Staff

Dear colleagues and students,

Further to our announcement earlier this month, we would like to give a gentle reminder that Phase 3 of the Vaccine Pass scheme will start soon. You are urged to take the following action to ensure both your health and a smooth entry into the campus.

Update on vaccination requirements

Phase 3 of the government’s Vaccine Pass scheme is scheduled to commence on 31 May 2022. All students, staff, alumni and visitors of the University are reminded that compliance with the requirement of Phase 3 of the Vaccine Pass scheme is a condition of being physically on campus and an extensive range of premises around Hong Kong. Information regarding the dosage requirements and other elements of the scheme can be found on the government website. We strongly advise all CUHK members who are eligible to receive their third dose as soon as possible.

Renew your revaccination records

All staff and students accessing campus via CU Link Cards are required to update their vaccination records with information about their third dose and/or report their infection record via the COVID-19 Vaccination/Regular Testing Report System (VTR), declaring they have fully complied with the updated arrangements for Phase 3 of the Vaccine Pass scheme. We also urge you to upload your vaccination records to the latest version of the LeaveHomeSafe app so that you can continue to access facilities such as canteens on campus, and other venues across the city.

Although the city’s number of cases remains relatively low and stable, small outbreaks have been recorded over the past two weeks. The University will continue to strictly observe social distancing measures, which include restrictions on group gatherings and catering, as advised by the government and the Centre for Health Protection. We will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation in Hong Kong, and adjust our measures as required. Please visit our Act Together Against COVID-19 website and the FAQ page for the most detailed and up-to-date information about our response to the pandemic.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

The city’s fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was rapid and fierce, but with the recent stabilisation in cases and the gradual relaxation of social distancing measures, the University is optimistic about returning to normal activities in 2022–23.

This message is intended to update you on a few important issues, so that you can plan for the next academic year accordingly.

Resumption of face-to-face classes in Term 1, 2022-23
Assuming infection rates continue their downward trajectory and government mandated social distancing measures ease over the coming months, we are very optimistic that the default mode of delivery of teaching and learning will be in person and on campus for all undergraduate and research postgraduate students in Term 1, 2022–23.

There may be flexibility in teaching arrangements for taught postgraduate programmes, i.e. the mode of delivery of teaching and learning can be in person or hybrid.

In view of the existing quarantine requirements for inbound travellers, all members of the University are advised to make their travel plans to return to Hong Kong well in advance for Term 1, 2022-23 as far as possible. Previous special arrangements for students who were unable to enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions will no longer be offered as global travel gradually resumes and flights to Hong Kong become more readily available. Overseas students should observe the government’s arrangements for Provisional Vaccine Pass and non-local recovery record for inbound travellers, as well as the List of COVID-19 Vaccines Recognised for Specified Purposes. We appreciate that information regarding quarantine and vaccination requirements is subject to change and have included a link to the latest information here.

Phase 3 of the Vaccine Pass

As advised in previous communications, this is a reminder that with Phase 3 of the government’s “Vaccine Pass” scheme scheduled to commence on 31 May 2022, all staff and students accessing campus via CU Link Cards are required to update their vaccination records with information about their third dose via the COVID-19 Vaccination/Regular Testing Report System (VTR), declaring they have been vaccinated in accordance with government requirements. This will ensure compliance with the updated arrangements for Phase 3 of the “Vaccine Pass” Scheme. We also urge you to upload your vaccination records to the latest version of the LeaveHomeSafe app so that you can continue to access facilities such as canteens on campus, and other venues across the city.

The health and safety of the University community remains our highest priority. The University will continue to strictly observe social distancing measures, which include restrictions on group gatherings and catering, as advised by the government and the Centre for Health Protection. We will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation in Hong Kong, and adjust our measures as required. Please visit our Act Together Against COVID-19 website and the FAQ page for the most detailed and up-to-date information about our response to the pandemic.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

The city’s downward trend in COVID-19 infections is a positive sign the worst of the fifth wave is now behind us. Our community can be proud of the excellent work we have done in reducing infections on campus, and we are truly grateful for your collective efforts. With the phased removal of social distancing measures recently announced by the Hong Kong Government, we can all look forward to more signs of normality as we go about our lives.

However, as welcome as these developments are, we must remember that COVID-19 is still with us, and we need to continue to take extra care to protect our community over the coming weeks and months.

With the Government’s latest adjustments to the requirements of the “Vaccine Pass” scheme and Phase 2 scheduled to commence on 30 April 2022, this message is a reminder of our campus access arrangements.

All staff and students accessing campus via CU Link Cards are required to update their vaccination record with information about your third dose via the COVID-19 Vaccination/Regular Testing Report System (VTR) to declare you have been vaccinated in accordance with government requirements. This means that even if you have already provided information regarding your second dose, you need to provide information as soon as possible after receiving your third dose. This will ensure compliance with the updated arrangements for Phase 3 of the “Vaccine Pass” Scheme. We also urge you to upload your vaccination records to the latest version of the Leave Home Safe app so that you can continue to access facilities such as canteens and other venues across the city.

Please visit the government’s website for vaccination advice if you have recovered from COVID-19 and you are looking for information about your vaccination options.

For staff or students who are unable to receive vaccination for medical reasons, ongoing access to the University campus will depend on online submission of proof of medical exemption and weekly self-testing results via the VTR portal. Please refer to our FAQ page for details.

All visitors are required to present their “Vaccine Pass” for verification to show evidence of vaccination or exemption for medical reasons for accessing the University campus. Please click here for the new dosage schedule of the “Vaccine Pass” scheme.

The health and safety of the University community remains our highest priority. We will continue to closely monitor the pandemic situation in Hong Kong, and we are prepared to introduce additional measures should they be required. Please visit our Act Together Against COVID-19 website for the most detailed and up-to-date information about our response to the pandemic.

Thank you very much for your continued effort to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

This message is to inform you that the University will be aiming to gradually resume campus services and operations over the coming weeks, with the expectation that full-service delivery and operations will resume on 25 April 2022.

The University has sought to broadly align this decision with the progressive resumption of government services announced on 25 March 2022, and its desire to resume as much of campus life as possible as Hong Kong transitions from its COVID-19 infection peak.

Commencing next Monday 4 April 2022, staff members may be arranged to work on shifts (e.g., staggered work and/or lunch hours, rosters for onsite work/work-from-home) while the University prepares for a broader resumption of campus services on 25 April 2022. Staff members will be informed regarding individual work arrangements and transitional arrangements for specific Department/Units by their relevant Department/Unit Heads.

All other academic arrangements including examinations previously announced remain unchanged. Departments/Units will post separate notices on their adjusted service/opening hours where appropriate.

All members will be required to adhere to strict infection control measures while on campus. This includes using the Leave Home Safe app to enter all buildings, wearing a mask at all times, and maintaining sound social distancing.

We appreciate this has been a challenging period and we can all look forward to a progressive reopening across our city as we transition from this difficult time in Hong Kong’s fight against COVID-19.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Download PDF version

Dear colleagues,

It takes a special type of person to dedicate their professional lives to a university.

One of the things that never ceases to inspire me about our people is your passion and real sense of professional pride in what you do.

You work here because you see purpose in our mission. You see the transformative power of a university education, and you see the potential impact of our research on the lives of millions of people in Hong Kong, nationally, and globally.

As Hong Kong grapples with this fifth wave of the pandemic, the significance of this calling has never been greater. The tide of infection sweeping across our city is testing us all. It means time separated from family and loved ones, more changes to the way we work, and we have all made sacrifices.

But I know how deeply this is impacting our medical professionals, our researchers, and our frontline workers who everyday are at the coalface of this pandemic. Your work is inspiring; the CUHK community, and indeed the entire city owes you an enormous debt of gratitude.

I have been deeply touched by the stories I see every day of Estates Management Office staff tirelessly deep cleaning infection sites, security personnel maintaining safe access to our campus, our University Health Service team working around the clock to keep us healthy, and student support teams helping students move into isolation facilities – your selfless dedication to going above and beyond the call of duty is exemplary.

Much has been said over recent days and weeks about the role of the city’s private healthcare providers doing their bit to contain the virus. For the CUHK Medical Centre, they have spared no efforts to help the city at this critical juncture in our battle against COVID-19.

Founded with a mission to bridge the gap between private and public healthcare, by its very nature, CUHKMC is all about leveraging the University’s research and teaching expertise to deliver societal impact.

CUHKMC’s community vaccination centre has administered over half a million jabs over the past twelve months providing a critical frontline defence for so many residents. And over the last few weeks, the team have again risen to the occasion with the rapid establishment of a new PCR testing centre, taken responsibility for a mobile children’s vaccination service, admitted non-COVID patients from the public system to alleviate pressure on the Hospital Authority, set up a step-down facility for recovering positive cases, and standing up a bespoke service to cater for patients experiencing mild symptoms.

Our Faculty of Medicine continues to provide expert advice to government, release world-class COVID-19 research, and support the day-to-day response to the pandemic. Over 1000 of the Faculty’s staff and students have been mobilised in this fight against COVID-19 targeting frontline patient care services, supporting the Hospital Authority hotline, support for community testing, online Chinese medicine consultations for care homes, and the Kowloon City vaccination programme targeting 2,000 residents. Our clinical academics support accident and emergency rooms in our public hospitals, and their presence is often the difference between life and death for all kinds of illnesses at the best of times – let alone in a once in a century global health crisis.

Your recent contributions have not stopped despite the odds – I know many units are in fact dealing with infected cases among their own ranks that have thrown many of you into isolation. But the work continues and you each manage to find a way.

Universities (and ours in particular) have a unique civic role to play, with a public responsibility in this fight against COVID-19. No one else in society can mobilise the expertise and the practical application of decades of research and education in the way we can.

Your response to the pandemic is a living, breathing example of our five-year strategic plan’s commitment to achieve ‘excellence with purpose and responsibility’ – and I salute the tireless, selfless and inspiring contribution of each and every one of you.

Thank you for everything you are doing to see us through this difficult time.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Rocky S. Tuan
Vice-Chancellor and President

Rapid Response for Workplace and Staff Management

This checklist serves as a simple guide for prompt actions of various parties upon an employee being tested positive for COVID-19 or classified as close contact or required to undertake compulsory testing.  Heads of Departments/Units (HoDs) may exercise discretion and take appropriate actions as the circumstances warrant.  Orders/Advice, if any, from the Government’s Department of Health (DH) or other health should take precedence and be strictly observed.

Last updated on 8 March 2022

[1] ‘Close contact’ refers to a person who lives in the same household with a COVID-19 confirmed case, or has had food or beverage together with a COVID-19 confirmed case on the same table without mask or barrier.

[2] UHS  hotline: 3943 6436 (office hours) or email: healtheducation.uhs@cuhk.edu.hk

PDF Version (Last updated on 8 March 2022): https://againstcovid19.cuhk.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/documents/Rapid-Response-for-Workplace-and-Staff-Management.pdf

Dear Colleagues, 

In view of the COVID-19 outbreak and in response to the government’s appeal, this message is to inform you that the University will continue the work-from-home arrangements for staff members until 1 April 2022 (Friday).  The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate.

Please visit the Act Together Against COVID-19 website for information about the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Human Resources Office

Dear Colleagues, 

Given the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in the community and in response to the government’s appeal, this message is to inform you that the University will continue the work-from-home arrangements for staff members until 4 March 2022 (Friday).  The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate.

Please visit the Act Together Against COVID-19 website for information about the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  You may also refer to the EAP Tips To Cope With Health-related Anxiety uploaded to the HRO Webpage for information about maintaining health and well-being during the challenging time.

Human Resources Office

Dear colleagues and students,

Alert: Eight CUHK students preliminarily tested positive for or confirmed with COVID-19 infection

You will all know that there is a surge of Omicron infections in the city. We are sorry to have to inform you that some cases have now been detected on the campus. As of last night (12 February) 2 students had confirmed positive COVID-19 infection tests, and 6 had preliminarily positive test results. 

The health and safety of CUHK members remains our prime concern. The hostel rooms of the students concerned have already been disinfected, as have the toilets and other communal facilities in their areas of their hostels. We have also disinfected the campus venues that they had visited recently. Furthermore, all the students living in the same hostel wing as the confirmed cases completed rapid antigen tests last night. The collective efforts of a number of different departments and units have been crucial in allowing us to complete these important tasks so rapidly. We all owe them our thanks.

The students with confirmed COVID-19 infection have moved into separate rooms with individual bathrooms and toilets where they can stay while waiting for the further arrangements that will be organized by the government Centre for Health Protection. The University will liaise closely with the CHP and carry out the appropriate measures required to follow up on the cases.

In our last message to you, we told you that the University would create a dashboard of the latest number of University members confirmed or preliminarily positive with COVID-19 infection, so that everyone can keep abreast of the up-to-date situation on the campus. We are pleased to say that this work is now complete. The Confirmed COVID-19 cases in CUHK webpage has been launched today and will be updated whenever we are informed about new confirmed cases.

The University strongly urges all its members to read and follow the health advice of the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection which outlines what we can all do to help to safeguard not only our own health but also that of the others around us. We can do a lot as a community that looks after all its members.

Please visit the Act Together Against COVID-19 website for information about CUHK’s detailed response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Yours faithfully,
Committee on Health Promotion and Protection
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

In view of Hong Kong’s recently soaring number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the University yesterday announced its latest measures representing our collective efforts in combating infection and protecting our community at this critical time. 

In order to keep everybody abreast of  the current situation within campus, and make ample preparation for disease prevention, the University will create a dashboard on its website to provide regular updates on the number of University members preliminarily tested positive for, or confirmed with, COVID-19 infection. A weekly update will be sent every Wednesday to University members before the dashboard construction is finished.

