Teaching and research at the University are supported by a number of academic service units.
Centre of Computing Services and Telecommunications Director: W. Max IVEY, BS Arizona; MS Houston; PhD Arizona State
The Centre of Computing Services and Telecommunications develops and manages the computing and networking infrastructure of the Universitv. It Drovides computing support to undergraduate andpostgraduate teaching, and researchapplica- tions in all Schools. The Centre also serves the Universitv's administrative needs bv -, providing an integrated information system to support the day-to-day routines aswell as to satisfy the need for information in management decision making. CCST also manages the University's PABX telephone system.
The HKUST computing environment is highly distributed, and modelled after client-server architecture. The cornerstone is an advanced, high-speed FDDl (Fibre Distributed Data Interface) network backbone, which operates at 100 million bits/
second, with distributed wiring junctions from which various local area networks emanate. The network covers not only all the campus buildings but also reaches out to staff quarters and student dormitories. The Centre operates powerful server computers to provide campus-wide network services such as network printing, e-mail and electronic notice board. One important characteristic of the University's computing environment is its Chinese-English bilingual capability. Increasingly, more network services will have this feature. To support computation intensive research, CCST provides solutions in different forms. High performance computing resources include a workstation cluster, an &processor SGlIOnyx symmetric multi-processor machine and an 140-node Intel Paragon massively parallel machine, providing a powerful environment for scientific computing. All microcomputers and scientific workstations are connected to the campus network, providing desktop computing power as well as windows to a vast array of information and computing resources, such as the Library system and various scientific and business packages, on the University's own network or that of other institutions in Hong Kong, and through the Internet, on networks of educational and research institutions worldwide. In addition, the Centre also manages a number of "computer barns" in various locations in the academic buildings, providing PC, Macintosh and Unix workstation facilities for teaching and student use. Each academic department also has one or more computing facility rooms.
Educational Technology Centre
Director: Donald M. BOEHNKER, BS, MS Cincinnati; EdD Indiana
The University is committed to high standards and up-to-date methods in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and in research and publication. To this end the Educational Technology Centre sustains a comprehensive service for all academic and research staff. Through its Audio Visual Unit, it looks after all centrally provided AV facilities in all common teaching venues, including 8 lecture theatres, some 80 classrooms and 30 teaching laboratories. The unit maintains an AV Loan Counter, and a Self Access Production area to facilitate the use of AV equipment and resources for modern teaching. The AV Production team assists in the planning, video-taping, editing
Academic Seruices
and duplication of AV materials for teaching, research, evaluation or promotional pumoses. The Graphics Unit assists in the graphic design and production of university publications, and research and teaching materials.
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photographic and darkroom facilities also help in producing slides, overhead transparencies and prints for academic and publicity purposes. In addiiion, the unit provides high-speed, high volume reprographic and offset printing services.In addition to these production and technical services, the Centre organises workshops and seminars for faculty, teaching assistants, and tutors on educational issues and instructional methodologies in higher education. Topics have included learning theory, a variety of classroom delivery and management techniques, selection, utilisation and production of instructional materials, assessment of student progress and evaluation of teaching effectiveness. The Centre serves as a resource for information on teaching methods, instructional formats and materials related to research on teaching.
As part of the University's quality assurance process, the Centre assists in collecting and processing course evaluation data for all credit courses and English language enhancement courses.
Finally, the Centre also takes on special editorial and translation jobs.
Industrial Training Centre
Acting Director: Lawrence LEE, CEng, MIEE, MHKlE
The lndustrial Training Centre (ITC) provides practical training for Engineering students to give them a broad and structured understanding of engineering practice, and help them satisfy training requirements of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) and the UK's Engineering Council for certificationlregistration purposes. lndustrial training is currently conducted at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University lndustrial Centre.
