Tag: Lingnan University

In his role as the new President of Lingnan University in Hong Kong, Professor Joe Qin intends to advance digital learning and integrate the use of data science tools in the curriculum and around the campus.

He believes that higher education must embrace the latest technology since artificial intelligence (AI) and applications like ChatGPT are inevitably going to shake up academia, the workplace and everyday life.

Therefore, Lingnan faculty and students must be AI literate, pioneering new dimensions in liberal arts education, so that graduates are multifaceted and future-ready.

“There has been a huge acceleration in generative AI and what large language models can do,” says Qin, adding that recent tech breakthroughs are driving an intellectual revolution. “It is a hot topic for everyone in higher education.”

He notes how quickly OpenAI’s ChatGPT signed up over a hundred million users after its release last November and how universities, which initially expressed strong reservations, have now decided to embrace it.

“Lingnan has already purchased the licence for version 3.5 of ChatGPT, and we will be training faculty and students to use it,” Qin says. “One challenge is to redesign exams and testing instruments to assess each student’s real progress.”

In the coming semester, the Faculty of Business will offer AI generated content (AIGC) in a general education course, so new users can familiarise themselves with the possibilities and hone their skills.

Other faculties will follow suit, with professors specifying when GPT can be used for written assignments. Students would be expected to submit a list of the “prompts” given to get content used in coursework and essays, and to summarise their own thinking and conclusions.

“I’ve been using ChatGPT for almost six months now,” Qin says. “I find it makes me think more critically and I’ve become more vigilant in seeing it gives the content I want.”

Before redesigning courses, faculty staff will receive guidelines and training via a series of in-house workshops similar to those organised to facilitate the switch to online classes during Covid-19. However, they must also commit to teaching themselves.

“It’s a really good example for everyone at Lingnan to show that innovation and research are part of our lives, and that the dissemination of knowledge is no longer a static thing,” Qin says.
Significantly, he adds, more academic journals are now willing to accept submissions prepared with the help of AIGC. Authors may rephrase sections or improve the style, but their ownership of the article is recognised if it accurately reflects their viewpoints.

Looking ahead, Qin wants to see data literacy incorporated in all Lingnan programmes, which goes hand in hand with the plan for a new School of Data Science. The Hong Kong government’s University Grants Committee (UGC) has already earmarked support for such developments through its Fund for Innovative Technology in Education, a key area of focus.

“We will invest our own resources as well,” Qin says. “I think of AI as a tool, an assistant, and that’s the way it should be.”

There are good reasons for Lingnan University’s decision to introduce a new Master of Housing Policy and Management (MHPM) programme, starting in September 2023.

Some tie in with a strategic plan to add more taught postgraduate courses with a professional orientation over the next five years. Others are more market-driven, reflecting the recent surge in demand for new blood in property, housing, and real estate management in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

“Part of our vision is to train the talent to meet these strategic manpower needs,” says Professor Yau Yung, programme director of the MHPM. “But we also see an increasing number of prospective students interested in housing policy. With the affordability crisis in Hong Kong and other Asian cities, people are looking for viable solutions. They need high-level training to analyse policy from different perspectives – social economic and environmental – and the knowledge and skills to inform decision making and advocacy.”

Therefore, the MHPM will combine theory and practice, with a focus on using smart technology and data analytics to improve performance. It will also cover the rise of social or third-sector housing plus the challenges facing NGOs and social enterprises running transitional housing.
Students will take nine core courses and electives for a total of 30 credits, including a capstone project on a relevant topic like government intervention in housing markets.

A multidisciplinary teaching team with expertise in urban studies, real estate, social sciences, environmental studies and geography will draw on findings from their ongoing research projects and encourage students to develop new insights and critical thinking skills.

The curriculum will also integrate essential aspects of facilities management and gerontology, an ever-more important area as society ages and communities have to adapt.

Available in one-year full-time and two-year part-time modes, the MHPM will also address questions central to the development of a sustainable built environment, smart cities, and the preservation of natural assets.

“Quality housing management should not just focus on the provision of basic services, but on community development too,” Yau says. “We will teach hands-on skills, for instance in mediation and public relations, through active engagement in real-life situations and learning from activities like role-plays.”