We have been informed that 6 staff and 3 students have been confirmed with COVID-19 infection during the past seven days. The University has been closely communicating with, and following up with, the relevant staff and students regarding their situation. Disinfection has been arranged at campus facilities they have visited recently. COVID-19 testing will be arranged for students and staff where necessary. Case details are given below:

The University will closely liaise with the Centre for Health Protection and carry out all necessary measures to follow up on the cases. The University also hopes that all members will follow the health advice of the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection on taking strict hygiene measures to safeguard the health of themselves and others.

Please visit the Act Together Against COVID-19 website for information about CUHK’s detailed response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yours faithfully,

Committee on Health Promotion and Protection

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

The University continues to closely monitor the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. With the recent surge in cases across the city, the University is announcing the following new measures to do as much as possible to combat infection and protect our community from the virus at what is a critical time in our collective efforts to battle the pandemic.

(1) Online classes:

• With the exception of a few lab-based and practical classes, all classes will remain online for the remainder of Term 2 2021-22. All those participating in lab-based or practical classes should be especially vigilant to the risk of infection – extra measures including rotating teams, reduced student numbers in classes and ensuring social distancing should be adhered to at all times.
• We understand that the continuation of online delivery for the rest of the term may disrupt individual study plans. Students who feel their programme is adversely impacted by these arrangements may apply for late drop according to standing procedures. Please contact your Faculty or Department if you would like additional information about and what this might mean for your circumstances.
• Examination arrangements are being reviewed to ensure consistency with this policy, and details will be announced as soon as may be practicable.

(2) Hostels:

• Minimising face-to-face contact and social mixing, and reducing crowd density are all essential to decreasing the risk of infection on campus. The University strongly encourages all resident students to return home and vacate their hostels if practicable, unless they have a compelling reason to stay resident. Students who vacate their hostels following the issuance of this notice will have their hostel fees reimbursed by Colleges or hostel offices on a pro-rata basis.
• Students should vacate their hostels during the upcoming weekend of 12 – 13 February. All personal belongings should be removed in order to have hostel fees reimbursed. Further details will be announced to residents by Colleges, Postgraduate Halls and International House as soon as possible.
• Students who are granted permission to remain in residence must recognize that this entails a commitment to living exclusively in their hostel. They cannot divide their time between multiple residences (e.g. by spending weekends at home). Any breach of this principle will result in denial of access to your room and hostel fees will not be reimbursed. Residents should also minimize off-campus travel as far as possible.

The safety and well-being of the entire University community is our absolute priority. The University will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation, and is prepared to introduce additional measures should they be required.

Please visit our FAQ page for the most up-to-date information about our responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for continuing to do your part to keep our community safe.

Yours faithfully,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

The University continues to closely monitor the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong.

Given ongoing community transmission, and the continuation of government social distancing measures, this message is to inform you that the University will continue the arrangements specified in the last announcement of 23 January 2022, as well as the work-from-home recommendations, until Friday 18 February 2022.

This decision has been made out of an abundance of caution, and its timing is designed to give staff and students some certainty about coming arrangements prior to the commencement of the Lunar New Year holiday.

The University will review these arrangements in the week commencing 14 February 2022.

Technical and learning support, including laptop computers on loan are available to ensure students are provided with as much support as possible as we continue with online learning and teaching over the coming weeks.

We strongly recommend that you take the opportunity to get vaccinated or receive your booster dose as soon as you become eligible – vaccination remains a key ingredient in ensuring our ongoing success against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please ensure you upload your vaccination records to the Leave Home Safe app, check you are using the latest version, and ensure you make use of the app wherever it is available.

Please click here to view our FAQs to read more about our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe, happy, and healthy start to the Lunar New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

The University has been closely monitoring the unfolding Omicron outbreak in Hong Kong this weekend.

This message is to inform you that from tomorrow (Monday 24 January 2022), the University will move all learning and teaching into fully online delivery mode. Additionally, the University is strongly encouraging work-from-home arrangements where possible.

We very much hope to resume full face-to-face teaching after the Lunar New Year holiday, and a further assessment will then be made based on the infection rate in Hong Kong and any updated public health advice.

The detailed arrangements are as follows:

Learning and teaching

• All classes will be taught in online mode
• This will now include all practical, lab/clinic based and studio classes – students in these classes are asked to please contact your Department/Division for advice
• Students undertaking clinical placements will be permitted to continue and will remain subject to appropriate infection control precautions
• If you have an examination scheduled, please contact your Department for advice regarding arrangements

Work-from-home arrangements

• Unless you have been advised by your Department/Unit that you are providing an essential service, all staff should work-from-home
• All staff providing an essential service, or any staff member who requires access to campus is required to adhere to strict infection control measures (this includes using the Leave Home Safe app to enter University buildings, wearing a mask at all times and maintaining sound social distancing)
• For staff members deemed to be providing an essential service, your supervisor will give you guidance about what this means for your individual work arrangements

The University’s enhanced infection control measures announced earlier remain – and we strongly recommend you get vaccinated or take your booster dose as soon as you become eligible.

All staff and students are reminded that it is a requirement to use the Leave Home Safe app when attending canteens, and where the Leave Home Safe app is available at other venues.

We strongly recommend against holding any physical events on campus and encourage all events to be held in online mode.

All staff and students are strongly recommended to minimise travel and if you do, we encourage you to make use of rapid antigen testing prior to your return to campus to ensure peace-of-mind for our community.

We will continuously review the pandemic situation and we hope that cases of local community transmission will be substantially reduced after the Lunar New Year to enable a return to face-to-face campus life.

Please click here to view our FAQs for more information about our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students

The University has been closely monitoring community transmission of COVID-19 in Hong Kong.

This message is to inform you that from Monday 24 January 2022 the University will make additional hybrid learning and teaching options available.

We acknowledge that the current pandemic situation has created anxiety for some about taking public transport to travel to campus, and so the option of online classes will be made available for those who choose to remain at home.

We very much hope to resume full face-to-face teaching after the Lunar New Year holiday, and a further assessment will then be made based on the infection rate in Hong Kong and any updated public health advice.

The detailed arrangements are as follows:

Learning and teaching

• Except for a limited number of practical, lab/clinic-based, studio classes and scheduled examinations, all courses will be conducted in hybrid mode
• Hybrid mode means that synchronous online learning and teaching is available, and students can still opt to attend classes in person

All students and staff attending classes in-person will be required to adhere to necessary infection control measures

Flexible work arrangements

• Staff who are subject to mandatory testing, quarantine or isolation requirements may apply to their relevant departments/units to approve special work arrangements
• Supervisors may approve flexible work arrangements such as remote work for staff who are pregnant or are suffering from a chronic disease
• Lecturers who are not subject to mandatory testing, quarantine or isolation requirements, or are not pregnant or suffering from chronic diseases are expected to be physically present to enable in-person learning and teaching for those students that choose to physically attend classes
• Provided business continuity can be maintained, supervisors may authorise staggered office hours and lunch breaks to minimise mobility levels on public transport and reduce usage of public dining areas at peak periods

The University’s enhanced infection control measures announced earlier remain – and we strongly recommend you get vaccinated or take your booster dose as soon as you become eligible.

Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, Lee Hysan Concert Hall, and all sporting facilities will remain closed until further notice or until such time as the government lifts its current social distancing measures.

We also encourage all Departments/Units to reconsider the need to hold any physical events or activities, and to make use of online options where available.

All staff and students are reminded that it is a requirement to use the Leave Home Safe app when attending canteens, and where the Leave Home Safe app is available at other venues.

Our community can be proud of the efforts we collectively made which enabled us to resume full face-to-face teaching this academic year. In spite of the interruption of university life, we remain committed to ensuring the highest possible standards of educational excellence. We will continuously review the pandemic situation and we hope that cases of local community transmission will be substantially reduced after the Lunar New Year.

Please click here to view our FAQs for more information about our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Emergency Response Group
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dear colleagues and students,

We hope that you had a restful break and a happy festive season.

We know that for too many of you with families and loved ones outside of Hong Kong, this was another holiday period where you were impacted by ongoing travel restrictions and border closures in what remains an ongoing, and uncertain, battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we prepare for the start of Term 2, Hong Kong once again faces an outbreak of community transmission of this virus and the coming days and weeks will be critical as we work to maintain our successes in protecting our community and ensuring some semblance of normality as we go about our lives.

The measures we announced last October, requiring all staff and students to upload information about their vaccination or regular testing status will prepare us well as we start the new term and deal with the immediate threat of community transmission in Hong Kong.

It is very encouraging that as many as 94% of staff and students are reporting they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and we thank all of you for responding so positively and protecting the health and wellbeing of our community. We are pleased to advise that the University will provide free testing kits for all staff and students with valid medical reasons for not getting vaccinated.

While our high vaccination rates are indeed encouraging and give us cause for great optimism, we highly recommend that you take the opportunity to receive a third booster dose when you become eligible under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s vaccination programme. Staff will be eligible for one day of paid vaccination leave when they take their third dose.

Many of you would already be aware that the government has announced additional public health measures to minimise the risk of community transmission over the coming days and weeks.

These new measures will impact a range of services and activities at CUHK.

Commencing at 00:00 on Friday 7 January 2022 the following changes will be made:

• All campus sports facilities including swimming pools and gymnasiums will be temporarily closed until further notice
• All canteens, restaurants and dining halls will suspend dine-in service daily between the hours of 6.00pm and no earlier than 4.59am the next day
• At other times where relevant, diners per table will be capped at two in Type B, four in Type C and six in Type D category premises
• SRRSH Hall and Lee Hysan Concert Hall will close for a period of 14 days. The venues hold a Places of Public Entertainment License and therefore fall under the 15 categories impacted by new government restrictions. Face-to-face classes originally scheduled in both venues will therefore be held online for the first two weeks of Term 2 as deemed appropriate unless alternative venues can be identified
• We appreciate that the inbound flight bans from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, UK and US may impact the plans of students intending to return to Hong Kong from these countries. The University will make flexible arrangements to ensure online teaching options are extended as required
• The Physical Education Unit will also make special class arrangements to accommodate students unable to access the University Gymnasium and other relevant sporting facilities

The University’s response will remain closely aligned with government advice and we will act accordingly if further changes are required. We are closely monitoring the situation regarding arrangements for in-person learning and teaching, and we are prepared to make adjustments should they be required.

We would also encourage you to visit our FAQ page which features a range of updates on matters including our recommendation on booster doses, and what to do with work and study arrangements if you have been identified as a close contact and are required to quarantine. Please click here for detailed information on the latest government public health measures.

We know you will share our disappointment that the pandemic has again interrupted the start of another year, but we can be proud of everything we have achieved in our fight against COVID-19 and we are confident that the University is exceptionally well placed to navigate its way through the coming days and weeks.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

Dear colleagues and students,

The recent emergence of the Omicron variant has reminded us that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong is committed to ensuring the safety of our community and is continually reviewing the latest health advice and epidemiology to ensure we have an appropriate response to what remains a major global health emergency.

Scientists around the world are still reviewing data to assess the seriousness of the new variant, and we believe that vaccination remains vital to our ongoing battle against the pandemic.

This message is to advise you that from the commencement of Term 2, 2021-22 (10 January 2022), the University will require all staff and students who are not vaccinated to undergo weekly testing in order to access campus or the University’s facilities.  

This move aligns our approach with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which now requires government employees who have not received at least one dose of a vaccine to undergo weekly testing.

The University believes this is a proportionate response to current public health risk in Hong Kong, and has been decided from an abundance of caution designed to keep our community safe.

The University will not hesitate to bring the implementation date further forward and introduce additional measures as appropriate should there be any community transmission, or if there are any further developments heightening public health risk.

The University will continue to offer testing kits at a discounted price for those who require regular self-testing on a weekly basis due to medical reasons.

Furthermore, we recognise that Hong Kong’s evolving risk categorisation for inbound arrivals and accompanying quarantine restrictions may have adversely affected students currently outside Hong Kong who had been planning on returning to Hong Kong prior to the commencement of Term 2. The University will therefore continue to accommodate these students through the provision of special teaching and learning arrangements such as online classes, lecture recording and individualized online tutorials as determined by the Faculties concerned.

Our message remains that vaccination is essential in consolidating our hard-fought successes against the pandemic to date and would encourage anyone still unvaccinated to get protected as soon as possible.

We have additionally prepared a range of FAQs to assist with your questions about the University’s response. Please see https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/whats-on/focus/vaccination-faq.html for a detailed set of FAQs.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

Yours sincerely,
CUHK Emergency Response Group

Dear colleagues and students,

Firstly we would like to thank the many staff and students who have submitted information to the COVID-19 Vaccination/Regular Testing Report System (VTR) over the past few weeks. Over 80% of our staff and students have responded and of those that have reported, 95% have indicated they have at least one vaccine dose.

The end of Term 1 is only a few weeks away and Term 2 course registration for undergraduates will start next Monday. As we gear up for Term 2, it is important that you are aware of CUHK’s measures in response to the pandemic and the preparation for the commencement of Term 2.

Face-to-Face Teaching Mode
Assuming Hong Kong continues to record no local infections, the default mode of delivery of teaching and learning will be in person and on campus for all classes offered in Term 2 2021–22. There will not be any special teaching arrangements for students who cannot return to campus. Faculty, staff and students should strictly observe the University’s guidelines on COVID-19 prevention measures when attending face-to-face meetings, classes, or examinations.

Students Currently Not in Hong Kong
Students who are currently still outside Hong Kong, including in places defined by the HKSAR Government as Group A, should prepare to travel to Hong Kong for face-to-face classes prior to the commencement of Term 2, or as soon as practicable for programmes with special term patterns (see the almanac for UG & PG). Ample time should be allowed for vaccination and compulsory quarantine requirements as detailed in the HKSAR Government’s COVID-19 website. A need-based, one-off allowance may be provided for non-local undergraduates who are required to undergo self-monitoring in a hotel (up to a maximum of HK$200 x 7 days).

