The MPUP programme organized the academic orientation to welcome our new students in the afternoon of last Saturday, 3 September 2022. Over 50 students participated this year’s orientation activity.
The orientation was kick-started with a welcoming speech by Prof. Carlos Lo, the MPUP Programme Director, followed by self-introduction and welcoming remarks of course teachers including Prof. Annie Tam, Prof. Mark Charles Michelson, and Dr. Dionysios Stavis. The Programme Manager, Dr. Brenda Liu then advise students on important academic matters.
Upon the end of the Orientation, a group sharing session was organized to enhance mutual understanding among teachers and students before the academic year starts.
May we wish all MPUP students a rewarding academic year ahead.
Round 1 Application Deadline for 2023: 1 December 2022
Review of applications has already started. Early applications are encouraged.
Applications must be made online. Please visit the website of the Graduate School, CUHK for details.
We always value career support to achieve the mission to nurture future competent policy professionals and leaders. With the acclaim gained over the past years, we have once again invited Ms. Wong Ming Lok, a professional and experienced trainer who conducts series of AO/EO trainings, to deliver a workshop on the HKSAR Government Joint Recruitment Examination (JRE) exclusively for students of the Department of GPA in October this year.
At the first session, Ms. Wong introduced basic knowledge including strategies and skills for taking the examination to participants so that they would have a clearer picture of the examination to set a focus for their self-preparation. A mock test was then arranged for participants, followed by an in-depth feedback session on their performance. Participants were given hands-on feedback from a former practitioner’s perspective to further enhance themselves for the coming examination.
Thanks Ms. Wong again for the fruitful workshop!
Committed to nurture future leaders in society, MPUP invites seasoned professionals from diversified public sectors to share their experience and insights with students from time to time.
Thanks to the coordination by Dr Mark Michelson, teacher of MPUP5331 Government and the Economy, Dr. Rocky Tung (Director and Head of Policy Research, Financial Services Development Council) was invited to share about his observations on strategic directions of Hong Kong’s financial services industry during the MPUP5331 class on 7 November 2022 (Mon).
Dr. Tung kick-started the session by introducing role of the Financial Services Development Council as a cross-sectoral advisory body, to engage the financial services industry in formulating policy proposals and work for the betterment of Hong Kong as an International Financial Centre. Mr Tung said that Hong Kong’s financial centre status remains healthy. To his belief, fintech and other virtual tech application like NFT are driving the financial industry to move forward and the HKSAR government ought to include these changes.
Students enjoyed Mr. Tung’s insightful sharing and seized the opportunity to exchange ideas with Mr. Tung during the Q&A session.
Thanks to Professor Annie Tam’s coordination, Miss Agnes WONG Tin-yu, JP, (Permanent Secretary for Housing, Housing Bureau) was invited to have a guest sharing in MPUP5803 Topical Study in Public Policy III’s lecture on 16 November 2022.
Miss WONG joined the Administrative Service in 1989 and has served in various bureaux and departments. From 2012 to 2021, she has been worked as Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing)/Deputy Director of Housing (Strategy), Director-General of Communications and Director of Marine. In February 2021, Miss Wong assumed the post of Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing)/Director of Housing, and is appointed Permanent Secretary for Housing/Director of Housing on 1 July 2022 following the government re-organisation to establish the Housing Bureau.
Following the issue of Policy Address 2022 in October, Miss Wong shared the latest housing policies in Hong Kong, including introducing the brand-new Light Public Housing (LPH), using Modular Integrated Construction (MIC) technology to accelerate housing production and alleviate the housing problems in long term.
Student cherished the valuable experience, and actively exchange views with the experienced practitioner in the Q & A session, which further consolidated the knowledge they learnt in class.
Class representative, Mr Justin Lam presented students’ handmade card to Miss Wong.
With the mission to nurture future competent policy professionals and leaders, the TPg Programme Office of the Department of Government and Public Administration (GPA) organized CV and Cover Letter Writing Workshop and Individual and Group Interview Workshop exclusively for MPUP and GPGC students on 5 November 2022 (Sat) and 19 November 2022 (Sat), to equip them with the essential job search skills.
The workshops were hosted by Tutors of the Independent Learning Centre (ILC), Ms. Sharon Wong and Dr. Ocean Siu. During the workshop, participants grasped the opportunity to learn the essential skills to polish their CV, Cover letter and interview performances. Participants found the Workshop practical and useful.