Experienced industry practitioners will teach practical aspects and examine contemporary and legal issues that can result. Due consideration will also be given to emerging market trends, changing customer expectations about environmental hygiene, and use of advanced technologies such as sensors, AI and robotics.

“Housing management professionals should know how to make use of these technologies to facilitate their work,” Yau says. “They must also recognise that communities now tend to be more polarised and diversified, which may create a need for additional facilities.”

The target for the first MHPM intake is 25-30 students. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree, be proficient in English and, ideally, have some prior experience in housing, property or facilities management or policy research. Yau is confident the programme will reinforce Lingnan’s international reputation for quality education and groundbreaking courses.

The rapid rise of new technologies, most notably AI and ChatGPT, has many implications for the world of higher education. Universities now face fundamental decisions about use of these tools for teaching, research and coursework assignments and how to impose effective rules and guidelines.

But they must also engage in the wider debate. That concerns the future need for certain disciplines and, more specifically, the place of traditional courses in arts, humanities and social sciences in a world ever more entranced by technology.

To understand the issues, the organisers of THE Digital Universities Asia 2023, held in Kuala Lumpur from May 8-10, invited leading figures from business and academia to discuss their views, hopes and vision.

In a keynote talk, Leonard K Cheng, President of Lingnan University in Hong Kong, acknowledged that employers are increasingly STEM-focused when hiring. Therefore, it was vital to act, adapting liberal arts education to give students additional skills and essential tech-related know-how.

“Success with technology-driven innovations will be crucial to the prosperity, performance, and even the survival of many firms,” Cheng said. “They need staff who can turn breakthroughs and improvements into products and services.”

He noted that the emerging era, known as Industry 5.0, will see the world entering a new phase of economic development. Business leaders and policy advocates say it will bring a bonanza in fields like robotics, automation, AI, smart machines, big data, and the internet of things (IoT).

For critics, that vision appears ominous. They see it as continuing surrender to “the rule of robots” and the boundary-less work practices of today’s digital age. They question the single-minded focus on productivity and profit. Instead, they want to see industry and society giving more attention to other essential aspects of human existence. These include personal health and welfare, the chance to pursue diverse social, cultural and intellectual interests, and due care for the environment.

Rather than “automation with a soul”, the emphasis should be on human-centricity, resilience and sustainability. That can be achieved by studying arts, humanities and social sciences – alongside tech disciplines – to gain the necessary balance and insights.

“In higher education, we should welcome Industry 5.0,” Cheng said. “We need to learn what ChatGPT and AI can do and what the limitations are. These tools will be used in the workplace, so our students must be trained to use them. But, to build resilience, they must also understand the nature of disruption and uncertainty. They can then help to improve macro and micro policies, creativity, planned design; production processing, rearrangement and so on. For that, liberal arts subjects are indispensable.”

Cheng said universities must also keep advancing sustainability. That is the third pillar of the future economy, doing well beyond issues of industrial automation and manufacturing to the very foundation of the economic system.    

“Graduates must be informed citizens who can collectively promote social good,” he said. “That’s why university education needs to include key elements of the humanities and social sciences.” 

Lingnan University’s new MSc in Humanitarian Technology and Inclusive Business (HTIB) aims to train individuals who can develop the kinds of appropriate and affordable technologies and services required by those at the bottom of the global pyramid. Typically, these technologies are mature, cheap and universally available – for example, LED light, servo motors and various sensors – but even some applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technology may be appropriate.

Dr Lee cites the example of a 3D VR-enable showroom which helps the growth of inclusive business in a remote area of Bangladesh. By adopting this innovative approach, customers’ satisfaction and confidence are gained by experiencing the spatial requirement and bathroom setting with the toilet they would like to purchase.

“Catering to this customer demographic is not a volunteer job, or a charitable act. Instead, it is a significant business opportunity that has yet to be fully tapped into.,” Professor Albert Ko, HTIB Programme Director, points out.