Holiday Break
Students who are currently attending classes in Hong Kong are strongly advised to stay in Hong Kong during the Christmas and New Year break. This will prevent any delay in joining your face-to-face classes in Term 2. Students planning on leaving Hong Kong are reminded to pay attention to compulsory quarantine requirements imposed on inbound arrivals to Hong Kong and any resulting delays that could adversely impact your academic progression in Term 2.  

Campus Access from Term 2
To safeguard the health and safety of the University community, members who do not submit a vaccination report/14-day regular testing results will be denied campus access from Term 2. Students who do not submit vaccination details or testing results will only be able to choose from a very limited number of online courses, and enrolment in all face-to-face courses will be cancelled.

Relevant departments/units and programme from across CUHK have been actively following up the status of outstanding vaccination reports/regular testing results. In December, this information will be verified against Term 2 CUSIS enrolments.

It has come to our attention that some students have already separately submitted information regarding their vaccination status directly to the University for other reporting purposes such as hostel residence requirements. In these cases, next month administrative units will be asked to make submissions to the VTR system on behalf of students who have already provided information. That said, as it only takes two minutes for individuals to submit to the VTR portal, students would still be very welcome to make a submission directly now, which will minimise the possibility of any disruption to course enrolments due to missing online submission.

Regular Testing
For those who are certified as unfit to be vaccinated due to medical reasons self-testing kits may be purchased at affordable rates. The online FAQ will be updated with further details shortly.

The past two years have taught us to be constantly vigilant to the risk of ongoing infections. We also need to do all we can as a community to ensure our safety. Thank you again for your understanding and support in keeping us all safe.

Yours sincerely,
CUHK Emergency Response Group

Dear Colleagues and Students,

As part of its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, last month the University announced that all staff and students will be required to provide evidence of vaccination or undertake fortnightly COVID-19 tests. 

Following our announcement, we have responded to staff feedback and we have engaged with students about our plans.

Today, the University has launched a COVID-19 Vaccination/Regular Testing Report System (VTR) (https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13638334). All staff and students are required to complete the online reporting by 18 October 2021. When you complete the online form and indicate that you are fully vaccinated, you will be exempt from fortnightly testing. If you are not fully vaccinated, you will have to submit test results every two weeks. If you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons, you will be required to upload a copy of a medical certificate to the VTR.  If you do not get vaccinated or undertake fortnightly testing or do not produce a medical certificate, you will be asked to attend a follow up meeting with your Unit Head/Head of Department.  

We would remind you to regularly check your email for important communications relating to your vaccination or testing status. 

We have additionally prepared a range of FAQs to assist with your questions about the University’s response. Please see https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/whats-on/focus/vaccination-faq.html for a detailed set of FAQs. 

For more information on COVID-19 and the vaccination programme across Hong Kong, please visit the HKSAR official website: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/. 

The health and safety of the University community remains our highest priority. Thank you for doing your part to ensure a safe start to the new term and keeping our community free of COVID-19.

Yours sincerely, 
CUHK Emergency Response Group

Dear Colleagues and Students,

We would like to welcome everyone back for the new academic year. Although the pandemic is far from over, the situation in Hong Kong is thankfully relatively stable, thanks in no small measure to the stringent infection control measures adopted by the city. It is heartwarming to see students returning to campus. With the campus brimming with life once more, however, we would also need to exercise continued vigilance to safeguard the health and safety of the CUHK community.

It is now evident that the COVID-19 pandemic will persist for the foreseeable future. With the Delta variant taking root and new variants on the horizon, COVID-19 is almost certain to become endemic. The scientific evidence is equally unequivocal that vaccination remains critical for defending against SARS-CoV-2.

The health and wellbeing of the CUHK community has been the topmost concern in our response to the pandemic. The infection control measures we have already introduced do inevitably cause some inconvenience. Nevertheless, we all agree it is only right that we exercise every caution in ensuring the health and safety of the community.

We have earlier announced that all students residing on campus must be vaccinated or undergo regular testing. After much deliberation and consultation with medical experts, the University has come to the conclusion that vaccination for all staff and students will be in the best interest of the community. For those who are unable to receive vaccination for medical reasons, regular self-testing at least once every two weeks will be required.

To effect compliance, an online vaccination/testing report form will be launched on 11 October 2021. This is similar to the reporting of body temperature and travel history introduced earlier. All staff and students are required to report whether they have been vaccinated by 18 October 2021. The results of self-testing must be reported once every two weeks for those who are unable to receive vaccination. The respective department/unit heads will be in contact with those staff and students who fail to report their record of vaccination or submit the test results.

For students living in College or hostel residences, vaccination is even more important. College life enriches learning experience, but it also raises the risk of COVID transmission. College and hostel residents are therefore required to submit their certificate of vaccination to hostel management staff by 18 October. For those who are prevented from receiving vaccination because of medical reasons, regular self-testing once every two weeks will apply, as already announced. Colleges and hostels will provide testing kits at affordable rates for their residents and non-resident students.

We are fully cognizant of the demand this will place on colleagues and students. However, there is nothing more important than safeguarding the community against the debilitating effect that COVID-19 infections will bring. It is also our responsibility, as a public institution, to do our part in fighting against the pandemic. Previously, we assumed that a 70% vaccination rate would be sufficient for communal immunity, but the COVID mutations we are witnessing now compel us to take a more forceful defense. We therefore earnestly seek your understanding as we brace ourselves for an uncertain new normal. For more information on COVID-19 and the vaccination programme, please visit the HKSAR official website: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/

Alan K.L. Chan
Provost
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Dear Colleagues, 

As the start of a new academic year approaches, we are making final preparations to welcome our students back to the University.  Many of them, and not just the first-year students, have not yet set foot on our beautiful campus and are eager to start or resume their learning journey with us, on site and in person.

Thankfully, Hong Kong has done very well, by international standards, in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2.  Nevertheless, the threat of the Delta variant cannot be taken lightly.  As we gear up for the fall semester under the new normal, we should be mindful of the need to continue to exercise every precaution in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all colleagues and students.

Vaccination remains critical to defending against COVID-19.  I urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible, or if in doubt, seek medical advice.  Your health matters.  As a community, we also have a responsibility to do our part in preventing the spread of the pandemic.  Vaccination is important to the socioeconomic health of Hong Kong as well, which is equally under threat.

We have appealed to our students separately to complete their vaccination before term starts, and steps have already been taken to ensure that students residing on campus are vaccinated or undergo regular testing. Here, I would call upon all colleagues to take the lead in demonstrating our resolve to keep COVID at bay.  While mandatory vaccination for all staff and students may yet be needed, if the situation takes a turn for the worse, we hope we can reach a sufficiently high rate of vaccination to establish a strong defensive base against any possible COVID resurgence.  

To facilitate colleagues to receive their vaccination, the Staff Vaccination Leave scheme will be extended to the end of October.  This aligns with the Government’s extension of the operation of the Community Vaccination Centres, including our own CUHK Medical Centre, until 31 October 2021.  Please refer to the following webpage for details of the leave scheme: https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/announcement/the-universitys-arrangements-on-vaccination-leave/

Special teaching arrangements, as announced previously, will be made available to students who cannot enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions or are in quarantine during the first weeks of classes.  The Registry is in contact with these students.  Once students’ course registration is completed by the end of August, they will be guided to work with the course teachers concerned on the mode of instruction that will ensure uninterrupted learning.

Social distancing works in limiting the spread of infectious diseases.  Class activities that involve close physical contact among students should be avoided or postponed till conditions become more favorable.  Similarly, student activities should strictly observe all precautionary infection control measures.  Event organizers are reminded to stay vigilant to ensure that every precaution is in place and observed.

The new semester marks our return to face-to-face campus activities after 19 months of online classes.  Students will benefit from the interaction that campus life affords, even with all the necessary precautionary measures in place.  The University will continue to monitor the situation closely and may adopt more stringent infection control measures if conditions warrant.

Thank you for working together so brilliantly in a challenging time.  With collective vigilance, we can be confident that the new academic year will bring intellectual excitement safely back to our campus once more.

With all best wishes,
Alan K.L. Chan
Provost

Background

The “Task Force on Social and Non-academic Events and Workplace Arrangements during COVID-19” was established in 2020 by the Emergency Response Group led by the Vice-Chancellor, with an aim to set out a set of referencing guidelines for all internal event organizers to assess the risk of hosting social and non-academic events.

Objectives

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the HKSAR Government declare COVID-19 a pandemic. Although vaccination against COVID-19 is now available, we should stay vigilant against coronavirus infection which could cause a tragic loss of human life. In order to reduce the risk of spread of virus, all departments/units which plan to organize social and non-academic events are strongly advised to implement effective preventive measures to limit the transmission of the virus with consideration on social distancing, providing hand sanitizers, arranging body temperature check, requiring participants to wear surgical masks and other measures judged necessary. Organizers are always advised to consider alternative ways or formats to avoid large gathering. Group dining activities should also be avoided as far as possible.

In this challenging and unprecedented time, a set of referencing guidelines is provided to organizers. This set of referencing guidelines is not prescriptive, and the final decision will be rested on the event organizers. The development concerning COVID-19 is changing every day. All event organizers are advised to closely monitor the pandemic situation. They should refer to the updated announcements, guidelines and regulations issued by the WHO, the HKSAR Government, the University and its Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) and adjust their event planning and organization.

It is important to control and manage events well in this critical time, otherwise they might turn into a crisis for the related unit, department and University.

Event Planning

Risk Assessment

• Organizers should conduct a risk assessment for any event they are scheduling.
• The event should be arranged in accordance with the HKSAR Government and the University’s guidelines and regulations on infection control.
• Event organizers MUST observe current government policy on social distancing.

Nature and Scale

• Organizers are strongly advised to avoid activities with frequent body contact.
• Explore several ways or formats for hosting the event, like live streaming or a digital platform, so that it could reduce the number of participants and minimize physical contact and interaction among people.
• Limit the number of participants by following the prevailing government regulations.
• A quota will be set to limit the number of external participants visiting the campus. External organizations visiting the campus in groups should submit application form to the University on the campus visit.

Event Operation

Venue

• Step up cleansing of the event venue.
• Maintain good ventilation if the event is to be held indoors.
• Arrange manpower to measure the body temperature for each participant in particular for events to be held indoor or in an enclosed area.
• All participants should wear surgical masks, and practice social distancing with at least 1 meter’s distance between groups of participants.
• Explore the possibilities of arranging the event outdoors with fresh air supply.
• Consider digital systems to speed up the check-in/registration of participants to reduce the number of people lining up/gathering at the registration counter/venue entrance.

Staff, Workers and Participants

• Avoid involving the elderly or people with health problems/special needs as they are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection.
• Keep the contact details of participants and staff to facilitate contact tracing by the authorities in case any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 is
• Manage the expectations of the participants if the event has to be postponed or cancelled.

Physical Contact

• Design the programme with shorter duration for the sake of reducing physical contact or interaction time.
• Avoid any close contact during the event.
• Keep at least 1 meter’s distance between groups of participants all the time.
• Stagger the arrival and departure time of participants.
• Set up physical distancing arrangements in toilet areas.

Hygiene

• Provide hand sanitizers for all participants and workers.
• Ensure all participants and workers wear surgical masks during the whole event.
• Provide surgical masks for people in need.
• Remind all participants and workers about personal hygiene and the protective measures to be taken before and during the event, e.g. sending notice to the participants beforehand; posting messages or signage on site.

Food and Beverage

• Due to the high risk of infection involved in group dining activities, in which participants have to remove their surgical masks, event organizers are advised NOT to arrange any catering/dining during the events.

Facilities and Equipment

• Arrange cleaning of the venue, entrance, exit, seats, toilets and all related facilities before and after the event.
• Arrange manpower to disinfect the microphones and props after each use during the event.
• If transport is provided to participants, ensure the cleaning of the vehicle and increase the frequency of transport provision.

Contact Tracing

• If in the unfortunate situation that a confirmed COVID-19 case is identified and who has attended your event, please do the following immediately:
  • Report to the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) at 3943-6436 (tel) or email: chpp@cuhk.edu.hk.
  • Report to the Head of Unit, College Head/ Master or Faculty Dean.
  • Contact the management unit of the venue to arrange disinfection.
• Provide the contact list of participants and staff to the authorities to facilitate efficient contact tracing.
• Make available a contingency plan for cancelling the event when unpredicted situation occurs.

Remarks

This set of referencing guidelines is prepared by the “Task Force on Social and Non-academic Events and Workplace Arrangements during COVID-19”, and is updated on 20 July 2021. This document will also be reviewed and revised in the light of measurers announced by the relevant authorities in connection with the development and impact of COVID-19. For more information, please visit “Act Together Against COVID-19” website at https://againstcovid19.cuhk.edu.hk/.

Dear Students and Colleagues,

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020 has posed extraordinary risks to global health. Teaching arrangements at the University have been adversely affected. Although the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong has stabilized, by no means we can lower our guard. The new academic year will begin in September this year. The University plans to resume face-to-face classes and activities with an increasing number of people taking part in activities on campus. To reduce the risk of infection, all members of the University are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and get prepared for safe teaching and learning on campus.

