WUN Conference and Annual General Meeting 2014

The annual WUN Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held in Cape Town, South Africa during 31 March–3 April 2014. The Conference featured a series of group meetings, plenary sessions and a Presidents' Forum. Recognising the event being convened for the first time in the African continent and the importance of engaging the Global South in international higher education and research, a number of heads and representatives from African institutions and organisations took part in the event, including the University of Pretoria, University of Dar es Ssalaam, the South African Medical Research Council, and the ICSU Regional Office for Africa.

Representing CUHK in the Conference included Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Sian Griffiths, Special Adviser (International Academic Development); Prof. Fok Tai-fai, Pro-Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Lawal Marafa, Department of Geography and Resource Management; and Ms. Shally Fan, Director of Academic Links. In addition, Prof. Sian Griffiths and Prof. Roger Chung from the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, took part in the Joint Public Health/Responding to Climate Change Global Challenge Conference held immediately before the Conference.

The next WUN Conference and AGM will be hosted by CUHK in Hong Kong during 27–30 April 2015. In connection with the annual conference, CUHK will also play host to a number of Global Challenges conferences, under the themes Public Health and Understanding Cultures (on "Global Digital Cultures").

Research Mobility Programmes

Outgoing Visit by CUHK Faculty
Prof. Lawal Marafa from the Department of Geography and Resource Management received an award from the University's International Partnerships Development Programme to visit the University of Cape Town (UCT) from 31 March to 5 April 2014 for the purpose of building research collaborations on Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, sustainable forest management, and climate change adaption. Prof. Marafa was hosted by Prof. Mark New, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Director of the African Climate Development Initiative at UCT.

Launched in 2014, the International Partnerships Development Programme promotes the development of partnerships by supporting CUHK faculty members to undertake visits of up to seven days at a selected group of institutions. Two of the WUN member universities, UCT and the University of Sydney, are included in the Programme. To learn more about the Programme, please click HERE.

Incoming Visit by WUN Member
Dr. Tuck Seng Wong, Lecturer from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Sheffield (Sheffield), received a WUN Research Mobility Award from Sheffield to visit CUHK from 29 June to 19 July 2014. He will be hosted by Prof. Zheng Bo from the Department of Chemistry. If any CUHK faculty member is interested in meeting with Dr. Wong, please contact Ms. Yvonne Heung at yvonneheung@cuhk.edu.hk.

Results of the Global Scholarship Programme for Research Excellence and PhD Student Exchange Programmes for 2014–15
The vetting of applications for the Global Scholarship Programme for Research Excellence and PhD Student Exchange Programmes for 2014–15 has completed. Nine PhD students from CUHK were selected to receive an award for undertaking short-term research attachments at WUN member universities, including the Pennsylvania State University, University of Bristol, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, and the University of Sydney. Four PhD students from Universities of Auckland, Bristol, Leeds and Rochester were selected for an award to undertake visits of one to three months at CUHK.

Visits from WUN member universities

CUHK received the following visitors from WUN member universities between 22 February and 27 April 2014:

For more information on WUN and collaboration opportunities for WUN member universities, please refer to the CUHK@WUN website or contact the CUHK WUN Coordinator:

Ms. Shally Fan, Director of Academic Links, Office of Academic Links
Tel: +852 3943 7586, Email: shallyfan@cuhk.edu.hk