HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today (9 October) joined hands with eleven renowned universities around the globe to form a University Social Responsibility (USR) Network to spearhead USR with impact to make the world a better place.
Serving as a global platform to connect and foster partnership among members, the USR Network shares ideas and resources to develop collaborative USR projects with varied scope and scale, advancing higher education as a catalyst for social change through education, research and community service.
The Honorable Eddie Ng Hak-kim, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government, endorsed the significance of this partnership in the Inauguration Ceremony of the USR Network held today at Hotel ICON. Mr Ng said, "Being the forefront of knowledge, higher education institutions have a principal mission to provide holistic education to students, and to groom them to become educated individuals with self-directed learning ability, a strong sense of social responsibility and commitment to their family and the nation, and responsible global citizens."
Founding members of the USR Network held their first meeting at PolyU yesterday. They agreed to further plan collaboration in research, service learning, and social responsibility related activities, as well as sharing insights and identifying best practices for the continued development of USR.
Speaking at the Inauguration Ceremony, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President, said, "In the face of pressing world issues, universities can better address the challenges by sharing experiences, expertise, information and creativity. After all, global public goods are best realized by concerted global efforts."
Apart from the inauguration of the USR Network, an international seminar was held, with attendance of about 150 delegates from around the world. They exchanged views on topics including "community engagement", "nurturing student leadership", and "education and research strategies for enhancing social responsibility".
Founding Members of the USR Network include leaders from the following universities (in alphabetical order of their country):
Australia
- University of New South Wales
Hong Kong, P.R.C.
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Israel
- University of Haifa
Japan
- Kyoto University
Korea
- Yonsei University
P.R.C.
- Peking University
- Beijing Normal University
- Sichuan University
U.K.
- Clare Hall, University of Cambridge
- The University of Manchester
U.S.A.
- Tufts University
- Washington University in St. Louis
The Network delegates also paid a visit to Aberdeen Technical School, which is one of the partnering secondary schools of PolyU's Service-Learning subjects, to understand the holistic education that PolyU provides to its students.
Prof. Angelina Yuen, PolyU Vice President (Institutional Advancement and Partnership), said PolyU's social responsibility model is unique and trend-setting among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and Asia. The Network is a manifestation of PolyU's commitment in advancing USR, fostering partnership and bringing social change through education, research and community service.
For details of the USR Network, please visit www.usrnetwork.org. Programme rundown of the Inaugurated Ceremony and Seminar is also attached for reference (English version only).
Press contacts:
Ms Winnie Lam
Division Head (Public Affairs)
Communications and Public Affairs Office
Telephone: +852 2766 6377 / 9739 0807
E-mail: winnie.py.lam@polyu.edu.hk
Miss Sara Lai
Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
Communications and Public Affairs Office
Telephone: +852 3400 3245 / 9162 8048
E-mail: sara.sl.lai@polyu.edu.hk
Press release distributed by ResearchSEA on behalf of Hong Kong PolyU.