All students and staff can get vaccinated in any Government-designated venues (e.g. Community Vaccination Centres). To provide more convenience, the University will arrange on campus the “Government’s COVID-19 Outreach Vaccination Service”.  Details are as follows:

A. Enrollment Arrangement

• All students and staff can enroll on-line via the Registration Attendance System (RAS) starting at 10 am, 23 Jun 2021 (Wednesday)
  System link:  https://webapp.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/ras/restricted/eventlist?id=72
• Staff living in staff quarters on campus can in addition enroll not more than three household members. Enrollment hotline: 3943 0378
• Quotas will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Booking is required and no walk-in service will be provided
• Every person can receive 2 boxes of surgical masks (50 masks each box) for each dose of vaccination
• This service is provided only for persons who are Hong Kong identity card holders
• For more details of the Outreach Vaccination Service, please visit the University Health Service (UHS) website https://www.uhs.cuhk.edu.hk
• For more information on the vaccines, please visit https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/vaccine
• For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, please visit https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/programme

B. Vaccination Dates
(1) Comirnaty by BioNTech (復必泰疫苗)

• 1st dose: 14 July 2021 (Wednesday)
• 2nd dose: 4 August 2021 (Wednesday)

(2) CoronaVac by Sinovac (克爾來福疫苗)

• 1st dose: 15 July 2021 (Thursday)
• 2nd dose: 12 August 2021 (Thursday)

C. Vaccination Venue
University Sports Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Recent health data bears out COVID-19 vaccination as an effective measure both in personal protection and prevention of the spread of the virus. The University strongly encourages all staff to consider receiving the COVID-19 vaccination at the earliest opportunity. Vaccines against COVID-19 are an important tool to help us win in the fight.  One more jab means one more step ahead.  We count on your continued support. If University members have any enquiry about vaccination, please consult your family doctor.

For more information on the University’s infection control measures, please visit the “Act Together Against COVID-19” website https://againstcovid19.cuhk.edu.hk/

Alan K.L. Chan
Provost
On behalf of CUHK Emergency Response Group

Dear Colleagues and Students,

In view of the stabilizing situation of COVID-19 in Hong Kong, the University plans to resume face-to-face academic and student activities on campus in the new academic year 2021–22.

Teaching Arrangements

Assuming that the present trend holds, with a relatively low rate of new COVID-19 infections and an increasing rate of vaccinations, the default mode of delivery of teaching and learning will be in person and on campus for all classes offered in Term 1, 2021–22.

Campus life is an essential part of university education. Although online teaching has proven to be effective, thanks to the exemplary effort of our faculty and staff, as well as the dedication of our students, face-to-face learning activities provide added value and contribute to whole-person development, which is a hallmark of CUHK education. Due precautionary measures will be put in place to keep our campus safe.

Special arrangements for students unable to enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions

We understand that a small number of students residing outside Hong Kong may face travel restrictions preventing them from coming or returning to the University. For these students, special arrangements such as lecture recordings and individualized online tutorials will be made, as determined by the Faculties concerned. The Registry and Graduate School Office will provide such students with the needed information and support.

Specific to undergraduate students who are unable to enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions, special online sections of selected classes such as General Education Foundation courses and required language courses will be made available. While we hope that resumption of face-to-face teaching and learning will be possible for all students in the new academic year, there will likely be some who cannot enter Hong Kong due to travel restrictions, and no effort will be spared to ensure that their learning is not adversely affected.

Infection control measures

Faculty, staff and students should strictly observe the University’s guidelines on COVID-19 prevention measures when attending face-to-face meetings, classes or examinations. Social distancing will be observed in classrooms, with appropriately arranged seating arrangements.

The health and wellbeing of CUHK members are always of utmost importance to the University. All members of the University are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The University will continue to monitor the situation and will act promptly to revert to online teaching and learning in the unfortunate event that the pandemic takes a turn for the worse.

Wishing everyone a safe and productive summer break.

Yours sincerely,

Alan K.L. Chan
Provost

With reference to the provision of “Vaccination leave” in the Civil Service, the Emergency Response Group (ERG) has approved the same provision for University staff members after they have received COVID-19 vaccination, as follows:

Vaccination leave – for full-time staff who will receive / have already received vaccination during the periods below –

A. Vaccination to be received from 3 June to 31 August 2021

• Authorised absence for not more than one day may be granted immediately after each vaccination. This may be taken in two consecutive half-day units, on the day of vaccination and the day after (or the working day immediately after the day of vaccination). Staff members may be granted time release of not more than half day for vaccination during work hours.
• In case a member of staff needs to take sick leave for no more than one day after the approved authorised absence, production of medical certificate will not be required as a general concession. Such sick leave must be taken within two days after the day of approved authorised absence.
• For sick leave beyond the third calendar day immediately following the day of vaccination, normal requirement on provision of sick leave certificate will apply.

B. Vaccination taken on or before 2 June 2021

• Staff members will be allowed to apply for one day of authorised absence for each dose already received on or before 2 June 2021. The deadline for them to take authorised absence is 31 March 2022.

Application procedure and record of “Vaccination Leave”

• Vaccination leave cannot be applied through CUPIS. Prior approval should be obtained from the leave approving authority outside the system (e.g. via email or paper application).
• Approved records of vaccination leave should be kept by Departments/Units. Local leave administrators may input the approved records in CUPIS [using the leave type “Others (Working Days)”] for record purpose.

For enquiries about vaccination leave, please email to hro-leave@cuhk.edu.hk. 

Dear colleagues,

The spread of COVID-19 since early 2020 has posed extraordinary challenges to global health. Although the epidemic situation in Hong Kong appears to be easing recently, we should not let down our guard given the volatility of the epidemic, as noted in the recent importation of virus variants. To safeguard the health and wellbeing of CUHK members, the University has implemented various disease prevention measures on campus, which include enhanced cleaning and disinfection. We urge all CUHK members to continue to exercise precautionary measures, including wearing a mask, practising social distancing and frequent hand washing. For details, please see:  https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/7-ways-fight.html.

For the new academic year commencing in September, the University hopes to offer more face-to-face academic and student activities on campus, as well as to allow normal capacity in residential halls. With increasing number of people taking part in activities on campus, it becomes all the more important to expand vaccinations, as they serve as a bulwark to enhance protection for faculty, staff and students alike, as well as external service providers, visitors, etc. on campus. Recent health data from countries of high vaccination rate bear out COVID-19 vaccination as an effective measure both in personal protection and prevention of the spread of the virus. For example, a recent study published in Lancet (May 2021) gives robust evidence that after two doses of BNT162b2 (BioNTech), an effectiveness of more than 85% can be achieved against asymptomatic or symptomatic infection. Immunization is critical to help protect our city at large, and our University community in particular. 

While vaccination is a voluntary choice of the individual, the University strongly encourages all staff to consider receiving the COVID-19 vaccination at the earliest opportunity. The CUHK Medical Centre is one of the Community Vaccination Centers in Hong Kong (offering BioNTech/Fosun [Comirnaty] vaccine injection service). On-line booking for any vaccination center of your convenience and choice can be directly made at: https://booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp.

Staff members who have an appointment for vaccination during work hours may apply to their supervisors for time release to visit the Community Vaccination Centres or enrolled clinics. If necessary (e.g. in case of a mild fever), colleagues may apply for sick leave to get rest after vaccination.

The University will continue strict observance of the infection control measures as advised by the HKSAR Government and the Centre for Health Protection, which include the requirements and restrictions applied to group gatherings and catering services.

Thank you for all you are doing to keep our University community safe. We are on course to resume our usual life on various fronts, gradually and steadily. Vaccines against COVID-19 are an important tool to help us win in the fight. One more jab means one more step ahead. We count on your continued support. For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, please visit: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/programme.

Eric S.P. Ng
Vice-President (Administration)
On behalf of CUHK Emergency Response Group

In view of the latest development of the pandemic situation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that Departments /Units will resume normal operation from 18 February to cater for related service needs. Dine-in services after 6pm in CUHK canteens will also be resumed from 18 February. Infection control measures for the dine-in arrangement will be in accordance with the Government regulations. For details of opening hours and arrangements of canteens and other facilities, please visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info or refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

The checklist serves as a simple guide for prompt actions.  Heads of Departments/Units (HoDs) may exercise discretion and take appropriate actions as the circumstances warrant.  Orders/Advice, if any, from the Government’s Department of Health or other health authorities, e.g. the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP), should take precedence and be strictly observed.

[1] As classified by Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health; the employee will be given an order for compulsory quarantine of 14 days at the Government’s designated quarantine centre.

[2] The employee is associated to someone who is tested positive for COVID-19 or classified as close contact, but the employee is not under Scenario (A) or (B).  Advice should be sought from CHPP on a case-by-case basis.

[3] CHPP hotline: 3943 6436 (office hours) or email: healtheducation.uhs@cuhk.edu.hk

In view of the severe COVID-19 situation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the infection control measures presently in force, including suspension of all dine-in service in CUHK canteens after 6:00 PM, will be extended to 17 February 2021.

As for sports facilities, to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), some sports venues will reopen on February 16 after staff at relevant venues have undergone COVID-19 tests and necessary measures are adopted at reopened sports facilities.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of opening hours and arrangements of canteens and other facilities, please visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info or refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

n view of the severe COVID-19 situation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the infection control measures presently in force, including suspension of all dine-in service in CUHK canteens after 6:00 PM, and temporary closure of all sports facilities on campus, will be extended to 3 February 2021. As to the special work arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation, departments/units may adjust work plans according to service needs, including gradual resumption of service in an orderly manner based on the measures and principle of reduction of flow of people and social contact.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of opening hours and arrangements of canteens and other facilities, please visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info or refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the severe COVID-19 situation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the infection control measures presently in force, including special work arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation; suspension of all dine-in service in CUHK canteens after 6:00 PM; and temporary closure of all sports facilities on campus, will be extended to 27 January 2021.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of opening hours and arrangements of canteens and other facilities, please visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info or refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the severe COVID-19 situation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the infection control measures presently in force, including special work arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation; suspension of all dine-in service in CUHK canteens after 6:00 PM; and temporary closure of all sports facilities on campus, will be extended to 20 January 2021.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of opening hours and arrangements of canteens and other facilities, please visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info or refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the following enhanced infection control measures will be extended to 6 January 2021.

The special work arrangements currently in place will be extended to 6 January 2021.  In response to the epidemic, departments/units will review the situation and adjust the relevant arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation as appropriate. Staff members will be informed of the details by their respective department/unit heads.

All dine-in services in CUHK canteens will be suspended after 6:00 PM. For the details of opening hours and arrangements, please contact the respective canteens or visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. The University will temporarily close all sports facilities on campus. For details of the opening hours of other facilities of the University, please refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

Dear Students and Colleagues, 

The Fall Term has just concluded, let us first of all wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday season ahead. 

The Fall Term started on a promising note, when the third wave of COVID infections slowed in Hong Kong. Classes proceeded very much as planned. The “hybrid’’ mode of teaching worked well, as feedback from students and teachers shows, without compromising the desired learning outcomes. We must thank all our staff for their tremendous effort, our students for their understanding and cooperation, and our alumni for their support and encouragement. Teaching and learning would not have progressed as well as it did, had it not been for the community coming together during this trying time. Difficulties remain, of course; for example, we are keenly aware that some students, especially freshmen, experienced a sense of isolation, as they were unable to connect with their seniors and peers in person and make new friends. 

In November, we undertook to make more face-to-face classes available and organized some carefully managed student activities. Unfortunately, just as we hoped we could step up some of these efforts, a new wave of COVID infections arrived, putting the city under siege once more. The current fourth wave of COVID infections is fierce and has spread widely. There are far more cases without known origins for comfort. The University must play its part in strengthening its infection control measures, so as to protect the health and wellbeing of all our members. As the new academic Term will begin in less than a month’s time, we must make timely adjustments to our plans for teaching and learning, and for hostel accommodation. 

Teaching and Learning

Unless conditions improve, classes will continue to be conducted mainly online. While some face-to-face classes for a small number of undergraduate courses, including lab/studio/practicum-based undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses may be arranged under strict infection control measures, prudence dictates that campus density should be kept to a minimum. We very much hope that when conditions improve, we will be able to accommodate more first-year students and classes on campus as we originally planned in November. Students should consult CUSIS for the individual course arrangements. If the pandemic subsides after the winter, we will again adjust our teaching arrangements to allow for more in-person on-campus activities.

It is unfortunate that student exchanges cannot proceed for the remainder of the academic year, as the pandemic rages on throughout the world, but the Virtual Student Exchange Programme spearheaded by CUHK is receiving a warm reception and has provided valuable global learning opportunities for many of our students.

Hostel Accommodation

The risk of a cluster of infections emerging on campus is real. That risk would surely increase if a large number of students were to return to their hostel accommodation. Even with single room occupancy, the sharing of common facilities still poses considerable risk. For this reason, although we realize how disappointing this must be for many of our students, some of whom reside outside Hong Kong and are very much looking forward to returning to campus, we have to act responsibly and limit occupancy. We must also set aside rooms for emergency purposes in case there is an outbreak in one of the hostels and a thorough disinfection is needed. 

Under the current unfavorable circumstances, other than those students who are already in their hostels, only a limited number of additional rooms will be available to students for the Spring Term. The Colleges are in the process of finalizing their plans and will be informing their students shortly. 

Act Together Against COVID-19

The end of the fourth wave of COVID infections is nowhere in sight. The ferocity of the present rate of transmission is alarming. Fatality arising from COVID-19 is not confined to the elderly, as recent cases sadly confirm. The University appeals to all members to stay vigilant. Even with the promise of a vaccine, we cannot emphasize strongly enough that we need to act together to keep our campus safe from COVID-19. For more information on the University’s infection control measures, please visit the “Act Together Against COVID-19” website.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely, keeping in mind always that the health and safety of our members must come first, adjust our responses as necessary, and keep you informed in a timely manner. Once more, thank you for your understanding and steadfast support.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces the following enhanced infection control measures from 10 December to 23 December 2020:

1. All dine-in services in CUHK canteens will be suspended after 6:00 PM. For the details of opening hours and arrangements, please contact the respective canteens or visit  https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info

2. The University will temporarily close all sports facilities on campus.

3. The special work arrangements has been implemented from 2 December. Each department/unit will review and maintain essential and necessary services. Except for those staff providing essential and necessary services, staff members whose work permits offsite handling will work on shift or work from home. In response to the epidemic, departments/units will try to reduce onsite manpower as much as possible and review the situation to adjust the relevant arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation as appropriate. Staff members will be informed of the details by their respective department/unit heads. This temporary arrangement will be extended to 23 December.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of the opening hours of other facilities of the University, please refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the worsening risk of the spread of COVID-19, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces special work arrangements that will be implemented from Wednesday (2 December). Each department/unit will review and maintain essential and necessary services. Except for those staff providing essential and necessary services, staff members whose work permits offsite handling will work on shift or work from home. This temporary arrangement will last for two weeks until 15 December and the University will closely monitor and review the situation as appropriate. Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements for attendance, work from home or rotation by their respective department/unit heads.

