2019 UGC Teaching Award Presentation Ceremony cum
HKTEA Launch Ceremony on
10 October 2019
Remarks by Prof. Isabella WY Poon
Chair, Hong Kong Teaching Excellence Alliance

Mr Tong, Council Chairmen, Heads of Universities, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. It is a great pleasure for me to join you here today as Chair of the Hong Kong Teaching Excellence Alliance (HKTEA).   

The annual UGC Teaching Award was introduced in 2011 to recognise teaching excellence in the UGC sector. While each of our universities has its own award to acknowledge good teaching, the sector-wide UGC Teaching Award offers another level of recognition for excellent teaching. I am very proud to have been one of the two awardees in the inaugural year. Since receiving the award, I have had many opportunities to be an ambassador for the UGC, contributing to teaching and learning enhancement at my university as well as in the wider community.  

I am grateful to the UGC for establishing the Teaching Award and the HKTEA and sponsoring its operation, and am honoured to have been invited to chair this community. By bringing together outstanding teachers from different universities and working in a concerted effort, we can play a sustained role in promoting teaching excellence in and beyond the UGC sector.  

To help formulate a development plan for the HKTEA, the Preparatory Committee invited colleagues from each university to participate in a Stakeholder Survey. Many of the participants are here today. I would like to express my gratitude to you all for your suggestions and comments, which will be of great value in shaping the future direction of the HKTEA. Based on our colleagues’ feedback, we have decided that the mission of the HKTEA will be “to promote good teaching practices, nurture academic leaders with the capability and commitment needed to enhance teaching and learning, and foster a culture of recognising good teaching in the UGC sector”. An Initial Strategic and Action Plan setting out specific strategies and action items has been formulated to guide the HKTEA’s development. We have also launched a website on which you can find all of the relevant information, including a report on the Stakeholder Survey, our Initial Strategic and Action Plan and details of forthcoming events and activities. For example, a Sharing Session cum Gala Dinner will be held in January. I urge you all to support the HKTEA’s activities.

With the formal launch of the HKTEA this evening, an Executive Committee will succeed the Preparatory Committee in steering the development of the HKTEA. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Members of the Preparatory Committee, including Professor Daniel Shek, Professor Alice Chong, Dr Elaine Au and Dr Jason Chan, for their effort and dedication. I am also grateful to the Quality Assurance Team of the UGC Secretariat, the KEEP team and CLEAR at CUHK, whose commitment, support and professionalism are greatly appreciated. Finally, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s nominees and awardees and look forward to working with you to promote teaching excellence. Thank you very much.

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