Prestige of HKU’s engineering and nursing programmes guarantees career options
HKU provides nursing and engineering students with both theoretical and practical experience.
One reason Jason Ng opted to apply for the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Bachelor of Engineering programme in 2014 was the chance for extracurricular experiential learning.
“I have participated in the Mingde Project, which mobilises volunteers to help design and build schools and community centres in remote rural areas in Guangxi province,” says Ng, now a third year student of civil engineering.
Last year, he was nominated by HKU for a scholarship sponsored by HSBC and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups for a 10-week internship at the Development Bureau, which he later won. His mentor was Hong Kong’s permanent secretary of development, Ir Hon Chi-keung. The internship also included attachments to several government departments.
“The experience enhanced my knowledge and network,” Ng says. “It has also helped me to analyse different infrastructure projects’ objectives.”
Claudius Chan, a third year student of HKU’s Bachelor of Nursing programme, agrees that learning outside the classroom can be really inspiring. “I’ve enjoyed the community healthcare practicum experience where students are accompanied by seasoned nurses and social workers,” Chan says. The experience involved visiting community centres, senior citizens living alone, retirement homes, and workshops for the handicapped. “I saw that nursing goes beyond clinics and hospitals and touches many levels of the community. We also collaborated with other professionals, including social workers and physiotherapists, and learned to develop tailor-made rehabilitation programmes for individual clients. It was great exposure,” he adds.
HKU’s programmes in engineering and nursing are highly popular with JUPAS applicants. For the 2016 academic year, the respective intakes were 443 and 190 students, similar to last year’s numbers, according to Vanessa Li, senior programme manager for the admissions and academic liaison section, registry at HKU. “Students are practical in selecting programmes. They aspire to become professionals,” Li says.