The University is adopting the hybrid mode of teaching and learning. Most face-to-face classes can be conducted online at the same time if needed. Except for a few courses, the examinations will also be conducted online. The relating units/departments will notify teachers and students of the details separately by email.

Starting from 2 December, all canteens on CUHK campus can only accommodate two people per table.

The University advises all employees to pay attention to personal hygiene and take appropriate health protection measures. Wearing a mask on campus in accordance with the Government regulations is also required, and it is suggested that staff members avoid attending group gatherings.

During this period, the services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. For details of the opening hours of other facilities of the University, please refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the latest development of the pandemic and to safeguard the health and safety of staff members, the departments and units of the University may exercise flexibility in work arrangements according to the job nature and operational necessity.  Heads of departments and units will inform staff members of the arrangements, and make separate announcements for adjusted service, where appropriate. 

Dear Students and Colleagues,

The current academic Term has now entered its 10^th week. Since mid-October, with the pandemic stabilizing somewhat in Hong Kong, more face-to-face classes for higher-level undergraduate courses, postgraduate courses, as well as laboratory, studio or practicum-based courses, have been made available. The Centralized Study Spaces Booking System for students to find a quiet place to study on campus has also been implemented. Teaching and learning under the carefully planned “hybrid” mode of face-to-face and synchronous online academic activities has worked well. We appreciate the cooperation of students and staff for complying with the necessary precautionary measures to keep COVID-19 at bay. It is important that we keep in mind the health and wellbeing not only of ourselves but also of those around us.

Teaching and Examination Arrangements

For courses that require centrally organized invigilated final examinations, we will ensure that suitable venues are available should the course instructors choose to conduct them physically on campus. Whether the exams are best conducted online or in-person is a pedagogical question that is best decided by the course instructors. The arrangements for individual courses will be announced on CUSIS.

Assuming that the pandemic continues on a relatively moderate course, more on-campus teaching and learning activities should be possible in the Spring Term. Although prudence dictates that the current hybrid mode of teaching and learning will need to be maintained, some level-1 courses will be given priority for face-to-face teaching, in addition to the types of courses mentioned above. A healthy measure of on-campus learning experience is important for freshmen as they adjust to university life. With safe travel “bubbles” coming into place, some student exchange activities may also be possible in the Spring Term, although these are yet to be determined. As always, we will monitor the situation closely and make timely adjustments accordingly.

At the same time, we will continue to strengthen our e-learning capacity and develop innovative pedagogical approaches to learning under the new normal. Many colleagues deserve our heartfelt thanks, for they have invested enormous amounts of time and effort in making sure that learning continues to grow even in the time of the pandemic. We applaud also our wonderful students who valiantly embrace the new mode of teaching and learning and have been helping one another along the way.

Hostel Accommodation

For the best interest of student health and safety, single room occupancy and the standing rule that no visitors are allowed to stay overnight in the hostel rooms of all nine Colleges will continue to be strictly implemented. In addition to final-year students with prior hostel allocation, freshmen with assigned hostel places will also be given priority in the Spring Term. For inbound students, the prevailing specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation must be observed. New provisions will come into effect on 13^th  November. Please visit the Centre for Health Protection website for details on the latest announcements.

The increased hostel occupancy will make it very important that all health and infection control measures are strictly adhered to. Unauthorized boarding will incur disciplinary action. We thank the College Heads and Masters in agreeing to accommodate more students on campus, and we seek the understanding and cooperation of all students in ensuring that the halls of residence remain safe from COVID-19. As the coronavirus has proven to be highly infectious, we simply cannot afford to lower our guard even for a single moment.

As we indicated in our previous letter, so long as all of us take full responsibility in adhering to the needed infection control measures and are mindful of the wellbeing of others, we will be able to overcome whatever challenges that lie ahead.

Acting Together Against COVID-19

Earlier, we applied a disinfectant to walls and surfaces in lecture theatres and other high-density areas. We recently tested its efficacy and found it to be satisfactory, with few microbial colonies detected after 3 months of deployment. A second coating will be applied shortly. The WE R SMART slogan reminds us that wearing a mask, observing social distance, monitoring body temperature and washing hands frequently have now come almost naturally to us, and that they remain essential in the fight against COVID-19. The “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile app to be introduced by the HK Government is a helpful tool for us to keep track of the places we have visited, which can prove critical if contact tracing becomes necessary. Learning from the experiences of universities overseas, we know that the consequences would be dire if we do not take these measures seriously.

COVID-19 has been terrible, but it should motivate us to do more and spur innovation. We are not responding to the pandemic with stopgap measures, hoping that the “old normal” would return someday; rather, we should take this opportunity to chart new directions and strategies for the University to grow in its next phase of development. Over the past few months, the University has been consulting widely with students, staff and alumni on its new five-year strategic plan, which will include fresh initiatives in developing education and research, enriching student experience, enhancing human capital, expanding global engagement, spearheading sustainable development and social responsibility, deepening our ties with alumni, and advancing institutional development. We look forward to hearing more from you on “CUHK 2025” over the next few months.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

Note: The followings are suggested guidelines. Departments/course teachers concerned may adopt other precautionary measures as appropriate.

1. Precautionary measures

• Students, course teachers/invigilators concerned with one or more of the following conditions should not come back to the campus for the face-to-face examination, and they should make other appropriate arrangements.
  1. have travelled outside Hong Kong within 14 days before the day of examination;
  2. are still within the compulsory quarantine period;
  3. are living with family members/persons who are confirmed cases of COVID-19; or
  4. have chronic illness/other medical conditions.
• Students, invigilators and course teachers should monitor their own body temperature on each day before attending the examination. If their body temperature is at or higher than 37.5C or with presence of respiratory symptoms, they should seek medical advice immediately.
• Students should follow the Regulation to apply for absence from examination if their conditions do not permit them to take the examination, if applicable.

2. Before the examination

• Students, invigilators and course teachers concerned with body temperature at or higher than 37.5C or with presence of respiratory symptoms should not enter the examination venue. They should seek medical advice immediately.
• All students, course teachers/invigilators must pay attention to personal hygiene. They are required to put on surgical masks and use alcohol sanitizers to rub hands before entering the examination venue. Alcohol sanitizers should be provided at the building entrance, and surgical masks for students who are in need.
• Students should reserve ample time to enter the examination venue by batches to avoid crowd gathering at the entrances of the examination venue.
• Course teachers should arrange a suitable venue for the examination where social distancing can be enforced.
• In arrangements of seating, keep the physical distance between students at least one meter apart.
• Proper cleaning and disinfection of the examination venue MUST be done after each examination session.
• Try to maintain good indoor ventilation of the venue, e.g. open the windows, if possible.

3. During the examination

• All students, course teachers/invigilators are required to put on surgical masks during the whole examination, including oral examinations.
• No eating or drinking is allowed in the examination venue.

4. After the examination

Arrange students to leave the examination venue in batches, so as not to crowd the exits.

5. Contact Tracing

If in the unfortunate situation that a confirmed COVID-19 case is identified and who has attended the examination, the course teachers concerned should report to the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) immediately, and contact the management unit of the venue to arrange disinfection, and provide contact list of participants of the examination to the offices concerned to facilitate efficient contact tracing.

Note: The followings are suggested guidelines. Departments/course teachers concerned may adopt other precautionary measures as appropriate.

1. Precautionary measures

• Students and course teachers concerned with one or more of the following conditions should not come back to the campus for the face-to-face meetings, and they should make other appropriate arrangements.
  1. have travelled outside Hong Kong within 14 days before attending the class/laboratory session;
  2. are still within the compulsory quarantine period;
  3. are living with family members/persons who are confirmed cases of COVID-19; or
  4. have chronic illness/other medical conditions.
• Students and course teachers concerned should monitor their own body temperature on each day before attending the class/laboratory session. If their body temperature is at or higher than 37.5C or with presence of respiratory symptoms, they should seek medical advice immediately.

2. Before the class/laboratory session

• Students and course teachers concerned with body temperature at or higher than 37.5C or with presence of respiratory symptoms should not attend the class/laboratory session on the scheduled date. They should seek medical advice immediately.
• All students and course teachers must pay attention to personal hygiene. They are required to put on surgical masks and use alcohol sanitizers to rub hands before entering the venue. Alcohol sanitizers should be provided at the building entrance, and surgical masks for students who are in need.
• Students should reserve ample time to enter the venue by batches to avoid crowd gathering at the entrance of the venue.
• Course teachers should arrange a suitable venue for the class/laboratory session where social distancing can be enforced.
• There should be at least one meter apart between students in the seating arrangement. Students may also be arranged to sit in single rows with a ‘face-to-back’ setting (to face one direction), or chessboard-style seating arrangement.
• Proper physical distance for group activities should also be arranged. Avoid any close contact in classes, e.g. activities/games involving body contact. For teaching/learning activities to be conducted in groups, please always follow the Government’s announcement on the number of persons allowed for group gatherings in the arrangements. For PE and Music courses, course teachers also need to follow specific guidelines of relevant government offices in conducting the classes.
• Arrange students to take turn to use the laboratory in sessions and enforce proper social distancing.
• Proper cleaning and disinfection of the venues MUST be done every day.
• Try to maintain good indoor ventilation of the venue, e.g. open the windows, if possible.

3. During the class/laboratory session

• All students and course teachers are required to put on surgical masks all through the class/laboratory session.
• No eating or drinking is allowed inside the venue.

4. After the class/laboratory session

Arrange students to leave the venue in batches, so as not to crowd the exits.

5. Contact Tracing

If in the unfortunate situation that a confirmed COVID-19 case is identified and who has attended the class/laboratory session, the course teachers concerned should report to the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) immediately, and contact the management unit of the venue to arrange disinfection, and provide contact list of participants of the class/laboratory session to the offices concerned to facilitate efficient contact tracing.

Dear Students and Colleagues,

It is truly gratifying to see that the new term has gotten off to an excellent start, despite the trying circumstances. The University spares no effort to ensure that teaching and learning continue to forge ahead, with enhanced IT support and timely pedagogical interventions. A student survey and a teacher survey have already been conducted, to facilitate further improvements. Every member of the University deserves our heartfelt thanks, for their understanding and dedication in keeping the fire of education and research alight, under what can only be described as deeply distressing conditions.

Although thankfully the current wave of COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong has subsided, continued vigilance is absolutely necessary. The resurgence of cases after reopening of schools in some parts of the world reminds us of the need to make decisions on a rational basis. The health and wellbeing of our students and staff will continue to be our primary concern and guide our response to the pandemic.

From October 2020, the University will be gradually implementing the following measures.

Teaching Arrangements

A curated “hybrid” mode—a carefully planned combination of face-to-face and synchronous online academic activities—will define most teaching and learning under the “new normal”, without compromising the desired learning outcomes. With the considerably stabilized conditions in Hong Kong, we can now recalibrate the pedagogical equation to include more face-to-face academic activities. This applies especially to higher-level undergraduate courses, postgraduate courses, as well as lab/studio/practicum-based courses, for which face-to-face interactions are particularly beneficial. The University has been working closely with the Faculties, in consultation with Departments and course instructors, on the plan to resume face-to-face teaching activities in a gradual manner, with the aim of balancing pedagogical needs and health risk of the campus community.

Social distancing measures will be put in place to ensure that face-to-face teaching is conducted safely. These include setting limits to seating capacity in lecture theatres and seminar rooms, as well as taking attendance to facilitate contact tracing, should it become necessary.  As some students may be unable to return to campus for various reasons, including travel restrictions, all classes will have an online option.  For these students, individual consultations with the course instructors will provide additional support. 

Changes to the mode of teaching for individual courses will be announced on CUSIS, and sufficient time will be allowed for students to add/ drop courses.

Hostel Accommodation

To safeguard student health and safety, and indeed that of the entire community, all hostel rooms in the nine Colleges will be converted to single occupancy. Consequently, the number of available hostel places will be significantly reduced. We recognize that final-year undergraduate students face added challenges in completing their graduation requirements. For that reason, final-year students with previously allocated hostel places will be accorded priority in taking up College accommodation. Residential space will also be set aside by the University and Colleges for contingency purpose.

There is no change to hostel fees for those originally assigned a double occupancy room. The standing rule that no visitors are allowed to stay overnight will be strictly enforced in all nine Colleges. Subject to availability, other students with special needs to stay on campus may be admitted by their respective Colleges. Further details will be forthcoming from the Colleges shortly. For postgraduate students, separate admission processes are already in place at the Postgraduate Halls.

Infection Control Measures

We are likely to have to live with the new coronavirus for the foreseeable future. If all of us take full responsibility in adhering to the needed infection control measures, we will be able to overcome whatever challenges that lie ahead. At the University, smart thermal cameras have been installed in relatively high-density areas, and vending machines dispensing masks have been deployed at various locations on campus. All lecture theatres and classrooms have also been sprayed with a long-lasting disinfectant coating. Wearing a mask is a proven measure in protecting oneself and others from possible infection. Social distancing, not only in the classrooms or libraries but also in canteens and common rooms, and practices of personal hygiene, such as regular handwashing, will go a long way in keeping the campus safe. To reduce the risk of spreading the virus, campus members should avoid group gatherings and are strongly advised NOT to conduct any large-scale events or events involving catering.

Please remember that, by being considerate, we are contributing to the fight against COVID-19. In exemplifying the CUHK spirit, we are making a difference at a time when empathy and mutual help are particularly needed.

