SAO Connect - Issue 1

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Welcome to SAO Connect!

This newsletter aims to keep you informed of the latest news, major student achievements and exciting opportunities from the PolyU Student Affairs Office. We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter and stay connected with us!

PolyU Sports Teams’ Victory in the Inter-Collegiate Competitions

PolyU Sports Teams soared to victory in various sports events in the Inter-Collegiate Competitions organised by The University Sports Federation of Hong Kong China (USFHK). Our Men’s and Women’s Swimming, Men’s Water Polo, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Table Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Squash, Women’s Volleyball and Women’s Basketball Teams have swept the championships in their competitions against other institutions.

The Teams’ remarkable performance once again demonstrates the high standard and teamwork of the PolyU Sports Team. SAO will continue to spare no effort in nurturing student-athletes and supporting them in every way.

We are on the way to defending the overall championship title. Let’s cheer for our Sports Teams in the upcoming Finals to come. Check out the Inter-Collegiate Competitions schedule and results at the SAO website.

18 PolyU Students Awarded Link University Scholarship 2023/24

Eighteen PolyU students, first-generation university entrants, have been awarded the Link University Scholarship 2023/24. The Scholarships recognise outstanding performance in academics and community services, and serve as encouragement on the students’ path to pursuing their dreams. The outstanding PolyU students were presented the scholarship certificate at the Link University Scholarship Presentation Ceremony on 2 March 2024.

Rowing Club Tops Women’s Eight in Xiangshan Rowing Regatta

Hats off to the PolyU SAO Rowing Club, who have proved their capability and strength in year-round competitions. In 2023, the Hengqin Tinmuk Rowing Invitational Regatta saw members of the PolyU SAO Rowing Club competing against 20 high-level rowing teams from 14 institutions, home and abroad, including Tsinghua University, Peking University and Yale University.

SAO, as the hosting unit of the affiliated club, is thrilled that our Women’s Team players demonstrated excellent skills and brought home the gold medal in the Women’s Eight at the Xiangshan Rowing Regatta (Qianshan River), which was one of the Hengqin Tinmuk Rowing Invitational Regatta held in Zhuhai, on 25 November 2023.

One of the oldest and most popular inter-university rowing contests in China, Tinmuk Rowing Invitational Regatta, has its origins dating back to the 19th century. Notably, PolyU is the sole university in Hong Kong to claim a championship in the Regatta this year.

2024 New Year’s Day PolyU Flag-raising Ceremony

The PolyU Student Flag Raising Team performed the flag-raising ceremony on 1 January 2024 to usher in the new year. The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, staff, students and alumni. After intensive training and practice, the Team performed flawlessly.

This year marked the first anniversary of the establishment of the PolyU Student Flag Raising Team, which has trained over 60 students. The Team performed on several significant dates, including New Year’s Day, the Day of Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, National Day and the anniversary of the founding of the University. Their performances are a testament to the professional and intensive training they have received from the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association, Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force, Correctional Services Department and Fire Services Department.

Celebrating PolyU Triumphs at the 2023 Asian Games and World University Games

SAO celebrated the triumphs of PolyU sportsmen at the 2023 Asian Games and World University Games on 6 February 2024, paying tribute to the remarkable achievements of our dedicated PolyU student-athletes, who shone at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Chengdu World University Games 2023. The event provided an opportunity for approximately 40 student-athletes, along with our medallists and senior management, to come together.

The event commenced with a celebratory toast from President, Prof. Jin-Guang Teng; Prof. Ben Young, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs); Prof. Albert Chan, Dean of Students; and four Honorary Managers of sports teams. Throughout the event, our medallists, including Wushu Team student-athlete Sham Hui-yu Lydia, Table Tennis Team student-athlete Lee Hoi-man Karen and Rowing Team student-athlete Cheung Hoi-lam, shared some of the invaluable experiences they gained from the Games.

