profile 理大校長唐偉章: 「服務學習」可加強學生社 … on, students from the...
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12 • 企業雄才 HONG KONG ENTREPRENEURS
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本港8所院校,都有不同的定位和使命,而理大作為一所應用型大學,多門專業
學科都根據社會需要而設立。唐教授強調,不論教授進行何種研究,其研究範圍需包括社會適用的知識,而研究成果亦需應用於社會。
緊貼時代步伐 開辦專業學科 唐教授認為,專業學科需與時並進,理大亦跟隨時代步伐不斷增
設專業學科,如最初為支持香港發展而設立建築、紡織相關學科;後來香港人口增長衍生醫療需求,於是設立醫療相關學科。在商業迅速發展的年代,理大則順應社會發展提供商科、會計等專業學科;而旅遊及酒店學科培育的新血,正成為本港旅遊業的新力軍(見另文)。
理大既迎合社會趨勢培育學生「讀萬卷書」,亦提供「行萬里
理大校長唐偉章:「服務學習」可加強學生社會責任感
為促進學生的全人發展及培育他們成為世界公民,香港理工大學除了提供與時並進的專業學科外,於2012/13年起設立有學分的「服務學習」課程,並將其納入四年制本科課程的必修科。理大校長唐偉章教授表示,此舉是希望學生能夠學以致用,並且從服務社會的過程中,增強社會責任感。
▲ 早前,理大中文及雙語學系的學生遠赴新疆教授孩子英語。 Earlier on, students from the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies traveled to Xinjiang to teach local children English.
▲ 理大校長唐偉章(左)到四川省的映秀小學探望該校師生。
PolyU President Professor Timothy W Tong (left) visited YingXiu Primary School in Sichuan.
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香港理工大學的教學研究酒店「唯港薈」(Hotel ICON)於兩年前開始營運,是全球首間由院校全資擁有、集教學研究及服務功能酒店於一身的場所,以便更全面培訓旅遊及酒店專才,配合本港旅遊業發展。
理大的酒店及旅遊業管理學院於1979年成立,是世界級的酒店及旅遊教育學府。根據國際權威刊物《酒店及旅遊研究學刊》2009年刊登的研究報告指,學院在發表研究文獻數量方面全球排名第二。理大校長唐偉章教授指,也許是「天時、地利、人和」,香港既為亞洲的旅遊中心,理大的酒店及旅遊業管理學院,很快便在香港甚至亞洲建立了領導地位。
專業運作 住客讚賞 為加強培訓業內人才,理大斥資13億元將校址附近的員工宿舍拆卸,重建為一幢集學院、酒店及教職員宿舍的建築物,其中的唯港薈於2011年4 月開始啟用。唐教授認為,香港的旅遊業蓬勃發展,但缺乏人才;「我們希望提供專業培
訓,培育更多專業人士支持旅遊業發展。」他指,唯港薈現時僱用約360位全職職員,提供260間客房,投入運作兩年以來,好評如潮,顧客均指酒店服務優良,模式獨特。
「酒店裡有數個客房可讓教授進行實驗,有部份學生可在酒店實習,甚至工程、商科、會計等學系的學生都可在此實習。」唐教授稱,顧客在酒店內享受的服務是「完全專業的服務」。
唯港薈設計創新,然而令唐教授印象最深刻的,是酒店大堂牆壁上的垂直花園。他說:「植物在牆內栽種,每個季節盛開的花朵都不同,各有特色,住客很喜歡在這裏拍照留念。」這獨特的設計亦吸引不少年青一代前來擺設婚宴。
教研酒店「唯港薈」 全面培訓專才
路」的機會,讓學生擴闊視野,體驗人生。唐教授說,每一位理大學生在畢業前均需修習「服務學習」課程,「無論你讀什麽專業,學校也會要求你運用專業知識,為社會做一件事。」
事實上,為鼓勵學生運用專業知識和技能服務社會,理大早於2004年起已推行「社區服務實踐計劃」,並於去年起將該計劃進一步演變為「服務學習」課程,成為四年制本科學生的必修科。
赴落後地區 助貧民 唐教授稱,理大每年在暑假期間,均會安排學生到內地貧困地區或東南亞落後地區,幫助當地村民改善生活設施。以今年暑假為例,柬埔寨和盧旺達的「服務學習」課
程以「科技無疆界」為主題,參與的學生教導當地小學生和孤兒利用電腦軟件說故事、製作動畫和機械車。學生又為非牟利組織設立電腦室及內聯網,並教導職員利用社交媒體進行宣傳活動。也有學生協助村民自行研製太陽能燈板,讓小孩晚上溫習時用以照明。
另一邊廂,修讀文科的學生則協助農村孩子提升語言能力。早前,理大中文及雙語學系的學生,就遠赴新疆教授孩子英語。唐教授指,學生可透過「服務學習」體驗世界各地的風土人情,了解當地人民需要,從中建立信心,增強社會責任感。
理大校長唐偉章:「服務學習」可加強學生社會責任感
▲ 理大學生在盧旺達為非牟利組織設立電腦室及內聯網,並教導職員使用。 PolyU students set up computer labs and intranet system in non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) of Rwanda and provided training for their staff members.