Please also let us take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and joyous Mid-Autumn Festival.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

The Universal Community Testing Programme is a one-off voluntary programme scheduled to run for 7 days from 1 September 2020, and may be extended to 14 days in total depending on the situation. If a staff member is scheduled to take the COVID-19 test under the Programme during work hours, the staff member may apply to his/her supervisor for time release to go to the community testing centre. Supporting document, e.g. notification of appointment showing the location of the test centre, date and time should be presented. Subject to operational practicability, Heads of Departments/Units may allow the staff member to attend the test by time release.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) implemented special work arrangements earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and only essential and major services have been provided in campus. In view of the latest development of the pandemic situation, CUHK announces that Departments/Units will make necessary arrangements to ramp up to full operation gradually from 24 August, to cater to teaching and learning, related activities and service needs. Staff members will be informed of the work arrangements by their respective Heads of Departments/Units accordingly. The first semester of the new academic year will begin on 7 September as scheduled.

For more information on how the University is coping with COVID-19, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces today (13 August) that the special work arrangement for staff members will be extended to 23 August. The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate. 

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces today (6 August) that the special work arrangement for staff members will be extended to 16 August.

The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate. 

In view of the severe COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the existing special work arrangement for staff members will be extended to 9 August.

The University will continue to closely monitor and review the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate. For more information on how the University is coping with COVID-19, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that daytime dine-in services for breakfast and lunch in CUHK canteens will resume from tomorrow (31 July). Infection control measures for the dine-in arrangement will be in accordance with the Government regulations. For the details of opening hours and arrangements, please contact the respective canteens or visit https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/accommodation.html#canteen_info

For more information, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces the following enhanced infection control measures: 

1. To protect the health and safety of staff during the rapid spread of COVID-19, as well as to minimize the passenger flow on public transportation and gathering at workplaces, departments/units will review and maintain only services and operation at the essential and necessary level. Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements on work onsite or work-from-home or rotation schedule by their respective department/unit heads. 
2. All dine-in services in CUHK canteens will be suspended for 7 days starting from July 29 until 4 August. For the details of opening hours and arrangements, please contact the respective canteens.
3. The University advises all employees to pay attention to personal hygiene and take appropriate health protection measures. Wearing a mask on campus in accordance with the Government regulations is also required, and it is suggested that staff members avoid attending group gatherings.

For more information, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website. 

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the special work arrangement for staff members will be extended to 2 August.

Except for those staff providing essential and necessary services, staff members whose work permits offsite handling are not required to return to office but should work from home. Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements by their respective department/unit heads.

The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and make announcement on the latest work arrangement as appropriate.

Dear Students and Colleagues,

In our previous letter dated 30 June 2020, we mapped out a plan for the start of the 2020–21 academic year. While we were mindful of a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in Hong Kong and had planned for it, the situation then allowed resumption of on-campus face-to-face teaching and learning with safe social distancing and other health protection measures in place. Today, with the alarming surge of COVID-19 in Hong Kong and many other parts of the world, it is evident that we need to raise the emergency response level and activate our contingency plan for the Fall Term. To ensure the health and wellbeing of our students and staff, the following measures will now be put in place:

1. All student orientation activities will be conducted online. Social distancing, avoidance of group gatherings and minimizing the use of public transport will help mitigate the spread of infection.
2. Classes will be conducted online until such time as the pandemic stabilizes. Given the valuable experience gained in the last academic year and the continued investment in enhancing our e-learning capacity, including synchronous teaching, we are confident that online teaching will be able to achieve the desired learning outcomes while keeping our students and staff safe from possible infection. With strong pedagogical justification, exceptions may be granted for lab/studio/practicum-based and professional undergraduate and postgraduate courses on a case-by-case basis. No effort will be spared, including assistance for students with special needs, in providing a fruitful learning experience for all students. Further details will be forthcoming when the timetable is finalized, and advance notice will be given for any subsequent changes.
3. Students currently residing outside Hong Kong are strongly advised not to return to campus at this time. This may necessitate changes to your travel arrangements, but your health and safety must come first. For students who have already started their journey or are unable to change their travel plans, please be reminded that stringent medical testing at the port of entry, and for some areas, port of embarkation, will be required. Compulsory quarantine upon arrival will also be strictly observed. Your affiliated Colleges and hostels will be in touch soon to provide support and guidance.
4. Hostel applications for local students will be suspended until further notice. Students domiciled locally are advised to avoid crowded places and make every effort to keep COVID-19 at bay. You will hear from your affiliated College on the specific arrangements.

We understand that the above measures will cause considerable disruption, and understandably, disappointment. The recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong and elsewhere teaches us how little we know of this disease and how important it is to be able to respond quickly and responsibly. We would like to reiterate that the health and wellbeing of our campus community remains our top priority, and we seek your understanding and continued support as we navigate together through this difficult time. With a concerted community effort, COVID-19 can be contained, if not defeated.

This will not be the last time we write before the Fall Term commences. There may be further adjustments, and alternative plans based on different scenarios are in place. We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely and keep you informed.

In the meantime, we wish you a safe and productive summer.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

In view of the worsening risk of the spread of COVID-19, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces special work arrangements that will be implemented from tomorrow (20 July). Except for those staff providing essential and necessary services, staff members whose work permits offsite handling are not required to return to office but should work from home. This temporary arrangement will last for one week until 26 July and the University will closely monitor and review the situation as appropriate. Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements by their respective department/unit heads.

All face-to-face teaching and learning activities on campus will be suspended until 26 July.

During this period, the out-patient services of the University Clinic will continue to operate as usual. The shuttle bus service on campus will be limited to the special H-line (service available during 07:30-23:20), while the paid shuttle light bus services will remain unchanged. For details of the opening hours of other facilities of the University, please refer to the announcements of the respective offices.

In view of the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in HK, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (the University) will adopt the following arrangements to safeguard the health and safety of all students and staff:

(1) Class arrangement:
The 2019-2020 summer session has ended on 11 July. The University will closely monitor the situation and announce any changes to the teaching arrangements for the new semester, should they become necessary.

(2) Work arrangement from 14 July:
All departments and units will maintain normal services and operation. The University encourages all Department/ Unit heads to exercise flexibility under practical and allowable circumstances according to operational needs, including staggered reporting time and lunch hours, or work-from-home where the job nature permits.

Those who feel ill are advised to seek immediate medical consultation, inform their unit heads of the situation and stay home.

The University’s Emergency Response Group has prepared a list of emergency measures in case any staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is classified as a close contact by the Department of Health. The University calls upon all staff to stay vigilant against COVID-19 and wishes everyone good health and safety.

For more information on how the University is coping with COVID-19, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

Dear Students and Colleagues,

We write at a time when things are returning to something resembling normality in Hong Kong, while other parts of the world are still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Without letting our guard down or being overly optimistic, we would like to bring to your attention how we propose to start the new semester in the fall of 2020.

While the decision to move to online classes and home office on the first appearance of the COVID-19 threats in January needed to be swift and bold, that to re-open the campus and resume in-person teaching and activities must be cautious and thoroughly deliberated. At the first threats of the novel coronavirus, the Emergency Response Group was formed, led by the Vice-Chancellor and President and staffed by members of senior management and relevant heads of the professional and administrative services units. The Group has been meeting regularly and frequently to keep abreast of local and overseas developments and to deliberate on infection control and academic and work arrangements, always informed and advised by the Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP). The Group also consulted and conferred with members of the Colleges, Faculties, other units and outside parties and experts to arrive at decisions and take necessary actions in the face of fast-changing challenges.

What will the Fall Term look like?

We are pleased to state that we now feel confident in commencing the Fall Term of 2020–21 on 7 September as originally scheduled. That said, the health and well-being of our campus population must remain our top priority and every effort will be made to ensure that our campus is free from infection while pursuing our educational objectives and goals. If there is one overarching rule that should inform all our academic and non-academic undertakings, it is physical distancing. Needless to say, physical distancing will be enforced in all places and at all times to prevent infection and implement containment if the intractable virus should find its way into our campus.

With this in mind, we have conducted various simulations and estimated that we should be able to accommodate face-to-face teaching for more than 80% of the classes scheduled for the Fall Term, provided the timetable is stretched and classrooms fully utilized. This may inconvenience some students and faculty, and understanding and patience will be much appreciated.

However, the need to avoid large gatherings and to cater for unforeseen emergencies means that online teaching and learning will still be a part of the “new normal”. There should be minimal cause for concern, as our students, faculty and staff, especially given the experience of the last school term, are now adept in making full use of technology in achieving the desired learning or work-related outcomes. We believe that, with the enhancement in WiFi connectivity and IT capabilities, online teaching and learning will only get better and better. Depending on the pedagogical needs of individual courses, a hybrid mode of online and in-person teaching will be the new norm, and very few of us will experience that sense of unwieldiness as we did a few months ago. You will hear more on the specifics of class scheduling and related arrangements from the Provost, the Registry and/or individual Departments/Divisions in the days to come.

What are the key infection control measures on campus?

A safe campus is a prerequisite to the success of the new term. Various precautionary measures have been or will be implemented to ensure that students will be able to pursue their studies and staff to carry out their work on campus as safely and effectively as possible, including but not limited to the following:

1. Face masks have to be worn at all times on campus, particularly on school buses and in indoor areas.
2. There will be body temperature checkpoints at key University venues, together with supplies of hand sanitizers and face mask vending machines.
3. Cleaning and sanitizing regimes will be instituted in common areas, including classrooms, libraries, and sports grounds, and in facilities such as elevators and buses.
4. There will be protocols of entry to and exit from classrooms and laboratories as well as of seating arrangement (at least 1.5 m apart, all facing one direction and alternate seating) to effect the optimal level of physical distancing in both lectures and tutorials.
5. The medical team at the University Health Service will take care of the sick and facilitate virus testing in suspected cases or for those that come in close contact therewith.

What is the arrangement for student residents?

The University and all nine Colleges are making every effort to facilitate new and returning non-local students to fulfil the compulsory home quarantine requirements, if applicable, before the Fall Term starts on 7 September. Students will be arranged to arrive on campus in a staggered manner starting from as early as mid-July. Such an arrangement naturally presents considerable practical challenges. Individual Colleges and hostels will exercise their specific arrangements to balance the inauguration of residential life with compliance of public health regulations in terms of self-isolation or compulsory home quarantine. It is therefore important that residents pay close attention to the specific timeframes and logistics of individual Colleges and hostels and, in the case of those coming from abroad, plan their itineraries carefully. For those who arrive late for the beginning of the term due to reasons beyond their control, we will also make alternative arrangements to keep the disruption to their studies and campus life to a minimum.

For local student residents, we expect that you can check-in on 5 September as long as the coronavirus pandemic remains under control. However, the physical settings, operations and activities in hostels will be adjusted to comply with the infection control and social distancing guidelines. We will also need to set aside contingency residential space to accommodate a possible resurgence of infections in Hong Kong. We hope that all members will continue to demonstrate flexibility and patience, as well as a collaborative community spirit during this uncertain time.

Brace for the New Normal

Physical distancing also means that many events, gatherings and co-curricular activities have to be scaled down or closely regulated from the public health angle. A task force under the Emergency Response Group has issued the “Referencing Guidelines for Social and Non-academic Events during COVID-19” to provide guidance on the planning and operation of on-campus events. The guidelines will be updated and kept commensurate with the current public health measures and regulations. We will also continue to implement access control into the University for better crowd management and contact tracing should it become necessary.

With all the necessary measures in place, we are confident that CUHK is turning a new leaf in its annals in a thoughtful and orderly manner. Credits must go to our students, staff, alumni and donors who have not only been doing their parts most diligently, but also going beyond the call of duty in many instances to help the University as a whole to navigate this challenging time. No words can adequately describe our gratitude to these dedicated members of the CUHK family. We are particularly heartened by the enthusiastic responses to the CU RElief (CURE) Fund which has already raised funds to make available employment opportunities for over 300 of our graduates. It is this spirit of solidarity and looking out for each other that gives us the confidence that we can ride out the pandemic challenge together.

While the world eagerly awaits the development of a vaccine targeted against SARS-Cov-2 and effective treatments for COVID-19, CUHK will remain vigilant on all fronts to safeguard the well-being of all members of the CUHK community. The Emergency Response Group will continue to execute its responsibilities dutifully to meet current and future challenges related to COVID-19. We will keep monitoring and assessing the situation and keep you posted in an expedient and timely manner.

Yours sincerely,

Rocky S. Tuan                                                Alan K.L. Chan
Vice-Chancellor and President               Provost

To              All Staff
From        Provost
Enquiry   info.prvo@cuhk.edu.hk

Dear Colleagues,

With Term 2, AY2019/2020, now behind us, it is time to plan for September. But, first, please let me thank all of you for stepping up so brilliantly in the face of truly trying circumstances. Though the results of the CTE exercise for Term 2 are still being analyzed, looking at the broad, headline figures there is cause for optimism. For example, students responded positively to the question whether “the teacher made effective use of the online platform to promote interaction and engagement,” with an adjusted mean score of 4.94 on a 6-point scale. The overall satisfaction level was high as well, at 5.03 and 5.30, for the course and the teacher, respectively.

These are gratifying results, reflecting your commitment to education. The CTE serves an important developmental function, and the results will be interpreted holistically during the annual academic staff development review, taking into account the many difficulties colleagues faced. While the efficacy of online teaching and learning will continue to invite debate, there is little doubt that advances in technology will have a significant impact on education. We need to continue to innovate, not only adapting to but more importantly, also playing a leading role both locally and globally in enhancing the changing landscape of teaching and learning. Such effort should be recognized, and I encourage you to share your best practices, so that we can grow as a community.

A special note of thanks to our wonderful non-academic staff is also due. The contributions of our teaching assistants should not go unmentioned as well. Without your dedication and tireless effort, we would not have survived Term 2! 

