The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has received a generous donation of HK$3 million from Tin Ka Ping Foundation (the Foundation) in celebration of the 100th birthday of Dr Tin Ka-ping, Founder of the Foundation. The donation is being used to support the research project titled ‘2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (the 2018 Report Card)’ and ‘I·CARE Achievers Programme (the Programme)’ to provide opportunities for students to experience whole-person development.
In appreciation of the generosity of Dr Tin Ka-ping and the Foundation, a sharing session was held yesterday (22 March) at CUHK. Mr Tin Hing-sin, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation, Mr Tai Hay-lap, Vice Chairman of the Board, Mr Tin Wing-sin and Professor Kenneth Young, Directors of the Foundation, Professor Rocky S Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Professor Alvin Leung, Dean of Education of CUHK and Professor Joseph Sung, Co-Chairman of the Steering Committee for Promoting Personal Development through Social and Civic Engagement attended this happy occasion. Professor Stephen Wong, Chairman of Department of Sports Science and Physical Education and Ms Irene Ng, Director of the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development introduced the two projects supported by the donation. Students who have actively participated in the various activities held by the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development also spoke about what they had learned and what had inspired them.
In his welcoming speech, Professor Rocky Tuan expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards Dr Tin Ka-ping and the Foundation for their staunch support over the years. He said, ‘Dr Tin and the Foundation have always been committed to supporting the development of education as well as cultivating young leaders of tomorrow in China and Hong Kong. CUHK will continue to partner closely with the Foundation in advancing the betterment of society.’ He advised students to take Dr Tin as their role model for his integrity and benevolence, and to dedicate themselves to serving society.
2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
An interdisciplinary research team, led by Professor Stephen Wong, Chairman of the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education of CUHK, has conducted Hong Kong’s first comprehensive and systematic analysis on physical activity in children and youth. Following a standardised protocol, the team released the first Active Healthy Kids Hong Kong Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (the Hong Kong Report Card) (activehealthykidshongkong.com.hk/) in 2016. Nine indicators including ‘Overall Physical Activity Levels’, ‘Organised Sport Participation’, ‘Active Play’, ‘Active Transportation’, ‘Sedentary Behaviours’, ‘Family’, ‘School’, ‘Community and the Built Environment’, and ‘Government Strategies and Investments’ were assigned letter grades based on predefined benchmarks. Widespread media coverage has been received since then. The Hong Kong Report Card continues to play an important role in promoting health in children and youth, pinpointing the roles of schools and family in physical activity promotion, and serving as a policy driver in the long run. Riding on the success of the 2016 Hong Kong Report Card, three new indicators, namely ‘Physical Fitness’, ‘Sleep’, and ‘Obesity’ are included in the 2018 exercise. The results of the 2018 Hong Kong Report Card will be released, together with the findings from over 50 countries and regions, at an international conference in Australia (www.movementtomove.com.au/) later this year. The team expects that specific strategies will be developed to address the challenges of insufficient physical activity for local children and youth through cross-regional comparisons.
I·CARE Achievers Programme
With the aim of motivating students to take solid action in pursuit of whole-person development, the I·CARE Centre for Whole-person Development will launch a three-year ‘I·CARE Achievers Programme’ (the Programme) requiring students to complete a number of stipulated tasks which will help them attain overall quality and finer attributes in five of the traditional Chinese virtues: integrity (德), intellect (智), physique (體), relationship (群) and aesthetics (美). When tasks have been accomplished at certain levels, the participants will be awarded corresponding I·CARE Achiever titles of Grand, Platinum, Gold and Cadet, allowing them to monitor and modify their learning progress in a systematic way. A number of prominent figures have been invited to support the Programme as advisors and mentors to contribute their wisdom, expertise and experience. Donors and all advisors of the Programme will be invited to receive Honorary I·CARE Fellowships from the University. In the long run, an I·CARE Honour Society in which all Honorary I·CARE Fellows and Grand I·CARE Achievers can congregate will be formed to promote public welfare and whole-person development and advocate good causes.
Projects in Celebration of Dr Tin Ka-ping's 100th Birthday
In celebration of the 100th birthday of its Founder, Dr Tin Ka-ping, the Tin Ka Ping Foundation has donated HK$3 million to each of the nine local universities to support student development. As a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr Tin has devoted himself wholeheartedly to community services over decades, especially in advancing the cause of education. In 1982, Dr Tin established the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, a non-profit charitable organisation, with the mission of promoting moral education, Chinese cultural studies as well as improving the quality of education for a better future for China. The Foundation has been a staunch supporter and close partner of CUHK towards the goal of promoting the whole-person development of students and cultivating young talents for the betterment of the community.
Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong