Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 Published by Student Affairs Office • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University • August 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Foreword by the President In fulfilling our mission of achieving academic excellence in a professional context, PolyU has been committed to enhancing all-round development of our students. The University is gratified that we are turning our vision into reality and that our work has gained wide support from various sectors of the society. This publication serves to showcase the achievements of our students under the “SPECIAL” framework which covers different aspects, namely Social, Physical, Psychological, Ethical, Career, Intellectual, Aesthetic Development and Learning. Their stories are truly fine testimony of our concerted efforts in nurturing “preferred graduates” for the community at large. I hope that you will enjoy reading it. I also earnestly look forward to your continued support to PolyU, and to seeing more and more high achievers emerge from the University’s vast pool of students, who will become assets to your company and pillars of our society. Poon Chung-kwong, GBS, PhD, DSc, JP President The Hong Kong Polytechnic University August 2007 2 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Message from Director of Student Affairs It is most rewarding to see our students’ progressing into “preferred graduates”. We proudly present one hundred fine young men and women in this publication. These students have made remarkable achievements over the past year. We congratulate them on their success. It takes the concerted efforts of all the faculty and staff to make the PolyU learning experience a meaningful one. We would like to thank each and every member of the PolyU community for the teaching, guidance, care and support that have inspired our students to achieve excellence in their studies and personal development. We would particularly like to thank our employers, both local and offshore, for their internship opportunities and all our donors for their generous contributions in the form of scholarships and subsidies. The Student Affairs Office (SAO) serves students and facilitates their all-round development. Two-thirds of all the full-time students participated in at least one of our programmes. There are many who joined more than three programmes. Positive student feedback has been received and over 90% of our participants expressed their satisfaction and agreed that the programmes had been helpful. The PolyU Strategic Objective 1.1 demonstrates commitment to develop students’ generic competencies. Students are provided with the opportunity to be leaders as well as good team players; to be creative as well as critical; to enhance employability as well as demonstrate social and national responsibility. SAO has developed a SPECIAL framework which offers a resourceful platform for all-round development outside the classroom and the SPECIAL e-Portfolio enables students to make their achievements visible on-line. This publication, a SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates, records our students’ success stories. It encapsulates our mission and vision and brings together the major strands of our services. May we offer our best wishes to all our new students and hope to read their success stories in our coming editions of this “Star Book”. Dorinda Fung (Mrs.) Director of Student Affairs The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 3 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred The Most Outstanding Student Ka Yu is good at both music and sports My time with PolyU will surely be one of the sweetest memories in my life. Friendships with my schoolmates are the best rewards. We share our laughter and tears together and learn from one another. Every sharing moment with them will last forever in my heart. My experience in the School of Accounting & Finance has been superb and the assistance received from the lecturers has far exceeded my expectations. I have gained tremendously from all the professors who have been teaching and caring for us. As a result of their teaching enthusiasm and guidance, I am determined to be an all-round graduate who is not only conversant with accounting knowledge, but also good at communicating with people. Without their dedication, I would not be able to achieve what I have accomplished so far. During my period of exchange in Birmingham, I gained an eye-opening life experience as well as very dear friendships. Moreover, I obtained a better understanding of the western teaching and learning environment. The Putonghua course in Beijing gave me an excellent opportunity to improve my proficiency in Putonghua. This was extremely useful during my internship at Deloitte and Grant Thornton where I needed to work closely with a wide range of clients from Hong Kong and the Mainland. Living in China also re-ignited my passion for Chinese traditions, values and my cultural roots. My experience in Beijing as a Hong Kong Ambassador helped me explain my mother country to other foreign students. Internships at PWC London and with Deloitte and Grant Thornton in Hong Kong have given me an insight into the real world of chartered accountancy practice. The work was enjoyable, and the experiences were most beneficial to my personal development. I learnt to live on my own without my family and friends around me. This helped to build up my confidence and made me independent and responsible. The Student Affairs Office (SAO) puts a great deal of effort into organising different activities to train and help students to become all-round individuals. Training of the sports teams, the Leadership & Competence for Success Programme (LCSP), the ‘Preferred Graduate’ Development Programme (PGDP) and the Outward Bound Training are just a few examples. I believe that such training and programmes definitely equip us to become “Preferred Graduates”. In future, I aim to improve myself so as to become an all-round professional, not only striving for a high degree of professionalism and a successful career, but also participating more in community events and devoting more time to the betterment of society. Wong Ka Yu BA (Hons) in Accountancy, Year 3 The Most Outstanding PolyU Student of the Year 2006 4 The Most Oustanding PolyU Student The Most Outstanding Student If we are to complete a task, we need knowledge and hard work, but to succeed and excel, we need “determination, courage and perseverance. I realize that when I aspire to achieve my goals, many people around me are spending their valuable time with me and lending me a helping hand selflessly. ” 5 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred The Most Outstanding Student Ka Kuen is also active in community services and extra-curricular activities My road to success has never been smooth. After the HKAL examination, my dream of entering into a degree programme vanished. However, I did not give up my studies. I was admitted into a higher diploma programme and studied hard to attain academic excellence. I was then accepted onto the degree programme and continued to work hard and seize every opportunity to develop myself into a Preferred Graduate of PolyU. During my years in PolyU, I joined an exchange programme with the University of Science and Technology of China and also undertook a research project at Humboldt University in Germany. In June 2004, I was honoured to be invited by the European Physics Society to represent Hong Kong at an international conference in Paris where I was able to exchange ideas with a number of Nobel Prize laureates. All of these activities not only widened my horizons but also provided me with excellent training and valuable experience. Apart from my studies, I have also participated in voluntary work with the Salvation Army and Chain of Charity Movement. During that time, I contributed by leading and helping some problem teenagers. Participating in various activities such as a leadership training camp, complementary studies programmes and voluntary services were an excellent way to make my university life rich and meaningful. And different sports, such as soccer and basketball, have enriched my leisure time. I would like to enhance my knowledge to be a professional. Therefore, I am studying for a postgraduate research degree in PolyU and am undertaking research into an energy problem. I believe I can contribute to society through my work in the future. Leung Ka Kuen PhD Student, Department of Electronic & Information Engineering Graduate, BSc (Hons) in Engineering Physics (2004) and HD in Applied Physics (2002), Department of Applied Physics The Most Outstanding PolyU Student of the Year 2004 6 The Most Oustanding PolyU Student The Most Outstanding Student Education is to cultivate a student to become an all-round person. University is the place to nurture us “ before entering society. PolyU provides not only professional training but also various activities to develop students. ” 7 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred Graduates 2007 SPECIAL Portfolio of Preferred All-Round Student • Chan Hon Yin Couple Charity Trust Scholarship 2006/07 • Brightex Industries Limited Scholarship 2005/06 • Faculty Dean’s Honours List 2005/06 & 2006/07 • 2005/06 Committee Member of International Club • PolyU Student Ambassador 2005-2007 • Volunteer of Buddy Programme for Exchange Students 2005/06 • Leadership Training Award 2004/05 • 2006 Summer Trainee in Giodano Limited • 2005 Summer Trainee