The Summer Session is already underway. Some 7,000 students are enrolled in one or more of the 265 courses on offer. The threat of COVID-19 remains high, even though the local situation seems to have stabilized. As I shared previously, this is certainly not the time to let our guard down. While some small group academic activities, especially lab sessions, studio work and practicums may now be conducted on campus and in person, online teaching/learning remains the norm. We seek your understanding, as the health and well-being of our community must outweigh other concerns.

What form will teaching/learning take come September? What will the “new normal” look like? 100% face-to-face classroom teaching seems unlikely. 100% online may be avoided, but the “mixed” or “hybrid” mode that lies in between may still take different forms.

Fundamentally, we need to assume that COVID-19 will not just disappear, which entails that some level of social distancing and other preventive measures will have to be maintained. A class of 30 students, for example, will require a lecture theatre that can accommodate at least twice that number, if face-to-face meetings were to be conducted. Some form of seating arrangement may have to be devised, so as to facilitate contact tracing should it become necessary. During the summer, Departments/ Faculties/ Colleges should address the need to enhance their WiFi and computing facilities. One thing we can be sure of is that the demand for online learning will not diminish.

More importantly, we should plan with clear pedagogical objectives in mind, and not treat this merely as a logistical exercise. The Registry is thus looking into the teaching needs of all our courses in the new academic Term. For some courses, large or small, online platforms may be equally or more effective in delivering the desired learning outcomes, whereas for others face-to-face meetings may be preferred. Freshmen may benefit especially from at least a measure of on-campus learning experience. Final year students, too, may need to come back to campus to complete their projects. In the end, we may adopt several “hybrid” forms of teaching and learning. Whatever the case, every effort will be made to ensure that we continue to deliver the highest quality education to our students.

What will College residential life look like? What steps do we take if in the not altogether unlikely event that one of the residents falls prey to COVID-19? The Emergency Response Group chaired by the Vice-Chancellor continues to meet regularly and is making every preparation. In the final analysis, a higher level of health awareness and new social habits will inform the “new normal,” which requires understanding, discipline, and above all, being considerate and watching out for the well-being of others.

Thank you again. We will continue to update everyone as the pandemic evolves. In the meantime, please let me wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and productive summer ahead.

Provost

Background

In view of the serious impact of COVID-19 across the globe, and its high risk of spreading within a community, the ‘Task Force on Social and Non-academic Events and Workplace Arrangements during COVID-19’ has been established by the Emergency Response Group led by the Vice-Chancellor, with an aim to set out a set of referencing guidelines for all internal event organisers to assess the risk of hosting social and non-academic events.

Objectives

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the HKSAR Government have already declared COVID-19 a pandemic and raised it to the emergency level. It is also important to note that no effective vaccine and definitive treatment against COVID-19 are available up to now and the virus could cause a tragic loss of human life.

To reduce the risk of spreading the virus, all departments/units are strongly advised NOT to organize any large-scale events and events involving catering. If it is necessary to host an event, the organizers are strongly advised to consider alternative ways or formats to avoid gathering. Group dining activities should be avoided as far as possible. If it is absolutely necessary to organize large-scale events, e.g. in accordance with statutory requirements, the organizers should implement effective preventive measures to control and limit the transmission of the virus with consideration on social distancing, crowd and environmental control like providing hand sanitizers, arranging body temperature check and requiring participants to wear surgical masks or other measures judged necessary.

In this challenging and unprecedented time, a set of referencing guidelines is provided below to help organisers to consider whether to continue, postpone or cancel an event. This set of referencing guidelines is not prescriptive, and the final decision will be rested on the event organisers.

The development concerning COVID-19 is changing every day. All event organizers are advised to closely monitor the pandemic situation. They should refer to the updated announcements, guidelines and regulations issued by the WHO, the HKSAR Government, the University and its Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) and adjust their event planning and organization.

It is important to control and manage events well in this critical time, otherwise they might turn into a crisis for the related unit, department and University.

Event Planning

Risk Assessment

• To reduce the risk of infection, all departments/units are strongly advised NOT to organize any large-scale events.
• If it is a statutory requirement to host the event, ensure the event is arranged in accordance with the HKSAR Government and the University’s guidelines and regulations on infection control.
• Event organisers MUST observe current government policy on social distancing.

Nature and Scale

• Organisers are strongly advised to avoid activities with frequent body contact (e.g. sports games) and activities where the participants have to take off their surgical masks (e.g. singing).
• Explore alternative ways or formats for hosting the event, like live streaming or a digital platform, so that it could be conducted in a safe environment to minimise physical contact and interaction among people and engage them by other means.
• Limit the number of participants in not more than 50 and reduce the number of participants to ensure social distancing of 6 feet all the time.

Finance and Insurance

• Consider fee refund or waive any penalty charges to the participants, vendors, and other parties concerned, if the event is to be postponed or cancelled as a result of the development of COVID-19.
• Check the insurance policies and terms on event postponement or cancellation.

Event Operation

Venue

• Step up cleansing of the event venue.
• Maintain good ventilation if the event is to be held indoors.
• Arrange manpower to measure the body temperature for each participant in particular for events to be held indoor or in an enclosed area. Those with body temperature higher than 37.5°C should not be allowed to attend the event.
• All participants should wear surgical masks, and practice social distancing with at least 6 feet’s social distance between participants.
• Observe the current HKSAR Government and the University’s guidelines and regulations on infection control and social distancing.
• Explore the possibilities of arranging the event outdoors with fresh air supply.
• Consider digital systems to speed up the check-in/registration of participants to reduce the number of people lining up/gathering at the registration counter/venue entrance.

Staff, Workers and Participants

• Keep track on where the participants will be coming from if the activity involves any participants who have been to any overseas countries/areas in the past 14 days. Check their status to know if they have been in quarantine for 14 days.
• Avoid involving the elderly or people with health problems/special needs as they are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection.
• Keep the contact details of participants and staff to facilitate contact tracing by the authorities in case any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 is found.
• Manage the expectations of the participants if the event has to be postponed or cancelled.

Physical Contact

• Redesign the programme or shorten the duration of the event for the sake of reducing physical contact or interaction time.
• Avoid any close contact during the event, e.g. shaking hands, and activities/games involving body contact.
• Keep at least 6 feet’s social distance between participants all the time.
• Stagger the arrival and departure time of participants.
• Set up physical distancing arrangements in toilet areas.

Hygiene

• Provide hand sanitizers for all participants and workers.
• Ensure all participants, performers and workers wear surgical masks during the whole event.
• Provide surgical masks for people in need.
• Remind all participants and workers about personal hygiene and the protective measures to be taken before and during the event, e.g. sending notice to the participants beforehand; posting messages or signage on site.

Food and Beverage

• Due to the high risk of infection involved in group dining activities, in which the participants have to remove their surgical masks, event organizers are advised to cancel all catering/dining arrangements during the events.

Facilities and Equipment

• Arrange cleaning of the venue, entrance, exit, seats, toilets and all related facilities before and after the event.
• Arrange manpower to disinfect the microphones and props after each use during the event.
• If transport is provided to participants, ensure the cleaning of the vehicle and increase the frequency of transport provision.

Contact Tracing

• If in the unfortunate situation that a confirmed COVID-19 case is identified and who has attended your event, please do the following immediately:
  • Report to the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP) at 3943-6436 (tel) or email: chpp@cuhk.edu.hk.
  • Report to the Head of Unit, College Head/ Master or Faculty Dean.
  • Contact the management unit of the venue to arrange disinfection.
• Provide the contact list of participants and staff (if available) to the authorities to facilitate efficient contact tracing.
• Make available a contingency plan for cancelling the event when unpredicted situation occurs.

Remarks

This set of referencing guidelines is prepared by the “Task Force on Social and Non-academic Events and Workplace Arrangements during COVID-19” and is updated on 21 May 2020. This document will be reviewed and revised regularly in the light of measurers announced by the relevant authorities in connection with the development and impact of COVID-19. For more information, please visit “Act Together Against COVID-19 website at https://againstcovid19.cuhk.edu.hk/.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the global community and to members of the university. To support university members during the current period of adversity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) launched the CU RElief Fund (CURE Fund), which aims to provide assistance and support to members who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and to enhance the resilience of the CUHK community. 

The main relief objectives of the CURE Fund are:

(1) To provide on-campus part-time job opportunities with student helper allowance for current CUHK full-time undergraduate students to help alleviate their financial stress;

(2) To provide short-term job opportunities at the University for graduating students of the class of 2020 and alumni of the class of 2019. The CURE Fund Management Committee is also in discussion with various organizations to create job opportunities.  The aim is to help graduating students and young alumni to gain work experience and competitiveness in the face of high unemployment rate and declining job openings during the current severe economic downturn; and  

(3) To provide interest-free emergency loans for full-time staff members in junior posts (on Terms of Service C and equivalent terms) to ease their families’ financial difficulties.

Professor Rocky Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, along with all seven Pro-Vice-Chancellors/Vice-Presidents, will donate 15% of their salaries for the remaining months of the current year to seed the CURE Fund. 

CUHK is calling for donations to support the CURE Fund and to help CUHK members in need to overcome adversity. The University also sincerely invites interested organizations to offer job opportunities for graduating students and young alumni. Please contact the CURE Fund Management Committee for details (tel: 3943-1931; email: curefund@cuhk.edu.hk).

For information on donation and application, please visit www.cuhk.edu.hk/oia/cure-fund

To              All teachers
From        Provost, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Registrar
Enquiry   registrar@cuhk.edu.hk 

Dear teachers,

The University has announced earlier that all Summer Session courses will be conducted online. In the light of the improving conditions in the recent development of COVID-19, and the Government’s gradual relaxation of related measures, the University has reviewed the situation and decided that some face-to-face teaching and learning activities may be allowed for courses offered in the Summer Session, subject to the two most important concerns of student and staff safety, as well as pedagogical needs being met. 

The following arrangements for undergraduate courses offered in the Summer Session will be adopted:

1. Online teaching and learning may be complemented with carefully planned face-to-face meetings.
2. Face-to-face meetings (including lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions) will be limited to a maximum of 50 students at any one time.
3. Online instruction should continue to be provided for students not residing in Hong Kong and students who choose not to return to campus.
4. Students with chronic illness or other medical conditions should be advised to stay home for the time being.
5. On-campus examinations that require invigilation may be conducted face-to-face for students residing in Hong Kong at the time of examination. This is not applicable to other forms of assessment as stated in the assessment schemes of individual courses, such as term paper, projects, thesis, practicum etc.
6. For those courses that will have face-to-face classes and examinations, special online arrangements will be made by individual course teachers for non-local students who are not residing in Hong Kong for the classes and at the time of the examinations. Special arrangements should also be made for students with medical or special needs. 
7. All classes/ learning activities/ examinations conducted face-to-face must observe safe distancing and other precautionary measures as specified by the University.
8. Pass/ Fail grading option for all courses in Summer Session will be offered, except for courses specified by the Faculty/ Offering unit concerned.
9. Students may opt for Pass/Fail for the applicable courses, capped at a maximum of 3 credit units, exclusive of Physical Education courses.
10. The normal procedure for Summer Session late course add/ drop will be observed.

Face-to-face meetings of Summer Session courses are by applications, with full details of the activities and pedagogical reasons, and endorsement by the Department and Faculty concerned.  All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Details of the arrangements will be announced by the Registration and Examinations Section (RES) shortly.

Since the Pass/ Fail grading option is irrevocable, and although Term GPA is not applicable to Summer Session, the grades obtained (i.e. Pass or Fail) will not contribute to the Major GPA where applicable, and Cumulative GPA.  All students have been strongly advised to consult their Academic Advisors and Major Departments before making their choice.

Thank you once again for all your support to the provision of quality teaching and learning to our students during such a difficult time.  We hope that there will be further improvements in the pandemic situation when the new Academic Year begins.

Provost
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)
Registrar 

In view of the stabilizing COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces the gradual resumption of normal operation of all University Departments/Units from 4 May 2020. Heads of Departments/Units will review the operating environment and may make adjustments or take special measures where appropriate, in line with the Government’s advice on prudent management of interpersonal contacts. Staff members will be informed of the work arrangements by their respective Heads of Departments/Units accordingly.

Meanwhile, the four core subject examinations of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) will be held until 5 May. On these days, a large number of candidates are expected to travel to examination venues by public transport between 7 am and 8 am. All departments/units will continue to adopt flexible work arrangements during this period in order to help reduce the peak-hour passenger flow.

Staff members are reminded to refer to the precautionary measures announced by the Committee on Health Promotion and Protection for enhancing personal protection and hygiene. Staff members with special needs (e.g. pregnant staff or staff with long-term illness) may discuss with their supervisors special work arrangements where practicable.

The on-campus shuttle bus service will be strengthened according to actual needs. Staff members may refer to the announcement of the Transport Office at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/transport_office/ . The opening hours of campus canteens will be announced on the webpage in due course.

Students and staff are welcome to visit the “Act Together Against COVID-19” website for more information.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the Chung Chi College entrance (Chung Chi Gate) on Tai Po Road will be reopened to vehicles and pedestrians at 8 am, 28 April (Tuesday). The campus access management measures will remain in place. If the vehicle does not carry a valid CUHK parking permit, the driver or passenger shall present their CU Link cards or other CUHK identity proofs. Alumni going to the campus shall present their Alumni Library Cards or CU Alumni Credit Cards to prove their identity. Pedestrians are required to present their CUHK related identity proofs.  Persons who fail to present the aforesaid identity proofs are required to register their identity information with the security guard.

The No. 2 Bridge (the Bridge), after installation of reinforcing fences on newly built roadbeds, has been handed back from the Highways Department to the University for management in late March. The surface of the Bridge and its connecting roads have been severely damaged earlier. As a result of the above-mentioned fencing construction works, the Bridge has been narrowed from the original two-lane road to a single-lane road. The University is required to make repairs on the roads and implement appropriate traffic arrangement, the works on which will soon be completed. The University will reopen the Bridge to vehicle and pedestrian traffic at 8 am, 28 April.

