD, University of Michigan) Norbert Werner SCHWARZ, Visiting Professor, MARK (Dr phil habil, Universitat Heidelberg; PhD, Universitat Mannheim) School of Humanities and Social Science Kin Yuen WONG, Visiting Professor, HUMA (PhD, University of California, San Diego) David Kinsey JORDAN, Visiting Scholar, HUMA (PhD, University of Chicago) Sing Chong CHEW, Visiting Scholar, SOSC (PhD, Carleton University) Anne-Laure Genevieve DELATTE, Visiting Scholar, SOSC (PhD, Paris 10 University) Ge KAN, Visiting Scholar, SOSC (PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo) The information given here is extracted from the Academic Personnel website of the VPAAO. For the most current information, please visit the website http://www.ust.hk/~webaa/AcademicPersonnel/. Printed on recycled paper Spring 2007, AA Newsletter 5 Adjunct Faculty (appointed between 1 September 2006 and 31 January 2007) School of Engineering Delwyn G FREDLUND, Adjunct Professor, CIVL (PhD, University of Alberta) Shucheng WANG, Adjunct Professor, CIVL (Master, Tsinghua University) Feng ZHAO, Adjunct Professor, CSE (PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) David Kar-Keung YOUNG, Adjunct Professor, ECE (PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) School of Business and Management Ho Young KIM, Adjunct Professor, FINA (PhD, Princeton University) Roger KING, Adjunct Professor, FINA (PhD, HKUST) Yiu Man TSE, Adjunct Professor, FINA (PhD, Louisiana State University)(Also Visiting Scholar of FINA, HKUST) Administrative Appointment (appointed between 1 September 2006 and 31 January 2007) Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs Roland T. CHIN – Chair Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, appointed Acting Vice- President for Academic Affairs with effect from 1 September 2006. Peter N DOBSON, Jr – Professor Emeritus, appointed as Senior Advisor to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs (Institutional Research) on a part-time basis with effect from 15 September 2006. Vincent SHEN – Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, appointed as Senior Advisor to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs (Institutional Research) on a part-time basis with effect from 15 September 2006. School of Science Karl Wah-Keung TSIM – Professor of Biology, appointed Acting Head of the Department of Biology with effect from 1 December 2006. School of Engineering Philip C H CHAN – Chair Professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, reappointed Dean of Engineering with effect from 1 September 2006. Jang-Kyo KIM – Professor of Mechanical Engineering, appointed Associate Dean of Engineering with effect from 1 February 2007. Charles W W NG – Professor of Civil Engineering, appointed Associate Dean of Engineering with effect from 1 January 2007. Chi-Ming CHAN – Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering, reappointed Acting Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering with effect from 1 October 2006. School of Business and Management In CHOI – Professor of Economics, appointment as Acting Head of the Department of Economics extended from 1 January 2007 to 31 March 2007. Sudipto DASGUPTA – Professor of Finance, appointed Acting Head of the Department of Finance with effect from 1 September 2006. School of Humanities and Social Science Alvin Y. SO – Chair Professor in the Division of Social Science, appointed Acting Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science with effect from 1 September 2006. Kim-chong CHONG – Professor in the Division of Humanities, appointed Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science with effect from 1 September 2006. David Stephen ZWEIG – Chair Professor in the Division of Social Science, appointed Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science with effect from 1 September 2006. Erik BAARK – Associate Professor in the Division of Social Science, appointed Acting Head of the Division of Social Science with effect from 1 September 2006. Academic Prizes and Achievements Prof Mingjie Zhang (Biochemistry) was conferred the 2006 National Natural Science Award in recognition of his contributions to elucidating the molecular mechanisms for a series of protein complexes that play signaling roles in neurons. Prof Nancy Ip (Biochemistry)’s research team has recently unraveled the essential role of cyclin dependent kinase 5 in the regulation of synapse development through modulating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and functions. These findings have important implications in understanding the precise mechanisms by which synapses, connections between neurons, are fine tuned to facilitate learning and memory. Their discoveries are published in prestigious journals including Nature Neuroscience and PLoS Biology in 2007, and were highlighted in Journal of Cell Biology news and Alzheimer Research Forum News. . A collaborative project entitled “Systematic study of essential protein kinases involved in cell growth and differentiation” was recently awarded a HK$6m Central Allocation Grant by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council. Profs Zhenguo Wu, Randy Poon, Nancy Ip, and Yung Hou Wong of Biochemistry are the principal investigators for this project. Co-investigators include faculty members from HKUST, CUHK, and HKU. . Two algorithms developed by the HKUST Wireless Research Team and Huawei Technologies have been conditionally accepted for inclusion in international standards for the revolutionary 802.22 Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) system. . Prof Irene Man-Chi Lo (Civil Engineering) received the HKUST Michael G. Gale Medal for distinguished teaching at the University Congregation held in November 2006. The Medal is awarded each year to an academic staff member who best exemplifies continued pursuit of excellence, devotion to teaching, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. . Prof Charles Ng (Civil Engineering), in collaboration with Prof Yun Min Chen of Zhejiang University, have been awarded Overseas and Hong Kong, Macau Young Scholars Collaborative Research Fund by National Science Foundation of China in October 2006. . Prof Ben Zhong Tang (Chemistry) and Prof Zikang Tang (Physics) are among the eight scholars to receive this year’s Croucher Senior Research Fellowship Awards, in recognition for their breakthrough research in advanced materials and nano-technology. . Prof Mordecai J. Golin (Computer Science and Engineering), Prof Po Lok Yue (Chemical Engineering), and Prof Lambros Katafygiotis (Civil Engineering) have been selected for the School of Engineering Teaching Excellence Appreciation Award 2005-06. Among the awardees, Prof Golin was selected for the Distinguished Teaching Award. . The IEEE Computational Intelligence Society recently awarded