The average score of new students admitted to CityU through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) has jumped 6.5%, the most improved results out of the seven local universities.

The scores are computed by converting the grades of two Advanced Level (AL) subjects, or one AL subject plus two Advanced Supplementary Level (AS) subjects, into points (for AL subjects, Grade A = 10 points, Grade B = 8 points, and so on; for AS Level subjects, Grade A = 5 points, Grade B = 4 points, and so on).

With this formula, the average score of new students admitted through JUPAS to CityU this year is 11.01, up by 6.5% when compared with last year’s 10.34, or a surge of 14.2% over the average of 9.64 in 2002.

“More high-quality students have chosen CityU, clear evidence that the Hong Kong community and secondary school students increasingly recognize that CityU is providing professional education and advancing applied research to enhance social development,” said Professor Richard Ho Yan-ki, Vice-President (Undergraduate Education).

Professor Ho added that to keep abreast with the latest developments around the world, CityU was developing and revamping new and existing courses to address the demand for the development of higher education in the region. “To cope with the trend of internationalization and the need of the four-year curriculum, we will offer new inter-disciplinary courses,” he said.

The University’s unique programmes and the achievements of our students and professors have proved a magnet to high-school leavers. There are 28 candidates with scores of 16 or 18 admitted this year, 10 who attained one A and one B in AL. These 28 students received Grade C or above in the Use of English or Chinese Language and Culture subjects. These successful applicants will be offered A+++ Scholarship, launched by CityU this year. The scholarship includes an entrance scholarship of $40,000 or $50,000 per annum and a maximum amount of $40,000 in the second or third year for expenses for one semester on an exchange programme at a mainland or overseas university.

Top athletes, artists and musicians also opted for CityU as well. Among candidates this year is a member of the Hong Kong Athletic Team and one from the Hong Kong Youth Under-19 Soccer Team.

In addition, new programmes have proved popular among students. For example, the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Applied Sociology programme attracted 226 Band A applications.

In fact, the number of applicants putting programmes offered by the five faculties and schools as their Band A choice has jumped sharply this year. The School of Law achieved an increase of 67%, the highest at CityU among the faculties and schools; the School of Creative Media managed the second highest, 33%.

These JUPAS results reflect the strenuous efforts all academic and administrative departments have put into promoting the image, programmes and achievements of the University. Adding to this drive, the Office of Vice-President (Undergraduate Education) has coined the phrase “From Student to Professional” to spread the philosophy of CityU’s professional education.

“Working together we can let the community understand what we stand for and what we want to achieve. Such efforts have helped bring in high-quality students,” Professor Ho said.

CityU’s schools and faculties have hosted a number of activities to help attract better quality students. The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) held a series of summer activities over the past two years to inspire secondary school students’ interest in science and technology.

Similarly, FSE departments have organized many competitions to encourage secondary school students to apply what they learn in the classroom to the outside world. Competitions include the Underwater Robot Challenge, Build and Shake Inter-school Competition (BASIC), Inter-Secondary Virtual Character Design Competition, and the Inter-School Straw Trebuchet Design and Construction Competition.

Under the sponsorship of the University’s Education Development Office, the School of Creative Media hosted the Creativity-in-Action Project, which lasted for two years, to encourage secondary school students to develop their creativity by using innovative video media to express their life experience and feelings.

Meanwhile, Admissions Office joined with various departments to hold admission talks and visits to secondary schools to promote CityU’s degree programmes and learning activities.

Last, but certainly not least, CityU recently launched CityUTeens, the first online magazine in the Hong Kong tertiary education sector custom-made for teenagers studying in secondary schools. The aim of CityUTeens is to forge stronger links with secondary school students using compelling stories about university campus life and the latest development of CityU.