Metropolitan U securing its future

Eunice Lam

Hong Kong Metropolitan University has appointed a new vice president who will handle matters related to the future University of Applied Sciences, said president Paul Lam Kwan-sing.

In March, HKMU announced that it would be the city's first University of Applied Sciences in response to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's policy address last October.

Speaking at a media gathering yesterday, Lam said HKMU has appointed Alan Au Kai-ming - dean of the university's business school - to the new position of vice president (strategic initiatives) responsible for handling matters related to the applied sciences degrees.

When HKMU turns into the University of Applied Sciences, authorities will offer financial assistance and programs are prioritized to be included in the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sector that can be enrolled through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System.

HKMU saw some 3,100 first-year, first-degree new undergraduates in the 2024/25 academic year that started on Monday, a 23-percent increase from last year, while it also recruited about 2,800 taught postgraduates, 13 percent up from last year.

Lam described the situation as "beyond expectation," as 3,000 new students were non-locals, accounting for 19 percent of the total university student population, almost reaching the 20 percent cap set by the Education Bureau starting in 2023/24. "I think [HKMU becoming] a University of Applied Sciences could be one of the reasons behind the increments," he said.

In dealing with the growth in enrollment, HKMU has set up a new teaching center in Homantin Plaza opposite its main campus.

It is also building a new academic and research complex on Fat Kwong Street.

For the first cohort, the university launched a total of six applied sciences degrees - four Bachelor's and two Master's.

Collaborating with the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, the university is adding a new "cadet pilot" concentration to its existing Bachelor of Business Administration program in aviation services management this year.

The university also works with the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council to launch a master of applied science in intelligent construction of building and information modeling [BIM], to tackle the local talent crunch.

The institute's provost Reggie Kwan Ching-ping also said it will step up academic checks of postgrad students after false applications were previously submitted.

Meanwhile, some 200 non-local first-year undergraduates have already moved into the university's first self-owned dormitory, which opened last month.

Lam said the 16-story dorm, MU88 in Hung Hom, formerly a hotel, will undergo a one-year renovation when the current school year ends in July, offering a total of 480 beds.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com