Bulletin Spring‧Summer Autumn‧Winter 1999

Chemi s t ry Depar tment to Run I ns t rumen t a t i on Workshops for Young Scientists from China A series of instrumentation workshops for young scientists from China w i ll be organized by the Department of Chemistry from 1995, fully utilizing a wide range of state-of-the-art research instruments within the department. The workshops w i l l be operated within the conceptual framework o f an open chemical laboratory, the purpose of which is not to set up a separate new research laboratory but to make the modem instruments available for the training of young Chinese scientists, including those from less privileged institutions. Tentatively five summer workshops will be conducted in three years by faculty members and external experts. Trainees will gain practical knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of particular types of equipment, and acquire valuable hands-on experience in operating and maintaining them. After training, they will be less dependent on suppliers, more prepared to cany out research that requires the use of sophisticated instruments, and better able to make the right decisions when purchasing research equipment for their projects. As the young trainees return to China and gradually advance in their careers, their ties with CUHK will continue and more opportunities for joint research are expected. The project is financed by a generous donation of HK$2.1 million from the Lee Hysan Foundation. New Academic Programmes The University established a new Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering under the Faculty of Engineering from 1st August 1994 to offer a major programme in mechanical and automation engineering. The University has also introduced the following new academic programmes: • Diploma Course in Management and Business for Bank Officers jointly offered by the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business and the Faculty of Business Administration from 1994-95. • Diploma Course in Advanced Securities Market Analysis offered by the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business from 1994-95, in conjunction with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. Conferences and Lectures • Prof. Leo Ou-fan, visiting professor o f the Department of English, spoke on nationalism and modem Chinese fiction on 27th April and 4th May 1994 as the speaker of the 'Sin Wai K in Lectures on Contemporary Chinese Culture' organized by the Research Centre for Contemporary Chinese Culture of the Institute of Chinese Studies. • The University's Department of Curriculum and Instruction coorganized a conference on 'The Needs o f the New Era' wi t h the Curriculum Development Institute o f the Education Department from 29th to 30th April 1994. • The Faculty o f Education organized two conferences: 'Streaming of Students on the Basis o f Language Proficiency' on 6th May, and 'Politicaland Educational Changes in Hong Kong before and after 1997, on 13th May. • The University organized the f o l l ow i ng conferences and workshop: • The 'Fourth International Conference on Data and Knowledge Systems for Manufacturing and Engineering', held from 2nd to 4th May 1994 in association with the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Hong Kong Computer Society, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (Hong Kong Section). The function was sponsored by the Chiang Industrial Charity Foundation Ltd., the Croucher Foundation, the Fok Ying Tung Foundation, the K.C. Wong Education Foundation, Group Sense Ltd., and Sun Microsystems Inc. • An international conference on autonomy in language learning from 23rd to 25th June 1994. • A 'Workshop on Lightwave, Wireless and Network Technologies' from 22nd to 25th August 1994. • The Department of Nursing hosted a colloquium on nurse education on 9th June 1994. • The Department of Finance hosted an international conference entitled 'Pacific Basin: Business, Economics and Finance' from 27th to 28th May 1994. The conference was sponsored by National News in Brief 35