Advanced special effects and digital technology used in Hollywood may soon be taught in Hong Kong. City University announced yesterday that a School of Creative Media - the first such institute in Hong Kong - would be set up in the new academic year. It would draw on expertise from the School of Cinema and Television at the University of Southern California, which has taught more than 50 Academy Award winners, including Star Wars director George Lucas. Three consultants from the US university, including the associate dean for academic affairs, Professor Richard Jewell, have arrived to help prepare the programme. City University President Professor Chang Hsin-kang said it would help secure Hong Kong's position as a competitive base for the film and television industry. 'It will help build up the industry's ability to adopt new technologies and to continue to produce high quality, commercially viable output,' he said. 'Not only will the film and television industry benefit, but also other educational and multi-media industries.' He said the school would launch a Higher Diploma in Media Technology in September, with an initial intake of about 40 students. A bachelor's degree would follow next year and the number of students in the school would grow to 500 in five to six years. Professor Chang said the appeals committee on medium of instruction, which he heads, would meet again today and tomorrow to finalise appeals by 20 schools that have demanded they be allowed to teach in English. He said a report would be ready this week and submitted to the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Joseph Wong Wing-ping. He said schools would be informed of the results by the Education Department.
