Media

HKU completes its Summer Programme with the first participation of eight visually impaired students

24 Aug 2014

This group wins the most creative booth at the fun fair of the Leadership and Innovation Summer Camp

As part of the HKU’s continuing mission toward inclusive education, the HKU Summer Programme piloted the Summer Inclusive Education Campaign, which sponsored eighteen local underprivileged students this year. To further its mission, eight visually impaired students, including one from the Ebenezer School for the Visually Impaired, were also sponsored to participate in two programmes, Leadership and Innovation Summer Camp (LISC) and Crimson Summer Exchange (CSE), on HKU campus for the first time. Five of the students participated in the leadership programme from July 14 to 18, while three participated in Crimson Summer Exchange from July 28 to August 7. 

The LISC, through its programme activities including case analysis, interactive games, group discussions and site visits, fosters a sense of leadership, stimulates creative thinking and innovation and promotes teamwork while enhancing student’s sense of social awareness and empowering them to care for the disadvantaged.  This is also the first year having junior secondary school students (S1-S3) from age 12 to 14 to join the programme.  

Two junior secondary students with visual impairment participated in the LISC day programme, while three others had a taste of residential hall life in HKU. Their experience at HKU is not only academic but also social and recreational. They all contributed in a fun fair during the last day of their camp, where they created innovative and interactive booths with fellow groupmates to compete for the most creative booth of the summer.

The CSE programme is jointly organized by the Crimson China Cultural Exchange Foundation Limited and HKU. It is a cross-cultural education programme seeking to bring together teaching fellows, who are undergraduates and graduates from universities including Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Princeton and Columbia, and youths in a learning environment intended to bridge cultures and explore higher education. Led by top undergraduates and in small class teaching settings, the participants got together to explore a wide variety of global issues, which in turn has fostered their global awareness and broadened their horizons.

Students with special education needs encompass challenges and obstacles unique to their circumstances, therefore requiring special attention and accommodations to achieve academic goals.  Particularly to gain a quality education in Hong Kong, they must invest in diligence and perseverance. Through HKU’s collaboration with the Ebenezer School for the Visually Impaired, the HKU Summer Programme carried out the programmes to appeal to the visually impaired and other secondary school students, fostering their skills in teamwork and leadership as well as developing their interpersonal communications and sense of innovation. 

For more information about HKU Summer Programme and to learn more about our bursary students, please contact: HKU Summer Programme, Senior Programme Manager, Ms Olivia Low, Tel: 2241 5213; Email: olilow@hku.hk.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Communications and Public Affairs Office Ms Rhea Leung, Tel: 2857 8555; Email: rhea.leung@hku.hk.

Visually impaired student Ellie Tang actively promotes her game booth at the fun fair of Leadership and Innovation Summer Camp.

Visually impaired student Serena Lun says “cheesezzz” in a selfy photo with groupmates.

Serena Lun explains the rules of the game to an undergraduate summer student at the fun fair.