An important aspect of the programme is the integration of the workshop experience with the knowledge acquired in classrooms and laboratories, so that students' understandina and a~~reciation of the knowledae acauired from the academic courses is enhanced. horkshops are designed in mo&lar form and each academic department works with ITC todesign and specify combinations of modules that meetthe needs of its students. Training periods for students range from 6 to 12 weeks, to cater for specific requirements. The introductory phase of training consists of basic engineer- ing practice, safety procedures, handling hand, power and machine tools. Beyond this phase, training is designed to arouse the interest of students in engineering practice, stimulate their imagination and help them develop their talents. This is accomplished in a simulated industrial environment in which students are assigned an integrated design-and-make project requiring an intellectual level to match their ongoing academic activities. The aoal of this integrated approach is to train students to be professional engineers.
i he-modules
are designed tostrike a balance between the development of skills and an appreciation of engineering processes.Academic Services
Language Centre
Director: Gregory C.A. JAMES, MA, MSc Edinburgh; MPhil Reading; PhD Exeter;
CertEd Wales; DipUniv Geneva; DipHRM Macau; DipRSA
The Language Centre has a pan-University role in the provision of language courses. Its Language Enhancement programme has the highest enrolment figire on campus. As English is the medium of instruction in the Universitv. this EAP (Enalish for
~cademic purposes) programme seeks to help students acqire the necessary lan- guage skills to gain the maximum benefit from their undergraduate curriculum. The Language Centre also offers Business Communication programmes for the School of Business and Management, and a Technical Communication programme for the Schools of Science and Engineering, both of which cater for the career needs of our graduates.
Apart from English courses, the Language Centre also offers Putonghua, Cantonese, Japanese and French courses, the latter in collaboration with the lnstitut Franco-Chinois. The courses in Putonghua have so far proved especially popular, reflecting the growing recognition of its importance in the job market.
The Language Centre has three 24-booth language laboratories, complete with advanced audio-visual and computer equipment, which are used by class groups to practise their listening, speaking and writing. For students who need furtherhelp with their writing, the English Writing Centre ( a s e ~ i c e offered bv the Lanauaae Centre) runs workshopsand gives individu~consultations. The ~ a n ~ u a ~ e centre also runs the Self- Access Centre
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a well-equipped facility that provides a wide variety of materials, activities and services to aid self-directed learning of English, Putonghua and many other languages. The Self-Access Centre is open to staff and students on weekdays (9 am-
8 pm) and Saturday mornings.Teaching Staff Director:
Gregorl, C. A. JAMES, MA, MSc Edinburgh; MPhil Reading; PhD Exeter; CertEd Wales; DipUniv Geneva; DipHRM Macau; DipRSA
Principal Instructors:
J. Rhodri H. JONES, MBE; BA Durham; MLitt, DipAppLing Edinburgh; MDes Royal Coll of Alf; DipRSA
Keith Sai-Tao TONG, BA, CertEd, AdvDipEd Hong Kong; MA Reading Senior Instructors:
Michael J. COURTNEY, BA East Anglia; MA Essex; CertEd Nottingham Lynne J. FLOWERDEW (Mrs), BA, CertEd Liverpool; MA Birmingham
Christopher F. GREEN, BA Reading; MEd Hong Kong; CertEd North Buckingham- shire Coll; AdvDipTESOL London
John C. P. MILTON, BSc Dalhousie; BA Ottawa and Toronto; MEd Brock Nicholas S. NOAKES, BSc Manchester; MA Reading; DipRSA
Richard PEMBERTON, MA Cambridge and Leeds; CertEd Leicester Lisa STEWART (Ms), BA London; MA Reading; DipTEO Manchester
Academic Services Academic Services
Instructors:
Sarah CARMICHAEL (Ms), BA, CertEd Reading; MA City Univ of Hong Kong;
DipRSA
Kenneth Kwan-Pang CHAN, BSc Surrey
Alice Ai-Li JYU CHANG (Mrs), BA Chung Hsin; MA Hong Kong Polytech Univ Susanna Pui-San HO CHlU (Mrs), BA Manitoba; MA City Univ of Hong Kong;
CertEd Hong Kong
