Community Engagement

Mr Eric S.P. Ng, Vice-President and Chairman of the Committee on Campus Sustainability of CUHK (right) and the student representatives of one of the pilot projects supported by the SDG Action Fund

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Fund

(Launched in 2018) The fund supports projects initiated by CUHK staff and students which support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations.

Press release

Student Ambassadors promote the message of ‘waste no food’ to students in campus canteens

'Love Food, Hate Waste @CUHK' Campaign

(Since 2013) The Campaign tackles the food waste problem on campus through two main approaches:

• Awareness raising: empowering students with skills and knowledge to carry out outreach activities about mindful eating and waste reduction at source on campus; and
• Facilities upgrading: encouraging caterers to set-up food waste collection stations and to recycle food waste by decomposing, bokashi or other systems.

Freshmen with the sponsored items

Sustainable Student Orientation Sponsorship

(Since 2013) The sponsorship scheme encourages organisers of orientation events to incorporate green elements in their activities in order to reduce the environmental impact of such events, and introduce green resources on campus and encourage freshmen to adopt a greener lifestyle.

Mr Eric S.P. Ng, Vice-President and Chairman of CUHK’s Committee on Campus Sustainability and the representatives from Information Technology Services Centre, at the Energy Conservation Incentive Scheme Recognition Ceremony

Energy Conservation Incentive Scheme

(Since 2014) The scheme aims at raising the energy awareness of university members and further reducing the University's energy consumption and carbon emissions.  It covers two groups of buildings, and each group's electricity consumption is reviewed in two phases. Participating units will be rewarded if reduction targets are achieved and penalised if they fall short.  20 Group A buildings collectively reduced their electricity consumption by around 16,000,000 kWh from its level four years previously, before the scheme was launched.  This was a remarkable achievement. The energy that CUHK has conserved is sufficient to sustain 3,333 Hong Kong households for a whole year.

Press release

An Energy Warden briefs EMO staff on building energy features

Energy Warden Scheme

(Since 2013) Energy Conservation Plan 2013 is an intensive programme aimed at significantly reducing energy use by formulating and implementing energy conservation measures in selected buildings that account for about 60% of CUHK’s total electricity use.  203 Energy Wardens have been appointed to monitor the implementation of these measures. They are required to furnish inventories of their office equipment, record indoor temperatures and conduct energy reviews and audits in their buildings and offices with the Energy Management Team of the Estates Management Office (EMO).

BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) Tea Party at the launch of Phase 2 of Green Office Programme (GO!)

Green Office Programme (GO!)

(Since 2012) GO! aspires to cultivate sustainability knowledge and drive behavioural changes in all the university offices. The ‘GO! Checklist’ is at the core of the programme. The checklist sets out simple yet effective measures in eight specific categories tailored to guide our staff in achieving environmental excellence in daily operations and improving sustainability performances.

Students visit Nanjing during the 2012 Green Summer Camp

The Cross-Strait Green Campus Consortium

(Established in 2011) The consortium aims to mobilize the resources of CUHK, Nanjing University and National Central University, Beijing Normal University, National Cheng Kung University and Zhejiang University to drive initiatives incorporating green concepts into research and education.  The 6 universities take turns to organize the Green Summer Camp, a student interflow project among the participating universities.  The 2013 and 2016 camp were hosted in CUHK.  Other co-hosted events included competitions, seminars, talks, discussions, field trips and visits.  The consortium provides valuable opportunities for students from different backgrounds to exchange views on green topics and find ways to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives.

Mr George Jor, convenor of the CU Tree Project, gave a tour of the ‘Science and Art of Trees and Birds of CUHK Exhibition’ to secondary students

CU Tree Project

(Launched in 2008) The CU Tree Project was launched by the Green Education Group CUHK, an impromptu organization formed by our staff, with financial support from the Hang Seng Green Bank Fund.  The project’s original aim was to produce the first-ever 3D interactive map of campus trees, and its scope was later expanded to include birds as well.  An online database of trees and birds found on our campus is now available, together with other useful resources such as the apps ‘Trees of CUHK’ (iOS) and ‘Birds of CUHK’ (iOS / Android).  Fifteen tree talks and guided tree and bird walks by experts have already been arranged, and have been attended by thousands of CUHK members and visitors.

I‧CARE Programme Homecoming Book Festival

I‧CARE Programme

(Launched in 2011) The Programme helps students develop a long-term commitment to serving the local, regional and international community by applying their specialised knowledge.  It adopts an integrated approach and supports a range of social and civic engagement programmes.  The Programme focuses on the following 6 areas: University Lecture on Civility, Social Service Projects Scheme, Local Poverty Alleviation Initiative, Community Research Scheme, Social Enterprise Startup Scheme, and NGO Internship Programme.

Service Learning

Our colleges, faculties, departments and student groups also organize numerous service learning projects every year.  Some major university service projects are listed below:

• Communications and Public Relations Office - CUHK‧Care
• Office of Students Affairs – Learning and Cultural Enhancement Section - CLOVER Programme
• The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care - Ethnic Minority Health Project
• Centre for Innovation and Technology - Innovation and Technology Student Club

Knowledge Transfer

• Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services
• Center for Entrepreneurship