Shared Memories

Hello, I am Eric Cheung Chun-lam, a graduate in Applied Science (Energy and Environment) in 2014. In Year 3 of my university studies, I founded a social enterprise called Run 2 Tree Studio to devise such food waste upcycling solutions as natural dyes and upcycled soaps. Not only has the OUHK provided me with the freedom to experiment, my interaction with the professors was not limited to classroom learning. They offered me much support for my research on upcycling technology, facilitating its practical application today. In recent years, the University has set up a start-up support scheme called Open InnoChallenge, so that students can benefit from more comprehensive backing and guidance in terms of seed money and training. I hope more fellow graduates will join me in helping OUHK students to break new ground.

Alumni：Eric CHEUNG Chun Lam (Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (Energy and Environment) 2014)

Hi, everybody! My name is Cheung Pak-shun. I graduated from the OUHK with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) degree in 2010. I then furthered my studies to obtain a Master’s degree and became a registered social worker. I now work for Cheer Lutheran Centre, offering drug abuse counselling service. Fond memories from my OUHK years — of taking part in singing contests and practising in the band room whenever possible — still linger vividly in my mind. There were just Blocks A and B on campus back then, and the band room was tiny, but everyone in the band was of one mind. There we practised for performances big and small, building friendships through music … Today, the band room has been relocated and expanded, and I’m using music interventions to help drug abusers cultivate positive interests and lead new lives. Thank you, OU! Thank you, OU band room!

Alumni：CHEUNG Pak Shun (Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours 2010)

While studying at the OUHK, I was an active participant in campus activities, and I would use the university as a platform to promote social change.

In Year 2, I held positions at a student society and the Students’ Union Council. Together with the Sports Association, I put forward to the University management a series of suggestions for upgrading sports and recreational facilities and ways of strengthening ties with other tertiary institutions. We managed to get a positive response and were invited to meetings with various stakeholders. I am thrilled to have witnessed in recent years significant progress in sports at the University and students’ participation in intercollegiate competitions.

From Year 3 onwards, I joined Enactus to explore business solutions to social problems. I am grateful to the Business School professors for their guidance, particularly in understanding the market and using analytical tools. My team finally got to put theory to practice and even went on to represent Hong Kong in a national social innovation competition.

After graduation, I started my own social innovation business with the aim of improving the lives of disabled people through technology. Oftentimes I encountered tricky issues and sought help from the Computing professors, who were always ready to lend a hand. Apart from providing useful advice, they have also referred OUHK students to intern at my company.

Alumni：Michael FUNG Kwong Chiu (Right) (Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Computing 2015)

How time flies! Although it has been almost a year since my graduation, I still miss my days as a student — I was on the BA (Hons) in Language Studies and Translation programme at the OUHK from 2014 to 2018. What impressed me most during those four years was the supervision and nurturing of my teachers, whom I feel most indebted to. They were happy to advise students even after class; thanks to them I came to realize how success is determined by attitude and became bolder in my attempts. Apart from poring over translation theories and honing skills, I was fortunate to have been given internship opportunities at the Legislative Council and in Shanghai. Through these experiences and numerous activities on OUHK campus, I got to know students of different nationalities, from different Schools and Departments, some of whom have become close friends. I have also grown as a person and expanded my knowledge. Most memorable times indeed!

Alumni：Gurinder Deep KAUR (Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Language Studies and Translation 2018)

In 2014, I graduated from the OUHK with a Bachelor of Business Administration in China Business degree. Casting my mind back to my days as a student, I still recall how friendly and knowledgeable teachers answered our queries with patience. The well-equipped campus also provided a comfortable environment where my classmates and I plugged away at our studies. Since my graduation, the OUHK campus has been expanded with additional academic buildings and fitness facilities, enhancing campus life for students.

I joined the police force one year after graduation. With the knowledge gained from my university education, I have managed to handle work cases with ease. For example, I have been able to empathize with informants’ needs and project a professional image when serving the general public.

Alumni：LAU Yuen Keung (Bachelor of Business Administration in China Business 2014 and Certificate in Law Enforcement and Security Management 2015)

For a seed that has fallen into a cliff crevice, life hinges on every single drop of rain or dew. Looking back on my four years of studies at the OUHK, I can’t help but feel grateful for the ‘rain and dew’ that my alma mater sent down along the way.

Soon after my admission, which coincided with the sliver jubilee of the University, I felt privileged to be a student ambassador. I had the memorable experience of witnessing the organization of a large-scale celebratory event, receiving VIPs, and helping out with setting up the venue and preparing the speeches.

Of those four years, the experience of going for internships in Turkey and Singapore on my own left the deepest impression on me. At first I was overcome with nervous jitters, having only one month to sort out everything from application and interviews to making transport and accommodation arrangements. Thankfully I had the recommendations of my teachers and the Student Affairs Office. Coupled with their patient guidance, I was able to enjoy a fruitful journey.

To a young student like me, such ‘rain and dew’ has proven even more nurturing than fertile soil. All the opportunities and support given by my alma mater emboldened me in the face of challenges, making my university experience doubly wonderful.