In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the founding of MSSc in Public Policy, the programme office organized a dinner on 10 December 2022 at the Gastronomy Club, Cheng Yu Tung Building, CUHK. The dinner was filled with events lined up for the evening, including a welcoming address by the Programme Director Prof Carlos Lo, a keynote speech given by Mr. Jasper Tsang Yok-Sing, GBM, GBS, JP, a group-photo taking session and a ceremony presenting Admission Scholarship to awardees in 2022-23 academic year. Mr. Tsang’s sharing and insights on Developments in China’s Policy on Hong Kong have been very well received by all MPUP faculty members, students and alumni. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter and a warm occasion to get together with former and current teachers, distinguished guests and old friends.
 Prof. LO delivered the opening remarks. |
 Mr. Tsang presented a keynote speech. |
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Mr. Leung Yeuk Ho (top left), Ms. TSO Lai Wai (top right), Ms. WANG Lei (bottom left) and Mr. YAO Jianhua (bottom right) received Admission Scholarship.
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MPUP co-organized the HKSAR Government Administrative Officer (AO) and Executive Officer (EO) Alumni Experience Sharing Sessions with the Career Planning and Development Centre of the Office of Student Affairs, CUHK on 26 January (Thu) and 2 February 2023 (Thu) for students, to equip them with the job nature of the two positions and strategic approaches throughout the recruitment process.
We are pleased to have invited two guest speakers who are serving AOs, namely Ms. Cherry Sum (GPAD alumna) and Mr. Emmanuel Lam (CUHK alumnus) for the AO Alumni Experience Sharing Session, and three guest speakers who are serving EOs, namely Ms. Angela WONG (MPUP current student), Ms. Haven Tam (MPUP current student) and Mr. Wayne Yum (MPUP current student) for the EO Alumni Experience Sharing Session, to share about their work experience in various government units and to give tips and insights about the preparation for the upcoming interviews.
Through the speakers’ experience sharing, participants grasped a better idea of the job nature, possible challenges and career satisfaction of an AO/EO. They were also reminded of the pitfalls to avoid in the interviews and had the opportunity to interact with the speakers during the Q&A sessions.
Thanks to the speakers again for their invaluable sharing to our students.
Thanks to the coordination of Prof. Carlos Lo, the course teacher of MPUP5802 Topical Study in Public Policy II, the Programme was pleased to invite Ms. Mei Ng, the Former Chairperson of Friends of the Earth (HK) to share the organization’s 40 years of experience and achievements in environmental protection during the lecture on 7 March (Tue) 2023.
As a renowned environmental organization, Friends of the Earth has been committed to promoting the development of environmental protection in Hong Kong. They strive for many cutting-edge issues, including country park conservation, sewage treatment, air quality improvement, wind power development, energy saving, waste recycling, etc. By interacting with stakeholders, it gains wide support in society. These successful experiences provide valuable references and knowledge for students to understand the development of environmental policies in Hong Kong. In this seminar, Ms. Ng gave MPUP students a detailed account of the challenges faced by Friends of the Earth (HK) and the success it achieved in carrying out policy initiatives, lobbying, and protecting the local environment in the past forty years.
This event helped students understand the role and influence of environmental groups in the policy-making process and raised their awareness of environmental protection. Over 40 students attended the webinar and actively participated in the Q&A session.
MPUP was honored to invite Ms. Laurence Vandewalle, Deputy Head of the European Union (EU) Office to Hong Kong and Macao to give a guest lecture on “Public Policy and Governance in the European Union” on 10 March 2023.
Ms. Vandewalle has served the EU for six years, with the experience of being a delegator in both Beijing and HKSAR, China. Before that, Ms. Vandewalle was an Asia Analyst and Political advisor in Belgium under European Parliament for over 19 years.
In this sharing, Ms. Vandewalle introduced the key institutions of the European Union, including the unit in which she is working, the European External Action Service, and illustrated the principles and values that underlie life in the EU: freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and promoting peace and stability. The lecture then went on to show the legislative process and decision-making in the Council. Highlights were made on the EU’s standpoint of the Russian-Ukraine War and the EU’s crucial role in fostering conflict resolution in the Western Balkans.
The lecture drew a full house of over 60 participants from MPUP and the Department of the GPA. Participants discussed actively with Ms. Vandewalle on how to introduce positive change at the EU level.
