City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has invited five distinguished academics to visit its School of Creative Media (SCM) and to provide expert advice on the strategic direction of the School. The feedback is aimed at enhancing SCM’s academic programmes and focusing its research agenda, with a view to achieving global leadership and local preeminence.

The three-day visit began on 17 November. The experts reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the School, the international competitiveness of its education and research programmes, and examined potential new areas or programmes for future development.

The review panel has submitted a written report to CityU, providing recommendations on SCM’s strategic direction over the next five years. The report encompassed education and executive development programmes, research, measures of globalisation, and management structure of the School.

The review panel is headed by Professor Paul Lee, Director of the School of Art of University of Tennessee. Other experts are Professor Daniel Boyarski, Head of School of Design of Carnegie Mellon University, Professor Bob Kaputof, Chair of Kinetic Imaging Department of School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, Professor Peter Lunenfeld, Professor of Design/Media Arts Department of University of California, Los Angeles, and Mr Nicholas Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management.

The experts first met with CityU senior management on 17 November. Professor Way Kuo, University President, Professor Richard Ho Yan-ki, Provost, Professor Roderick Wong Sue-cheun, Vice-President (Research) and Dean of Graduate Studies, and Professor Paul Lam Kwan-sing, Acting Vice-President (Undergraduate Education), briefed the team on current developments at CityU and within SCM.

Professor Kuo praised the School for its outstanding programmes and students. “CityU aims to become a first-class university by any world standard. We look forward to hearing recommendations from the experts to take CityU to the next level,” said Professor Kuo. He also mentioned the plan of recruiting more eminent faculty members in preparation for the new four-year curriculum.

The review panel visited the School after the meeting. They were greeted by Professor (Chair) Horace Ip Ho-shing, Acting Dean of SCM, and academic staff. Professor Ip gave a presentation on the School, describing its mission, management structure, academic staff line-up, programmes and admissions, research, graduate survey, student activities, ties with institutions in mainland China and overseas, staff and student achievements, and the Multi-Media Building scheduled for completion in 2010.

SCM staff also briefed the experts on the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including the new bachelor programme on digital media broadcasting to be launched in 2009, together with the latest research and teaching at the School. The experts were taken on a tour of the School and were shown some students’ works.

The School also arranged for some current students and graduates to meet the visiting experts. The students talked about why they had chosen to study at SCM, how their campus life was, what support they got from the School, and whether they were acquiring sufficient skills to cope in the workplace. The experts also invited the students and graduates to offer suggestions on areas in which the School could improve.

In addition to CityU, the experts have also visited IMAGI International Holdings, a computer graphic movie specialist, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. They met Mr Tang Hoi-chiu, Chief Curator of the museum, and veteran filmmaker Ms Shi Nansun to learn about the latest developments in the creative media sector in Hong Kong and other parts of the region.