Alumni：Ken MAU Tze Hang (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Language and Translation 2017)

As a nurse, I enrolled in the nursing degree programme at the Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong (OLI) for self-enhancement 24 years ago. Back then it dawned on me that the knowledge I possessed was no longer up to the increasingly daunting tasks in the hospital. During my studies, I was happy to witness the OLI’s further development – relocating to Ho Man Tin and then attaining university status. It was such a pleasure to see my alma mater so well-established when I graduated in 2000!

The most memorable moments I had were the exam seasons. Every night, after tucking my two daughters in, my husband — who was also an OUHK student then — and I would go burn the midnight oil in a study room. My efforts did pay off: what I learnt from the programme has indeed helped to sharpen my organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills. My experience has also encouraged many colleagues to further their studies. Everyone became convinced that a degree programme would be beneficial to their work.

Alumni：NG Chun Yuen (Bachelor of Nursing with Honours 2000)

To practice what one has learned is best.

The Great Learning of our time shall exalt the highest moral principles, to endeavor and strive for knowledge, to teach and to develop humanness. 30 years have passed, years of blistering sunburn and autumn frost; the world, its bonding with people and knowledge we knew, will never be the same again. It is not the knowledge that is difficult – putting into practice is difficult. Therefore, be meticulous with personal cultivation, as cultivation shall be perpetual. From dawn till dusk, without laxity, we cheer for each other when nippy wind breezes our way forward. It is only in winter that the pine and cypress are known to be evergreen, and at the age of 30, we have planted our feet firmly upon the ground. It takes ten years to grow a tree; to rear people, it is but a deed of a lifetime.

Alumni：WONG Tsz (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Language and Translation 2009)

Happy Birthday to the Open University of Hong Kong turning 30!

The OUHK and I have seemed to be somewhat linked by destiny. Several years ago I failed to get a place from the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) after matriculation. I was considering going to Taiwan for tertiary studies when I received the surprising news that the OUHK had accepted me during the second round of admission. Since then I have developed inseparable ties with the OUHK. During my four years of studies here, I was fortunate enough to find guiding spirits in my teachers and kindred spirits in my fellow students. Not only that, I also had the opportunities to represent the University in intercollegiate competitions and to go abroad on an exchange programme. Surely, everything I learnt and experienced in the process will have a lifelong impact on me.

Originally I had thought of pursuing further studies after graduation from the OUHK, but fortuitously I became one of its staff members. This allowed me to develop my career and serve my alma mater at the same time.

The OUHK has provided me with numerous opportunities to develop my strengths and potential. I am most honoured to be part of the OUHK family. Let me express my gratitude here and I hope the OUHK will go from strength to strength in the future.

Alumni：Thomas CHAN Tak Tsun (Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Politics and Public Administration 2017)

Happy Birthday to the Open University of Hong Kong turning 30!

Talking about the ‘five things in university life’ (studies, hall life, running a student society, working part-time and dating), the first thing that springs to mind is definitely the memories of serving on the committee of a student society. I am glad I grabbed the opportunity to do so during my days at the OUHK. When I joined the OUHK, all I thought was that it would be great fun to hang out with like-minded friends and organize activities together, so I called a few pals to form a group quite light-heartedly. But it turned out that the whole thing was not as easy as I had imagined — it took us several nights of working into the wee hours to prepare for the consultation session prior to the executive committee election. Despite the hard work, nobody complained. We soldiered on energetically, enjoying the friendship we built while working closely together. Apart from having fun with fellow teammates, I learnt a lot from organizing activities, such as how to handle different opinions, keep tabs on activity spending, formulate promotional strategies and develop activities for members. In addition to serving as chair of the Student Language and Translation Society, I also worked for the Students’ Union Council. Finding the SU constitution quite outdated, I joined the Constitution Review Committee to enhance the structure of student bodies and had the invaluable opportunity to interact with the University’s staff members.

I’m really grateful to the OUHK for giving me a chance to experience the ‘five things in university life’. I hope the next 30 years will be even more amazing for the OUHK!

Alumni：Gloria LI Lok Man (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Language Studies and Translation 2017)

Time has flown — it is already the 30th anniversary of the OUHK. Happy Anniversary! I graduated from the OUHK as a mature student in 2010. I completed the double degree programme (Bachelor of Education with Honours [English Strand] and Bachelor of English Language Studies with Honours).

Eight and a half years later and I am now an Assistant Professor at the University of Bath. I remember fondly the days I spent at OUHK. I had a great group of classmates; we studied together and most importantly, ate together. I remember talking for hours in the canteen over a bowl of beef brisket noodles with my friend Ms Gladys Luk; and then running over the road in the rain for our lectures in the building on Fat Kwong Street. It was great fun. We had great teachers too; Dr Yvonne Fung made sure we only produced our best work, and Dr Thomas Tang always made us laugh! But it is the words of Dr Eden Li that I still carry with me to this day; ‘Samantha, if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything’; an uplifting comment that I use with my students to inspire them the way he inspired me.