Elsie R. CHRISTOPHER (Ms), BA Acadia; MA Dalhousie
Austin E. CONWAY, BA Univ Coll, Dublin; HDipLit, CertEd Trinity Coll, Dublin;
DipRSA
Mervyn D. COX, BA Leeds
Pionie Kim-Ling FOO (Ms), BA, DipEd Chinese Univof Hong Kong; MEd Hong Kong Xuan HAN (Ms), BA Beijing Second IFL; DipTESL Victoria
Claire F. M. HlCKLlN (Ms), MA Edinburgh; DipEd Sydney Keven Sterling KASTEN, BA Wichita State
Jacqueline Kam-Mei LAM (Miss), MA Exetec Teach Cert Grantham Coll &
Northcote Coll; MIL
Pansy Mi-Ying LAM (Ms), BA, CertEd Hong Kong; CertPM Personnel Ass of Ontario; MIPD (UK)
Joyce Yuen-Yee LEE (Ms), BA Hong Kong; MA Chinese Univ of Hong Kong and London; Higher Cert City Polytech of Hong Kong
Edward Siu-Leung LI, BA, DipEd Chinese Univ of Hong Kong; MA Reading Irene Wai-Yee NG (Miss), BA Chinese Univof Hong Kong; MSc Edinburgh; CertEd
Hong Kong
Ian M. SMALLWOOD, BA DipEd Stirling; CertTEFL Lund; DipRSA Shing-Chu TAM (Ms), BA Shanghai Theatre Univ
Anna Wai-Yin YU (Miss), BA Brigham Young Univ, Hawaii; MA, CertTESL Brigham Young Univ, Utah
Office of Laboratory Services Director: Neal E. WOLFE, BS Akron
OLS was established to provide the basic 'behind the scenes" support services essential to the teaching and research activities of faculty and staff. The primary services mission of OLS ranges from setting up and maintenance of all laboratory facilities, to the acquisition, construction and maintenance of laboratory equipment, and the warehousing of laboratory supplies and consumables.
The OLS is responsible for the functions relating to laboratory facilities and the maintenance of central warehousing and stocking of various laboratory supplies and chemical substances1dangerous goods. Services relating to the acquisition, mainte- nance and fabrication of laboratory equipment are provided on request.
OLS responsibilities include:
Installation, testing, commissioning, operation and maintenance of benching and various services within the laboratories
Coordination of building services to laboratories Coordination of repairs and modifications to laboratories
Maintenance of a central warehouse of labware and inventory and operation of stock room of common chemical substances
Maintenance of chemical substances/dangerous goods stores on campus Assistance in specification and acquisition, receipt, installation and commission- ing of equipment
Repair and maintenance of laboratory equipment, coordination of warranty and preventive maintenance programmes
University Library
Director: Min-Min CHANG, BA National Taiwan; MLS Univ of California, Berkeley
As an integral component of the academic programme, the Library supports the University's teaching and research in science, engineering, business and manaqement, the humanities and social sciences. There are seminar rooms for meetings and instruction, areas for group discussion, and study carrels for individual use. Audio- visual materials, both educational and recreational, are available for use in specially equipped facilities. The Library is much more than a repository for the accumulated knowledge of civilisation; it serves as the heart of the intellectual enterprise.
The rapid development of the University requires a correspondingly rapid rate of growth in its library collection. In 1995 the Library has a collection of over 300,000 volumes of books and bound periodicals, as well as a sizable collection of non-print materials. Reaching beyond local holdings, the Library has made extensive provisions for automation. The Library Online System forms a part of the campus-wide network, and is accessible from every part of the campus. Through the Online System users are able to consult a broad range of bibliographic and full-text information as well as to search CD-ROM databases. The University Library is linked via telecommunications to libraries and databases in institutions locally and overseas.
An experienced staff assists users in a variety of ways, from the selection, acquisition, and cataloguing of materials to using the collection, online searches, and interlibrary loans. There is also a fully-equipped classroom and a computer laboratory for group instruction. The University Library has a strong service orientation in order to effectively meet the information needs of its academic community.