▲ 「唯港薈」為住客提供260間客房。 "Hotel ICON" provides 260 rooms for
guests.
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PolyU President Timothy W Tong, "Service Learning" Can Strengthen Students' Sense of Social Responsibility.
With an aim of fostering whole person development and encouraging students to become global citizens, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has not only been providing professional programmes that tie in with the development of the economy, but also advocating service learning, which has been incorporated into the 4-year undergraduate curriculum since 2012/2013. PolyU President Professor Timothy W Tong said he hopes the students can put into practice what they have learnt and enhance their confidence and sense of social responsibility through community service.
The eight Hong Kong's publicly funded universities have their own positioning and missions.
PolyU distincts itself as an application-oriented university providing subjects that meet the needs of our society. Professor Tong stressed that faculty members of all disciplines are expected to conduct research that are applicable to society.
Offering professional programmes to tie in with the development of the economy
Professor Tong pointed out that
PolyU has kept offering professional p r og r ammes t o t i e i n w i t h t h e development of the economy. For example, at the initial stage when the technical institute was in place, building and textile-related programmes were provided to support the development of Hong Kong. As the population grew, medical -related courses were launched to cope with the demand for medical services. In line with the subsequent growth in economic activities, PolyU has then launched commerce and accounting programmes. The recent development in hotel and tourism
management education is meant to provide talents for the tourism industry. (See box).
Apart from encouraging students to read more, PolyU also provides opportunities for students to travel a far with the purpose of broadening their perspectives and enrich their life experiences. Professor Tong added that each PolyU student is required to take a service learning subject before graduation, "no matter which professional programmes they pursue, all of them are required to make use of
▲ 理大校長唐偉章(前排中)說,每一位理大學生在畢業前均需修讀「服務學習」課程。 PolyU President Professor Timothy W Tong (centre, front row) said each PolyU student should take a service learning subject before graduation.
企業雄才 HONG KONG ENTREPRENEURS • 15
their expertise to serve the community."
Since 2004, PolyU had run a non-credit-bearing "Community Service Learning Programme" to encourage its students to serve the community with their professional knowledge and skills. In 2012/2013, PolyU has formally incorporated service learning into its 4-year undergraduate curriculum.
Serving the poverty-stricken areasProfessor Tong said that every
year PolyU makes arrangement for students to go to the poverty-stricken areas in the Chinese mainland or in
rural areas in South East Asia and help improve the living condition there. This summer, a group of students took part in a service learning subject in Cambodia and Rwanda with the theme "Technology without Boundary". They taught local primary school children and orphans on how to use software for digi ta l storytel l ing, animat ion programming and making robotic cars. They also helped set up computer labs and intranet system for the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and trained their staff to use social media for publicity purposes. Some students helped develop solar panels
to provide lighting for children to study at nighttime.
In addition, PolyU students in arts stream have helped local residents improve their language capabilities. Earlier on, students from Department of Chinese and Bi l ingual Studies traveled to Xinjiang teaching local children English. Professor Tong said students can experience different cu l t u res and commun i t y needs around the world through the service learning programme, and as a result, their confidence and sense of social responsibility can be strengthened.
"Hotel ICON" nurtures expertise by teaching and researchTwo years ago, PolyU launched
its own teaching and research hotel —"Hotel ICON". Wholly owned by PolyU, Hotel ICON, apart f rom providing services, also performs teaching and research funct ions wi th a v iew to nurturing talents for the hotel and tourism industry.
Established in 1979, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) in PolyU is a world renowned provider of hospitality and tourism education. It was ranked No. 2 internationally among hotel and tourism schools based on research and scholarship, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research in November 2009. Professor Timothy W Tong said with Hong Kong as the tourism centre in Asia, SHTM has quickly established its leading position in Hong Kong, or even in Asia.
Much praises for its professional quality of services
In order to nurture talents for the hotel and tour ism industry, PolyU invested $1,300 million to re-develop its former staff quarters into a complex with a teaching and research hotel, a
school and a staff quarters. Hotel ICON commenced services in April 2011. Professor Tong said that the tourism industry in Hong Kong is prospering and yet it does not have enough manpower to support its development. "We hope to nurture more talents to support the tourism industry through the provision of professional education." He said Hotel ICON now employs about 360 full-time staff and provides 260 rooms for guests. In the last two years of operation, Hotel ICON has won much praise for i ts unique style and excellent service.
"Several rooms in Hotel ICON are available for faculty members to conduct research, while students from
various faculties including engineering, business, accounting can take up internship here." Professor Tong pointed out the hotel guests are indeed enjoying "completely professional services".
The des ign o f Ho te l ICON is innovative and what impresses Professor Tong most is the vertical garden at the lobby. "The plants are grown inside the wall and we can enjoy different types of flowers in full bloom throughout the year. Many guests would like to take photos here," he said. The unique vertical garden has also attracted the young generation to have their wedding banquet here.
▲ 理大致力為酒店及旅遊業培訓專才。 PolyU seeks to groom professional manpower for the hotel and tourism industry.