Alumni：Samantha M CURLE (Bachelor of Education with Honours (English Strand) and Bachelor of Language Studies (English) with Honours 2010)

In my four-year life as an undergraduate at the OUHK, the University gave me two valuable outbound opportunities to Europe. The second European exposure means a lot to me because I saw it as my graduation trip; it symbolized my goodbyes to OUHK teachers and friends. After days of sightseeing (and shopping) in London, we met up with our teachers from the School of Arts and Social Sciences and flew to Sibiu, Romania. Sibiu is not the most popular destination to most tourists, but it is definitely the best spot for people who look for a cultural milieu. We settled in a dormitory of a local university in a tranquil small town where everyone was very excited about their most important annual festival — the Sibiu International Theatre Festival. Thanks to our professor, not only did we get free tickets to the best-selling show, Faust, but we also managed to watch it from a vantage point when in the middle of the play, the stage opened up to reveal the backstage. The discussions with our teachers afterwards also got us to think more about the symbolisms behind the show and ignited our interest in exploring plays and dramas.

During our stay in Sibiu, we joined a local tour to a nearby town, Brasov, and had an expedition to Bran Castle, which is known for being the inspiration for Dracula. We took many good pictures around the Castle and had a relaxing stroll through the streets in Brasov.

Towards the end of the trip, we had the chance to meet a student from a local university who was studying Cultural Management. It was such an eye-opening experience listening to her sharing about becoming a ‘Cultural Manager’. We admired how cultural preservation and innovation had enlivened this place and began to re-think the position and role of the same in our own city.

Although it has been almost two years since we set foot in Sibiu, Romania, the colours of the skies, the taste of berry juice, the laughs of my friends and the scenes of the plays are still vividly resonating in my heart. Thanks to the OUHK again for providing this perfect full stop to my undergraduate life!

Alumni：Sophia YAU Sau Tsz (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Language Studies and Translation 2017)

Below is part of the student’s speech for bidding farewell to Dr Samuel, our Tutor of MGT B820 on 2018-05-06:
*****
In B820, Samuel brings us to the “Strategy” oceans, and he is our lighthouse. With his directions, we are confident we would have the lifebuoys and lifeboats before drown in the last minute.

Samuel takes us to the universes of Strategy, from Earth to Mars and even to Venus, but sometimes we have to manage our return trips.

Samuel knows he won’t stay with us forever after the course. Therefore he is keen to train us up to be qualified strategists. From time to time, he drives us to stay focused and not to be lazy.

We would soon depart to business world on our own and would soon understand that “Strategy” is indeed a profound discipline. Those unforgettable and tortured TMAs (tutor-marked assignments) would eventually become our sources of capabilities in the competitive business world!
*****
p.s. We would also like to thank our Course Coordinator, Dr. H.T. CHAN

Student：All MGT B820 Strategy Class students (2017-2018)

We had a wonderful time at The University of Queensland for the Global Immersion Programme this year. The trip was rewarding and fulfilling. We visited some top companies in Brisbane and, most importantly we hugged the Koala!!!

Student：Yuan ZHANG (Master of Corporate Governance)

The HKICPA QP Case Analysis competition was an experiential journey. With the guidance of our professors, we were enriched with knowledge beyond what was provided in our classes. The final round, though challenging, taught us the importance of team work and efficient communication. Our determination and perseverance also helped us through challenging times. We soon realised that the challenges during the competition prepared us for the corporate world. We were also endowed with valuable internship opportunities at the Big 4. Our internships showed us the reality of working and gave us a taste of the business work life. The case competition and internship are fruitful and unforgettable learning experiences. We would like to thank OUHK and the professors for supporting us, we also hope to inspire OU students to strive in future competitions. THANK YOU, OUHK!

Student：CASINO Abigail H. (BBA Hons in Global Business and Marketing)

In Autumn 2018, I had the chance to participate in the Second Computational Finance Competition organized by Global eSolutions and the IEEE Computational Intelligence Chapter of Hong Kong. Our team managed to win the Champion of Best Overall Return and First Runner-Up in Risk Adjusted Return. Throughout the competition I had great support from my professors, and also had the chance to learn a lot about realistic Programming, Finance and Algo trading strategies employed in Hong Kong.

Student：CHAN Ching Hsiang (Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Finance)

好開心可以憑FYP「一毛所有」入圍2018年金馬獎，仲有機會去到台北參與頒獎典禮，同好多影視藝術界嘅朋友交流，實在係一個好難忘的經驗同回憶！！

校友：陳冠聰、鄭思藴、王子妍 (2018年畢業)

(Chinese version only)

入左OU之後，我參加左大學嘅義工隊，唔單止服務到有需要的人，仲識左好多志同道合嘅朋友，令我嘅大學生活更加豐富同有意義。我地除左會舉辦大大小小嘅義工活動，每年仲會有領袖訓練營，提升義工隊員嘅團隊合作、溝通、策劃義工活動嘅技巧同能力。

學生：鍾詠琳 (護理學榮譽學士(普通科))

(Chinese version only)