While some of Hong Kong's best-known universities have spent years preparing for the launch of the four-year first-degree programmes in the 2012-2013 academic year, preparations at Chu Hai College of Higher Education have been much more low key. That's because the institution has operated a four-year curriculum since its 1947 inception.
Lin Ching-kit, a spokeswoman for the college, says Chu Hai must only make minor adjustments to meet the objectives of the new 3-3-4 academic structure. She says that during a review of its curriculum several years ago, the college realised the general direction that Hong Kong's education reform was taking and, as a result, focused on the existing four-year academic structure instead.
Lin says the college immediately strengthened General Education (GE) in its overall curriculum. 'We sensed the need to change, and, hence, we immediately made appropriate changes. We made changes not only to fit the new 3-3-4 requirements, but also because it was the right thing to do,' she adds.
Doing what was most needed prompted the college to improve its 'hardware' before expanding its 'software' offerings. After many years of fighting to have land granted by the government, its wish finally came true in 2009 when it was allocated a 1.6-hectare plot of land for a new campus, designed by 'starchitect' Rem Koolhaas. The site, in Castle Peak Bay, Tuen Mun, is expected to be completed in 2013.
'With the new campus we will be better equipped to further develop our long-standing four-year academic structure and advance many other school development plans,' Lin says. 'We are a bit disappointed that [due to delays in construction] we can't move into the new campus [in 2012] in time for the new 3-3-4 era. The new campus will be much larger than the existing campus [in Tsuen Wan], and will include both indoor and outdoor spaces,' adds Lin.
On completion of the first stage of the campus, Chu Hai will have at least three times more space than at its Tsuen Wan site.