I am very pleased to give you an introductory overview of The University of Hong Kong, an institution with a long and distinguished academic heritage, and an international reputation for forward-looking pioneering research.

HKU is the territory's first and foremost university, and for close to a century has trained generations of graduates who have served the community as leaders in almost every walk of life. This tradition remains as strong today as ever, and our programmes and teaching philosophy have enabled us to nurture informed, well-rounded students who are ready to meet the challenges of a globalised knowledge-based economy.

HKU offers a wide spectrum of high-quality programmes with an emphasis on encouraging a flexible approach to studies. These are dedicated to helping our students achieve their personal best academically, while also training them to become independent thinkers and articulate communicators. HKU has internationally renowned teachers, first-rate libraries, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and the campus has comprehensive digital access and wireless internet support to ensure students remain at the leading edge of knowledge acquisition. The University also leads the way in terms of funding and awards from the government and support from the community, which in turn means exceptional support services and facilities for our students.

Our broad curriculum also helps promote a philosophy of life-long learning and whole-person development. Our students are encouraged to take advantage of a wide range of extracurricular activities, including general education courses, mentorship programmes, industry placements and international exchange programmes. HKU has academic links with more than 300 universities and academic or research institutes in 26 different countries, and provides ample opportunities for all HKU students to have an international educational experience. Intercultural learning also takes place on campus, as HKU is host to over 6,500 students from around the world and more than half of our teachers are international faculty. Hall life has been a key element of the HKU student experience since the founding of the University, and today over 4,600 students take advantage of this unique opportunity.

In preparing to change from a 3-year to a 4-year curriculum in 2012, the University has taken the opportunity to revitalize its programmes while retaining its best traditions. Some new initiatives have already been introduced so that earlier cohorts will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the benefits of the new curriculum before 2012.

The new curriculum will adopt a 'student-driven' approach to enable students to take responsibility for developing, with appropriate academic advising, a full and rich programme of academic pursuits in various combinations of specialties and disciplines, coupled with diverse co-curricular experiences best suited to individual development and interests. Curricular and co-curricular learning will be integrated through experiential, international and capstone learning experiences common to all undergraduate programmes.

I am sure you will find a programme that meets your needs and interests in this prospectus. I do hope you will join us for a unique experience that only a world-class university dedicated to learning and discovery can offer, and I look forward to welcoming you to HKU!

Professor Lap-Chee Tsui
Vice-Chancellor and President