Repair and New Traffic Arrangements of No. 2 Bridge are as follows:

Road Repair

The roads on the Bridge and its immediate surroundings have been severely damaged. The University has to repair and re-patch the road surface. New traffic signs have to be painted and erected.  Damaged pedestrian fencing have to be re-installed.

New Traffic Arrangements

(1) Pedestrian Road

• A pavement will be retained on the south side of the Bridge allowing pedestrians to travel between Campus Circuit East and the East Gate at Science Park Road as before.

(2) Vehicular Road

• The repaired Bridge will be narrowed from its original two-lane road to single-lane road. A heavy load limit of 24 tons will be implemented. Any vehicles over the limit will not be allowed to pass across the Bridge.
• The total length of the Bridge and its connecting roads is around 200 meters. There are right-angle turns at both ends of the bridge, and the arch-shape of the bridge forms a terrain which obscures drivers’ ability to see approaching vehicles from a distance. Traffic accidents have occurred at the scene multiple times in the past.
• The University has reviewed the feasibility of adopting one-lane two-way traffic by installing traffic signals.  Field trial tests using various types of vehicles have also been conducted. The results showed that if in the case that a vehicle jumps a red light in a one-lane two-way traffic scenario, the traffic will be easily paralysed or even cause a serious traffic accident in the case of a head-on collision.
• As the University considers safety a top priority, to avoid the likelihood of having traffic paralysis and serious accidents, the repaired road will become one-lane one-way traffic. Vehicles can only use the Bridge to enter Campus Circuit East from the East Gate.

The University acknowledges that the above arrangements may cause inconvenience to some drivers. Nonetheless, for the safety of all road users, the University hopes colleagues will understand the necessity of the new traffic arrangements on this road section.

In view of the continuing surge of confirmed cases and the spread of COVID-19, the University is obliged to take further precautionary measures to safeguard the health and well-being of its members. In this regard, the University has decided to impose additional necessary social distancing measures on campus starting from today (30 March). Except for emergency and essential activities critical to the operation of the University, all forms of activity and social gathering among students and staff in campus will be reduced to a minimal level to prevent infection. These measures include the following:

Restaurants, canteens and communal areas

Restaurants and canteens on campus are required to maintain precautionary measures including allowing no more than 4 persons to sit together at one table, performing body temperature screening on each customer before entering the catering premises, and all customers must wear a mask at any time except when consuming food or drink. Social distancing measures in all communal areas, study rooms, and pantries in College hostels should now be strictly observed to avoid gatherings of more than 4 people.

Laboratories

Research activities in laboratories should be maintained at a minimal level as far as applicable. Staff and students should observe strict social distancing measures to avoid gatherings of over 4 people at any one time. Face masks should be worn at all times.

All the above measures will take effect immediately and until further notice. The University will continue to closely monitor the situation and review the actions taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. For more information on how the University is coping with COVID-19, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

From Monday 30 March ALL CUHK libraries, including the Learning Garden in the University Library and the Medical Library will be temporarily closed for two weeks to reduce the risk from Covid-19. The Library’s electronic collection and remote support from Library staff will still be available to support your learning and research.

In view of the latest development in the COVID-19 pandemic, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will step up the precautionary measures to further reduce the risks of the novel coronavirus infection arising from social contacts. The University has decided to close all sports and communal facilities on campus starting from today (27 March 2020) until further notice. This also applies to the leisure facilities and common rooms in the student hostels and staff quarters.

CUHK libraries have been closed except the Li Ping Medical Library (open 24/7 unstaffed) and part of the University Library’s Learning Garden, which are open for CUHK students and staff. To support learning and teaching, a book retrieval service is available for CUHK students and staff during this period.

The Committee on Health Promotion and Protection also recommends that students and staff should take appropriate precautionary measures when dining at restaurants and canteens in the campus, maintain social distancing and avoid having meals face-to-face to reduce the risk of virus transmission. For those facilities which need to remain open to maintain essential services, the University will impose all practicable precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

It has been more than two months since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Although we very much hope to resume face-to-face teaching during this term when the situation allows, we are facing the most recent development of COVID-19 into a pandemic disease. Since the well-being and health of students and staff are of the University’s utmost concern, and in view of the situation in which a certain number of students, especially international students have returned to their home towns, the University has decided that all courses will continue to be conducted online until the end of Term 2 on 2 May 2020. In addition, all courses of the Summer Session will also be conducted online. For the teaching arrangements of the Faculty of Medicine, please contact the relating office for details.

The University urges all CUHK members to be vigilant against COVID-19, observe risk mitigation measures and maintain social distance to prevent infection. For more information on how the University is coping with COVID-19, please visit Act Together Against COVID-19 website.

In view of the latest development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University has decided that starting from 23 March (Monday), only limited services will be provided by the departments/units until further notice.  Work arrangements for staff members will be made according to actual needs.  Staff members of individual departments/units will be informed of the specific arrangements for on-site work or work-from-home by their respective heads/supervisors. 

The Faculty of Medicine will make separate announcement regarding work arrangements for its staff.

The University reminds all staff again to stay vigilant against the spread of COVID-19. The risk mitigation measures should be stringently maintained, and all staff should observe social distancing measures to prevent infection. For more information on the University’s measures and policies, please visit the “Act Together Against COVID-19” website. 

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will host the “Class Acts” CUHK Online Talk Series for students between March and April to encourage ongoing learning at home and self-improvement by acquiring knowledge in various areas during the pandemic. Demonstrating the vibrant academic environment of CUHK, nine public lectures will be presented by CUHK scholars in simple terms, outstanding in their areas of expertise, through the video conferencing platform Zoom. The lectures are free to the public, in particular local secondary and college students and those from the Mainland and overseas countries.

The first lecture presented by Professor Alan Kam Leung CHAN, Provost of CUHK on the theme of “Higher Learning in the Era of Industry 4.0” will be held on 20 March and a Q & A session is arranged for greater interaction between the speaker and participants. The outstanding scholars from eight faculties, namely Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science and Social Science, will give their views on their respective areas of expertise. The topics cover artificial intelligence (AI), gravitational waves, the application of robots in education for Special Educational Needs students, and the law of treasure hunting, amongst others. Details of the lectures are as follows. For more information on the arrangement and speakers’ profiles, please visit https://againstcovid19.cuhk.edu.hk/class-acts-online-talk/.

Dear students and colleagues,

Latest Overseas Situation of COVID-19 and Revised Reporting Criteria for Suspected Cases of COVID-19

In view of the COVID-19 outbreak in certain countries/areas, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health urged the public against travelling to Hubei Province where there is widespread community transmission of COVID-19 virus, and to avoid unnecessary travel to other provinces/cities of Mainland China, Iran, Italy (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions) and Korea.

The Committee on Health Promotion and Protection would like to advise the University members to avoid unnecessary travel. When travelling to countries/areas with community transmission of COVID-19 virus, they should avoid close contact with persons with fever or respiratory symptoms. If it is unavoidable to come into contact with them, put on a surgical mask and continue to do so until 14 days after returning to Hong Kong.

In light of the latest situation of COVID-19 overseas, CHP has updated the reporting criteria to enhance surveillance of suspected cases. Medical practitioners are requested to report to the CHP any individual fulfilling the following for further investigation:

–         Presented with fever or acute respiratory illness or pneumonia; and

–         Either one of the following conditions within 14 days before onset of symptom:

1. 1. 1. With travel history to a place with active community transmission of COVID-19; or
      2. Had close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:

–         Government’s “COVID-19 Thematic Website”

(http://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html) 

–         Centre for Health Protection’s “Countries/areas with reported cases of COVID-19”

(https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/statistics_of_the_cases_novel_coronavirus_infection_en.pdf)

–         Statutory notifiable infectious diseases in the First Schedule to the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599)

(https://cdis.chp.gov.hk/CDIS_CENO_ONLINE/disease.html)

Committee on Health Promotion and Protection

The Chinese University of Hong Kong has decided that online teaching will continue while services and operation of all University Departments/Units will gradually resume to normal from 2 March 2020. Heads of Departments/Units will review the operating environment and may make adjustments or take special measures where appropriate in line with the Government’s advice on prudent management of interpersonal contacts. Staff members will be informed of the work arrangements by their respective Heads of Departments/Units or supervisors accordingly.

Staff members are reminded to refer to the precautionary measures announced by the Committee on Health Promotion and Protection for enhancing personal protection and hygiene. Staff members with special needs (e.g. pregnant staff or staff with long term illness) may discuss with their supervisors for special work arrangements where practicable.

The on-campus shuttle bus service will resume its running schedule (revised and effective from January 2020) on 4 March 2020 and staff members may refer to the announcement of the Transport Office at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/transport_office/. The opening hours of campus canteens will be announced on the webpage in due course.

Students and staff are welcome to visit the “CUHK vs COVID-19 Announcements & Actions”  and the “FAQs in the Time of COVID-19” website for more information. 

To protect our students, staff and the community from the risk of contracting the COVID-19 and to maintain our teaching activities for the semester, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has initiated online teaching on 17 February. With the joint efforts of our students and staff, the online teaching and learning has been running smoothly. The University welcomes feedback and will continue to make every effort to uphold teaching quality. The University also encourages students to maintain frequent communication with teachers and tutors.

At the same time, the University will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic and will make reference to the Government’s guidelines when deliberating on the date to resume on-campus classes. Students and staff will be given at least 4 weeks of advanced notice prior to the commencement of on-campus classes activities to allow sufficient preparation time.  

CUHK has launched a designated website “CUHK vs COVID-19 Announcements & Actions” to present in detail, our preventive measures and relevant information, as well as a special website to address the Frequently Asked Questions to combat the novel coronavirus infection. Students and staff are welcome to visit these websites for more information.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) announces that the special work arrangement for staff members will be extended to 1 March.

Departments/units providing necessary services will continue operation with limited on-site services. Work arrangements for staff members, including return to office or work-from-home will be made by mutual agreement according to actual needs. Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements by their respective department/unit heads.

For more information on the University’s protective measures against the novel coronavirus infection, please visit http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/whats-on/faces/antivirus-annc.html

The University has also launched a special website to address the Frequently Asked Questions from students and staff. Please visit http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/whats-on/focus/antivirus-faq.html

https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/images/whats_on/inner/antivirus/provost-teaching_and_learning.pdf

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today (14 February) announces that online teaching for Term 2 will begin on 17 February as scheduled. Teachers and students shall attend real time online classes according to the teaching timetable. 

Relevant University units providing necessary services will resume limited on campus operations, beginning from 17 February, to support online teaching and provide related services. For other units, the special work-from-home arrangement will continue up to 23 February.

1.    Assistance for online teaching activities
To prepare for online teaching, the University has organised 22 online workshops, from 30 January to 14 February, to assist teachers, students and supporting staff from all faculties to get familiar with the online teaching facilities, and to provide trainings.

To reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, teachers are advised to conduct online teaching from home. Understanding some of the needs of individual teachers, the University has reserved classrooms and facilities in 3 teaching blocks for use by teachers, upon their requests, to conduct online teaching activities. Faculties and administrative staff will provide the support services where necessary.

The University has also launched a ‘Special Funding Scheme for Online Learning’ and solicits teachers to apply. Teachers are encouraged to propose projects leading to innovative solutions that may optimise online teaching.

The Library has introduced new services to support online teaching. This includes, where possible, automatically purchasing electronic versions of material in Course Reserves, and a digital course pack service to scan print-only materials for students in the class. Please check the Library website for details.  

Teachers can also visit the Teaching and Learning Arrangements website for details and other relevant information. 

2.    Assistance for online learning activities
To ensure the online courses would launch smoothly, the University has strengthened its network capacity and stability. Starting from next Monday (17 February), students should attend online classes according to the teaching timetable. Students who need hardware support can visit the University Financial Aid Schemes website for information on the related funding schemes. 

The Library has introduced a new print to e-copy service. CUHK staff and students can request an e-copy of an existing library print book if the e-copy is available. For books or journal without an e-version, the Library will try to obtain the licenses for the chapters or articles where possible. From February 17, the Library will begin a book retrieval service, and the Learning Garden will be partially opened. Please check the Library website for services to Support Remote Teaching and Learning.

Students can also visit eLearning@CUHK website for more information related to online learning. Students are advised to stay at home and not to return to the campus to safeguard their health. The University will closely monitor the development of the epidemic and resume on-campus teaching when circumstances allow. Related announcement will be issued 14 days in advance.  

3.    Campus operation arrangements
Given the beginning of the teaching semester would commence on 17 February, the departments/units providing the necessary services would resume operation with limited on-site services. Work arrangements for staff members will be made on mutual agreement according to the actual needs. For the staff members of other units, the special work-from-home arrangement will continue up to February 23.

Staff members will be informed of the detailed arrangements by their respective department/unit heads in due course. Staff members who have not yet submitted  the health declaration form and conducted self-medical surveillance as indicated by the University’s Committee on Health Promotion and Protection should do so as soon as possible, and no later than the first day of their returning to work.

4. Campus transportation services
From 17 February, school buses special line H will operate at 10-15 minutes’ intervals during rush hours, and at 20-minute intervals for the rest of the time. The paid shuttle light bus service will remain unchanged. Please visit the Transport Office website for details.

5. Infection prevention information
To provide useful information, CUHK has launched a new website ‘CUHK vs COVID-19 Announcements & Actions’ to list out measures and information in detail.

The University has also launched a special website to address the Frequently Asked Questions from students and staff on protective measures against the novel coronavirus infection. Students and staff are welcome to visit these websites for more information.

https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/images/whats_on/inner/antivirus/provost-resumption_of_classes.pdf?20200221