Prof James Kwok (Computer Science and Engineering) and his PhD student, Ivor Tsang Wai Hung, with the IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks Outstanding 2004 Paper Award (bestowed in 2006). . Prof Qian Zhang (Computer Science and Engineering) has been awarded the Overseas Outstanding Young Scholar Award by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) this year. Electronic and Computer Engineering faculty Prof Philip Chan and Prof Li Qiu have been elected Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). There are totally 11 IEEE Fellows in the Department. . Prof Bertram Shi (Electronic and Computer Engineering) has been selected as a Distinguished Lecturer for the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society for 2007-2008. . Prof Richard So (Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management) has been invited to join the Commission Internationale de L’eclairage or International Commission on Illumination (CIE) Technical Committee TC1-67 on image safety. . Prof Fugee Tsung (Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management) has been elected member of the International Statistical Institute (ISI), the definitive leaders in the field of statistics. . Prof K. C. Chan (School of Business and Management) was unanimously elected president for 2007 of the Association of Asia Pacific Business Schools at the organization’s annual conference. . Prof Steve DeKrey (School of Business and Management) was voted in as vice chairman of Hong Kong’s American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), a position which puts him in line for the chairmanship in 2008. Printed on recycled paper Spring 2007, AA Newsletter 7 SBM Ranks Among the Best (Reprint from HKUST Business School Newsletter, Issue 28) The cream, they say, always rises to the top. Two prestigious global rankings, released late last fall, recognized SBM’s high-profile EMBA and MBA programs as among the best on offer worldwide, giving further evidence of the quality of teaching at the School. The School’s EMBA, taught in conjunction with the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, ranked third in the Financial Times’ (FT) global survey. The MBA was named No. 1 in Asia and Australia by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). “We are proud that these rankings recognize our continuing drive to cement the School’s position as a world leader in MBA teaching, through both the strength of our faculty and the pedigree of the students we attract,” said Dean K.C. Chan. The EMBA program was also listed among the world’s top ten in many specific categories. It topped the rankings, for instance, when it came to student diversity and placed second in the “international faculty” and “most experienced intake” categories. The FT was particularly impressed with the international experience of participants, highlighting the fact that “54% of respondents ... had worked in three or more countries prior to the EMBA.” The School’s strength lay in its founding philosophy “to build a research institution second to none and to recruit only internationally-trained faculty,” it said. Overall, HKUST was bettered only by the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton, and Columbia/London Business School. When it came to courses with Asian participation, the University of Chicago, which runs EMBA programs from campuses in the U.S., Britain and Singapore, ranked sixth and Washington, Olin, which offers an EMBA in conjunction with Fudan University, Shanghai, came eighth. The School’s MBA, meanwhile, placed 37th in the world’s top 100 programs rated annually by the EIU, which include 50 from North America, 39 from Europe and 11 from the Asia-Pacific. EIU ranked the MBA second globally in “personal development and educational experience” – one of the four main criteria taken into consideration – and was commended for having “one of the world’s best qualified faculties”. Steven DeKrey, Director of the MBA Program, explains that the results are consistent with the School’s priorities. “We have been implementing a number of initiatives to enrich students’ learning experiences. In addition to our international exchange program, we have recently added a professional team to look after students’ personal and career development,” he said. “Our objectives are to assist our students to renew, improve and develop themselves with their MBA experience.” SBM Ranks Among the Best (Reprint from HKUST Business School Newsletter, Issue 28) PTC-G12038 Summer programs Summer @ ust 2007 In the past two years, the Summer@UST Program has hosted over 200 high school students from all over the world for an unforgettable summer study experience on campus. Positive and enthusiastic feedback was received from participating students; a number of them have applied for undergraduate studies in HKUST and became full-time students since fall 2006. This is one of the encouraging signs that the Program is promoting the image of HKUST as one of the world’s top universities among local and international student communities. With the generous support of academic departments and administrative units, Summer@UST will once again be held this year. The program duration has been extended from three weeks to four weeks (15 July - 8 August), plus an optional Study Tour to South China (including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shunde and Nansha) from 8 - 11 August. Credit-bearing courses in six learning disciplines – game theory, career mapping, business studies, art appreciation, environmental studies, and language enhancement – will be offered. All are tailor-made for high-school students to have a taste of university-level education in different fields. A wide range of extra-curricular activities and competitions are incorporated into the Program for students to explore their nonacademic talents and leadership potential. Outstanding, self-motivated high school students aged between 15 and 18 from Hong Kong and overseas are encouraged to participate in the Program to live, learn and meet with students from diverse background. Students who are doing exceptionally well at school and with a special recommendation by their Principal will be considered for scholarship. The enrollment quota is 100, which will comprise approximately 30% overseas students, 30% local international school students and 40% local conventional school students. Staff who wish to enroll their children on the program, or make referrals for friends and relatives may contact Miss Jennifer Law, Outreach and Summer Programs, by phone at 2358 8325 or by email at summer07@ust.hk. Online application form is available on the Program website (www.ust.hk/summer). The Program is accepting applications until 30 April 2007. Summer Programs Printed on recycled paper