‘INSPIRE’ Annual Gathering 2023

PolyU’s ‘INSPIRE’ Mentorship Programme Annual Gathering 2023 was held on 12 January 2024 at Hotel ICON. The theme of this year’s gathering was ‘A Journey of Discovery’. About 260 mentors and mentees came together to share interesting discoveries made through their mentoring journeys over the year.

The event kicked off with a celebration toast by PolyU Council and Court members, who were also mentors and senior management. During the sharing session, mentors Mr Andy Wong, Lead of Desktop Support Service, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) and Ms Wendy Man, Senior Human Resources Manager of a media agency, shared their views on how mentorship facilitates mutual learning and intergenerational understanding. Their respective mentees, Ms Corrina Leung Oi-lam and Ms Connie Cheung Man-ying, described their mentorship experience as rewarding and transformative. They credited their mentors' insights, guidance and inspiration for helping them explore diverse career opportunities and broaden their perspectives.

Limitless Festival 2024

In order to develop a more caring and inclusive culture on campus, SAO organised the “Limitless” Festival, an annual signature event for enhancing inclusion awareness on campus, from 1 February to 14 March 2024. The “Limitless Festival” 2024 officially kicked off on 1 February at the Wong Man and Tang Kit Wah Global Student Hub. Nearly 100 students, staff and guests attended the ceremony to support the event. Additionally, a series of activities were organised with support from PolyU departments, non-governmental organisations, social enterprises and student ambassadors to enable PolyU students and colleagues to gain a better understanding of community members with disabilities as well as students with special educational needs (SEN). The wide variety of activities, which included an exhibition, SEN drama, inclusive sports, workshops, a mental health first aid course and sharing sessions, attracted about 500 participants and helped prepare the PolyU community to more fully embrace diversity.

Cultural Night Series 2024

The “Cultural Night Series 2024”, held in Semester Two 2023/24, proved to be a resounding success in promoting cultural diversity and unity on our campus. Over the semester, our South Asian Society, International Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, Qazaq Student Association and Indonesian Student Association each presented signature events celebrating their unique cultural heritages.

Through artistic performances, traditional cuisine and interactive activities, these nights served to facilitate cultural exchange, fostering appreciation for diversity while also bringing local and non-local students closer together. Keep an eye out for our email promoting the upcoming Indonesian Cultural Night on 4 April 2024! Join us for an evening filled with the sights, sounds and flavours of Indonesian culture, concluding the Series on a high note of celebration and recognising the cultural richness of our PolyU community.

Promotion of Students’ Psychological Well-being

Two SAO initiatives are designed to foster a positive campus environment and enhance mental wellness among our students.

Faculty Visits
In December 2023 and January 2024, the Dean of Students Prof. Albert Chan and the Counselling and Wellness Section of SAO paid visits to six Faculties - Business, Construction and Environment, Engineering, Humanities, Health and Social Sciences and Science. Grateful for the support from the participating Faculties, over 85 Faculty members joined the visits. SAO has had fruitful follow-up discussions regarding students’ needs and possible collaborations or support provided for the betterment of our PolyU students. SAO will continue to visit the School of Design, School of Hotel and Tourism Management and School of Fashion and Textiles in April or May.

PolyU Positivity Project
During the Positivity Week between 21 and 28 March 2024, 30 Positive Psychology Ambassadors will work closely with Counsellors to advocate for campus-wide awareness of mental wellness, sharing gratitude and gentleness among peers. Signature activities will include a talk given by an Animal-assisted Therapist, Music Therapy and Photo Therapy workshops, and an exhibition in collaboration with Dustykid and booths organised by Positive Psychology Ambassadors.

Amigos Christmas Ball

The Amigos Christmas Ball, held in December 2023, created a magical ambience, uniting the Amigos community in a spirit of joy, harmony and celebration. More than 130 participants from Amigos gathered to revel in the enchanting atmosphere of the festive season.

