Higher Education News from the Collegiate Way

New Colleges at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Posted by R. J. O’Hara for the Collegiate Way

2 June 2007 (collegiateway.org) — A press release from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, issued 22 May 2007, brings excellent news: two new residential colleges will be added to the existing collegiate system at CUHK. “The mission of the new Colleges is to foster an intimate and collegial community where students and academic staff learn, share and grow intellectually; to provide an environment for congenial college life and learning for students; to provide pastoral care and whole-person education including general education for students; to broaden and to internationalize the students’ perspective through college formal and non-formal education programmes and overseas exchange.” You couldn’t find a better description of the role of a residential college than that. It sounds like CUHK understands the international residential college movement and could serve as an example for other Asian universities studying the collegiate model.

CUHK to Establish Two New Colleges — C.W. Chu College and Wu Yee Sun College

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is pleased to announce that its Council today approved the acceptance of major pledges totally HK$270 million for the establishment of two new colleges. They are respectively C.W. Chu College and Wu Yee Sun College.

CUHK reaffirmed its commitment to further develop and strengthen the college system in its 10-year Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the Council in January 2006. To cater for about 3,000 more undergraduates upon reversion to a four-year curriculum in 2012, more colleges have to be built. The Council has also approved a set of guidelines for establishing new colleges of small and medium size so that students will have more choice. The University took the view that relatively small colleges would be more conducive to intimate interaction among students and staff, and capable of providing an environment for whole-person education and pastoral care.

CUHK is pleased that benefactors committed to quality higher education share the University’s vision, and have offered donations to help bring these plans to reality. In May 2006, the University Council approved the acceptance of donations from the Morningside Foundation and Morningside Education Foundation, and the S.H. Ho Foundation for the establishment of Morningside College and S.H. Ho College respectively. Morningside College will cater for 300 students while S.H. Ho College will cater for 600 students. Both Colleges will adopt a fully residential and communal dining model.

Today the University Council is pleased to announce plans towards the establishment of two additional new Colleges:

• Mr. Peter Yip has pledged an initial donation of HK$100 million for the establishment of C.W. Chu College, which will cater for 300 students on a fully residential and communal dining basis.

• Wu Yee Sun Charitable Foundation Ltd. has pledged HK$170 million for the establishment of Wu Yee Sun College, which will be able to accommodate 600 residential students and in addition up to another 600 commuters.

Mission of the Colleges

The mission of the new Colleges is to foster an intimate and collegial community where students and academic staff learn, share and grow intellectually; to provide an environment for congenial college life and learning for students; to provide pastoral care and whole-person education including general education for students; to broaden and to internationalize the students’ perspective through college formal and non-formal education programmes and overseas exchange. Both Colleges will seek to cultivate among students a commitment to personal responsibility and integrity, as well as the spirit of self-help and helping others, which will lay the foundation for making contributions to society, nurturing of talents for the nation and enriching students’ lives.

Professor Lawrence J. Lau, the Vice-Chancellor, said “The Chinese University of Hong Kong takes great pride in its college system, which with its intimate environment for interaction and learning has contributed in very significant ways to the quality of the students through general education and non-formal learning. It is most gratifying for the Chinese University of Hong Kong to receive such strong support from the community for the enhancement and strengthening of its unique college system. I am very encouraged by the overwhelming support, and wish to express the University’s gratitude to Mr. Peter Yip and Wu Yee Sun Charitable Foundation Ltd. for their munificent pledges. With the decision today to establish two additional new Colleges, the University has taken another major step towards its goal of fully accommodating the expected increase in our undergraduate enrolment in 2012. Together with the existing colleges, there will be a spectrum of choice for students to select the type of experience that they prefer.”

Mr. Peter Yip, founder of CDC Corporation, was among the more than 700 scholarship recipients supported by the late Dr. Chu Ching-wen. Mr. Yip said that “All of us who in our youth have benefited from the generosity of Dr. Chu are eternally grateful not only for the monetary support he gave, but more importantly for his mentorship and the selfless example that he has shown. I hope that many will join me in contributing to his memory, in the most fitting way—by helping to establish a college that will advance the cause of higher education for China, a cause so dear to his heart.”

Mr. David Chu, the eldest son of Dr. Chu Ching-wen, and the Chairman of C.W. Chu Foundation Ltd. said, “I am very pleased that the Scholars are following my father’s footsteps in contributing to the cause of higher education. My family is also honoured that The Chinese University of Hong Kong will name a College after my father.”

Founder of Wing Lung Bank Limited, Dr. Wu Yee Sun was a philanthropist who gave generously to education and charitable work in the community. His motto was “Adversity breeds greatness,” and Wing Lung Bank has continued to thrive following his vision of “Progress with prudence and service with integrity.” Dr. Wu Yee Sun and his family and the Wu Yee Sun Charitable Foundation have been staunch supporters of The Chinese University of Hong Kong since the early 1970s. His son Mr. Albert P.C. Wu is a distinguished alumnus of the Chung Chi College of the University. Dr. Michael P.K. Wu, Director of the Wu Yee Sun Charitable Foundation said, “Our late father Dr. Wu Yee Sun never finished school because the family was poor; he felt keenly the vital importance of education in molding personal growth. Therefore he put a lot of effort into education, supporting primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. We are delighted that through establishing Wu Yee Sun College, we would help to cultivate among students a commitment to integrity as well as personal and social responsibility which will lay the foundation for making contributions to society and an enriching life ahead.”

Looking ahead

CUHK cherishes its college system and the vital roles played by the existing colleges. With the new development, the level of resources for the existing colleges will remain unchanged, and the existing colleges will not be under any pressure to admit more students. The establishment of new Colleges is part of the long-term strategy of the University, an important milestone in the University’s development and testimony to the importance placed on the college system. The University has established a task force to coordinate among the colleges and the University, so that all parties will be able to work together most effectively for the benefit of students.

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