For release 30 October 2000
HKUST COLLEGE OF LIFELONG LEARNING LAUNCHES ITS FIRST ONLINE EXECUTIVE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN EBUSINESS
The HKUST (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) College of Lifelong Learning, in collaboration with eEd Vision Ltd, launches its first online executive certificate program in eBusiness today (30 October 2000) with the aim to offer more opportunities for continuing studies for professionals and executives.
“The program will enable participants to benefit from the combined advantages of eLearning and face-to-face interaction in a classroom setting,” said Prof Kar Yan Tam, Director of eEd Vision Ltd and Associate Dean of HKUST’s Business School. eEd Vision is an online education start-up established under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program.
“It is designed for business executives who want to acquire up-to-date knowledge of the eBusiness market, strategies and technologies for the new network economy,” he said.
“We do more than simply putting lecture materials online. We make learning more fun, more accessible, and more meaningful by making use of the advances in multimedia technology and the proliferation of Internet applications,” he added.
“The establishment of the College of Lifelong Learning (CL3) is to develop, offer and conduct educational programs for continuing education, supporting the lifelong learning education strategies of the Hong Kong SAR government. In Hong Kong there existed many institutes offering certificate programs at the executive level, thus the HKUST is seeking new teaching methods for dissemination of latest knowledge. The launching of the online certificate program in collaboration with eEd Vision fulfills this objective,” said Prof Nelson Cue, Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs (Postgraduate Studies & Academic Research) and Director of CL3.
The online executive certificate program is supported by ESD Services Ltd, IBM, Lotus Development Software (Hong Kong) Ltd and i-STT Hong Kong Ltd.
The strategic alliance between ESD Services Ltd and eEd Vision allows students to arrange registration for the online executive certificate program through its bilingual Government and personal services portal www.esdlife.com. Each ESDlife club member could receive an incentive of HK$200 upon official notice of admission from CL3. ESDlife is also sponsoring a full scholarship to its club members. In the near future, students will be able to make tuition payments electronically through a payment gateway technology provided by ESDlife.
“We’re proud to see the Online Executive Certificate in eBusiness using Lotus Learning Space 4.0, the best of breed eLearning technology from Lotus and IBM, making distributed learning practical and flexible for every learner, thus bringing an individual’s eLearning experience to new heights,” said Ernie Hu, General Manager of Lotus Development Software (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Another sponsor of the program, Ms Dorothy Chan, Vice President of eBusiness Solutions, i-STT Hong Kong Ltd elaborated, “The Online Executive Certificate in eBusiness is a combined effort between renowned academics and practitioners in the field with the objective to keep learners abreast of the latest developments in the new economy. We take pride in contributing our expertise in eBusiness to make learning more pertinent, practical and meaningful.”
…/2 The program is flexible and consists of up to 36 hours of online learning along with 18 hours of instructor-led classes and another 6 hours of laboratory sessions over a period of 10 weeks. Many executives realize the importance of lifelong learning for career advancement. However, pressured by extremely demanding work schedules and the need for frequent travel, the pursuit of continuing education has remained a dream for many. The introduction of this online education program now turns this dream into reality by enabling busy executives to study at their own pace, anywhere, and at anytime.
About the HKUST College of Lifelong Learning (CL3)
The HKUST College of Lifelong Learning (CL3) has been established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKUST. Its mission is to develop, offer and conduct educational programs that are a supplement, an extension, and a bridge to the regular degree programs of HKUST. Current plans call for instructions to be conducted mainly via the Internet with the contents to be delivered in distance-learning mode either online or using CDs. Extensive student support services are planned.
The centerpiece of CL3 is a web portal for potential students to select from and enroll in a variety of courses and programs that are offered by a number of reputable academic institutions from within and outside of HK. Credits earned from successful completion of any credit-bearing course module can be accumulated and counted toward a relevant award that ranges from the Associate Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree to the Master’s level. Non-credit courses, certificates, and diploma programs will also be offered to cater to the needs of individuals desiring to explore new careers or qualify for professional advancements.
CL3 Web Site: http://www.ust.hk/cl3 About eEd Vision Ltd
eEd Vision Ltd is a company set up under the auspices of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program. The founding members are experienced academics, professionals, corporate trainers and IT entrepreneurs who share the vision of eLearning. Senior management of eEd Vision has considerable experience in developing and delivery eLearning content as well as managing mission-critical projects related to eLearning.
eED Vision Web Site: http://www.eedvision.com
Note to Editors:
The above release can be downloaded at http://www.ust.hk/~webopa/news/2000_News/news1030.html. For enquiries, please contact Ms Clara Mak of the eEd Vision Ltd. on 2335-5414 or email [email protected]; or Ms Christine Lee of the TeamAsia on 2836-0156 or email [email protected].