The Ball began with a warm welcome from Ms Kelly Lam, Associate Dean of Students, followed by a sharing session where students contributed their experiences participating in Amigos. The enjoyable evening then properly kicked off with a captivating first dance performed by a talented group of students, gracefully gliding across the dance floor to the enchanting melodies of a live band. Another highlight was the Best Cultural Dress-up Award, where participants showcased their creativity by donning traditional attire from various cultures. Suwaree, a Year 1 student, concluded “Amigos is a way for you to connect and get to know more friends from different cultures. I have gained a lot from Amigos!”

Election of Executive Committee of Faculty/School/Department Student Organisations

Election campaigns for the election of 2024/2025 Executive Committee members of Faculty/School/Department student organisations kicked off in January 2024. Undergraduate students engaged in Open Consultation sessions to learn about the year plan of the proposed cabinets. Exceeding the minimum voting requirement of at least one-tenth of the eligible electors, SAO, the Election Secretariat, concluded the campaign period with the announcement that 25 student organisations affiliated with their constituent academic units were successfully elected to office. Their official term of office runs from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

These student organisations, affiliated with their respective faculty, school or department, play a vital role in peer support and student integration, enrichment of campus life and inter-disciplinary collaboration as well as promoting students’ professional advancement with advice from the academic hosting unit and a network of professional bodies.

Watch out for activity publicity materials by following their social media platform on Instagram.

Dialogue with Vice President (Student and Global Affairs)

Prof. Ben Young, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs), together with SAO management representatives, had fruitful discussions with PolyU students on 30 January, 27 February and 21 March 2024. The sessions served as an essential platform for students to express their concerns and share their experiences, while also providing an opportunity for management to engage and address these matters directly.

Through the gatherings, students shared their experiences and raised concerns on various topics, covering on-campus facilities, catering, accommodations, scholarship opportunities, employment and academic studies at PolyU.

SAO Courtesy Visits

SAO believes that courtesy visits to new Deans and Heads provide an opportunity to share important information about SAO and identify areas of collaboration that ultimately benefit students and the University as a whole.

On 6 December 2023, Dean of Students Professor Albert Chan and Associate Dean of Students Dr T.L. Yip visited Ms Liu Maewoon Diana, Director of Alumni Affairs. They had a fruitful discussion on future cooperation, including how to empower students to become valuable alumni and strengthen the role of alumni in supporting current students.

On 18 January 2024, another visit was made to Professor Janelle Yorke, Head of the School of Nursing, led by Professor Chan and Ms Kelly Lam, Associate Dean of Students and Section Head (Student Development). During the meeting, Professor Yorke expressed interest in the need for support to academic staff in assisting students with special educational needs (SEN). She was also pleased to learn about the training workshops SAO regularly conducts to enhance staff understanding and awareness of students with SEN.

Non-Local Student Orientation Info Session

The first major event for non-local freshmen students is the Orientation Info Session, held at the beginning of every semester, where Non-Local Student Services welcome new exchange and four-year non-local students. Providing an opportunity for interaction and sharing of critical information about PolyU and Hong Kong is the overall objective, while also helping students be inspired for their studies and relationship building in a new culture and environment. The welcome, hospitality, and care these new students experience will help shape their expectations as they begin living and learning in Hong Kong!

Exploring Hong Kong Series Events and Excursions

Non-local and local students spent several stimulating weekends and evenings exploring Hong Kong, thus gaining a much deeper understanding of local culture. For example, one evening was spent at a dai pai dong (local food stall) as a follow-up to other Exploring Hong Kong events, all organised by the Non-local Student Services Team. Immersing themselves in the local food stall atmosphere, tasting typical dishes and ordering local drinks using their newly-learned Cantonese, meeting and chatting with schoolmates - what a night filled with fun learning experiences!

Non-Local Student Services Host Family Scheme

The Non-Local Student Services Host Family Scheme is an integral programme where first year Non-Local Students can engage with Hong Kong families connected with the Staff Evangelistic Mission and Research Center for Gerontology and Family Studies. The Scheme allows for students and families to journey together through cross-cultural adjustment and transitions throughout the students' first year at PolyU. Depicted here was our annual Lunar New Year Poon Choi Dinner for Mainland students and host families served to help students integrate into local life!