OAL The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Led by the Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Joseph Sung, a Steering Committee on Internationalisation of Higher Education and Engagement of Mainland China was set up in 2012 to steer the internationalisation strategy of the University. With a comprehensive framework, the University seeks to strengthen its international reputation and portfolio across its core functions and activities, encompassing students' education and learning experience, international research collaboration and exchange, as well as intercultural integration on campus. Funding has been committed for up to three years to support internationalisation initiatives.

In international collaboration, the University has identified 13 overseas institutions in nine countries as its strategic partners with special support for forging alliances in teaching and research. Faculty members are encouraged to enrich their international experience and to actively develop collaborations with their overseas counterparts. Four internationalisation mobility schemes offering leave provision and financial support for research and teaching visits have been established, awarding over 40 outbound and inbound faculty members at about $1.2m in their first round of application. Besides, the University is fostering a culture of international collaboration and exposure among its faculty members by facilitating application of various short-term leaves for engagement in international activities.

In education, the University is always mindful to keep strengthening the international content of its curriculum. To promote greater accessibility to its education programmes, platforms of online open learning such as Coursera have been utilised. The Contemporary China Studies Programme has also been launched in good shape, attracting a good number of international students.

Apart from the formal curriculum, CUHK spares no effort in strengthening the experiential learning experience of its students outside the territory. It is well on track towards its goals to enable 30% of its undergraduate students to engage in term-time exchange and 70% of its students in short-term exchange and internship. Some 3,500 students took part in over 4,000 non-local short-term learning opportunities in 2012-13, while over 1,150 undergraduate students will take part in term-time exchange in 30 countries/regions in 2014-15. The University also sees the greatest number of students participating in the Ministry of Education Interflow Programme among all local higher education institutions.

The promotion of inter-cultural exchange among students as well as collaboration with non-governmental sector to address issues of global/local relevance and significance are also high on the University's internationalisation agenda. Efforts have been expended to forge and support such activities.

The University will continue to strive to strengthen its internationalisation efforts and the international portfolio of its faculty members and students.