Since 2000, when local universities set up colleges to offer associate degree courses to meet demand, the students took lessons at university campuses. But most colleges are now building their own facilities, enabling them to take in more students and organise additional programmes.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Community College is the first community college in Hong Kong to introduce its purpose-built campus in Ho Man Tin, which began operating last month. Before the opening, lessons were held at the college's old grounds in Mong Kok.

The university opened in September last year, with a one-year pre-associate degree programme for Form Five graduates and a two-year associate degree programme for Form Seven graduates.

The college consists of four schools offering courses on business administration and tourism management, Chinese medicine and health care, humanities and general education, and information technology and digital design.

The college is on a recruitment drive to hire up to six lecturers and five to six administrative staff to cope with the opening of new programmes and replacements.

The faculty is looking for candidates to teach Chinese medicine, business accounting, information technology and English communication. Under the university's faculties of humanities and information technology, new programmes will feature psychology and games technology.

'Apart from their experience and a strong academic background, our ideal lecturers must excel in communicating with students,' said Albert Leung Wing-nang, acting president for the college and director of the School of Chinese medicine and healthcare.

'Our pupils are not those from the top, their academic results are not that outstanding and they come from different backgrounds. They want to be concerned and feel involved. So we need lecturers capable of counselling and interacting with students and establishing close-knit relationships with them.'

The university provides in-service training for newly recruited lecturers as part of their career development.

'We invite seasoned lecturers from outside to share their experience of teaching in a different environment where some students may stir up trouble in class. The instructors will share some useful classroom management skills in a whole day workshop with participants.'

Professor Leung said it was not easy to hire the right people to teach certain subjects. The college had to find part-time lecturers as an interim measure. 'A good point is that those part-time lecturers usually come from their career-related sector. For example, we have top executives from the hotel industry giving weekly talks.'

He said that hiring qualified teaching staff for Chinese medicine and health-care study in Hong Kong was not easy. Recruitment is also open to mainland talent, who can apply through the college's website.

The university has about 100 staff, including 40 lecturers. It also has a pool of 15 to 20 part-time teaching staff. Professor Leung said the qualifications of its staff were no different from those of any established universities.

Remuneration packages are commensurate with experience. Professor Leung said the pay scale was 'flexible, competitive and comparatively better than those offered by local universities'.

Roll-call

Target to hire six lecturers and six executive staff, including PR managers

Recruitment also open to mainland teachers of Chinese medicine

In-service training for newly employed lecturers to learn communication and classroom management skills

Attractive remuneration package

Reward bonus system considered for the best performance