Aims of the MSc in HITB  

The purpose of the programme is to cultivate professional problem solvers and entrepreneurs who can lead a team in coming up with creative ideas, and subsequently transform them into inclusive business solutions, explains Prof Ko. After graduation, students will be equipped with the fundamentals of inclusive business and innovative design process for humanitarian technology – which will enable students to implement creative solutions effectively, cooperating within interdisciplinary teams of professionals such as engineers and medical workers.

Structure of the programme 

Alongside lectures, tutorials, workshops, and seminars, the programme aims to provide extensive hands-on training through community-based and project-based experiential learning.

The first core course, Inclusive Innovation: Design for a Better World, is one of the highlights of the HTIB programme, notes Dr Jasper van Holsteijn of Lingnan’s School of Graduate Studies. In this course students are taught various innovation skills and how to solve real-world problems

By the end of the programme, students will work on a capstone project – Design Innovation for Addressing Social Challenge – in collaboration with one of Lingnan’s renowned regional and international partner organizations. Students can shape the direction of their project based on their specific interests and future goals to prepare them well for their careers after graduation.

Lingnan: the perfect launchpad for a future in HTIB 

The programme is a perfect expression of the fundamental ethos and guiding principles of Lingnan. The university is always looking for ways to fulfill the promise of its motto of “Education for Service”, so the teaching of problem solving skills to tackle global challenges is a key element within the programme and the university.

In short, the programme aims to equip students with critical problem-solving skills that are essential for creating enterprises that contribute to building an inclusive society. Graduates will have diverse career opportunities, including pursuing postgraduate studies, working with NGOs and development organizations in Hong Kong and overseas, while others will be looking to launch their own companies. Our graduates will be well-equipped to address global challenges and contribute to positive social impact on a local and international scale.

A thriving arts and culture sector is of huge importance to the emotional and psychological health of any society. Committed backing for high quality museums, galleries, exhibitions and performances, along with a sensitive approach to the care of heritage sites, can also drive tourism and provide a significant boost to the economy. While digital technologies can broaden community cultural engagement and inclusiveness, beyond the limitations of market-driven capitalism.

To help meet the demand for professionals equipped with the skills to take on leadership roles right across this field, last year Lingnan University’s School of Graduate Studies launched its groundbreaking Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Heritage Management (MA ACHM) programme. To expand the scope of this new MA programme, from September 2023 two new specialisation pathways will be added as options to the programme.

Concentration in Heritage Tourism and Management

The Concentration in Heritage Tourism and Management aims to give students the tools to tackle the key issues the heritage tourism sector faces now, and will have to face in a changing future. Graduates will also be equipped with the fundamental knowledge to manage cultural assets and enhance the visibility, and the ecological sustainability, of the heritage tourism sector.

Hong Kong, and Lingnan University, are the ideal homes for such a programme. The city’s government has recently significantly increased its financial support for the promotion of arts and culture, and the development of green tourism. With the new Palace Museum and M+ museum proving extremely popular, further development of the expansive West Kowloon Cultural District is already planned. While Lingnan has established strong partnerships with a number of relevant local private and public organisations, including the Hong Kong Arts Centre.

Graduates from this concentration will be prime candidates for employment in areas such as tourism, community project management, art administration, and private and public cultural assets management. They will also be ideally placed to pursue PhD and professional doctorate degrees in related fields.

Concentration in Cultural Management and Digital Future

This new Concentration in Cultural Management and Digital Future will focus both on innovative management in the cultural industries and on the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging digital technologies.

It aims to give students an understanding of critical cultural governance and the cutting-edge trends in co-creation processes. It will also teach them about the latest developments in cultural management and the power of every-day digital technologies. Finally, it aims to develop students’ ability to reflect on the relationship between communication technology and information-related rights, duties, and ethics, and to actively engage with vibrant participatory communities beyond those enabled by markets or government.

Graduates will be qualified for roles in a wide range of fields such as the civil service, journalism, community project management, art administration, private and public cultural assets management, non-government and non-profit organisations, the education sector, cooperatives and commons – including platform co-ops, digital commons and international organisations.

Alternatively, they will be in a position to pursue PhD and professional doctorate programmes in Cultural Studies, Media and Communication Studies, Public Administration and Management, and the like.