Around 150 talented New Senior Secondary (NSS) students have been admitted to the first gifted programmes jointly offered by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE). The programmes, running from April 2010 to the summer of 2012, are specially designed to address gifted students' educational needs whilst developing their potentials.
The participants have come through membership of the HKAGE and from nominations of some 30 local secondary schools. The four programmes which range from humanities to science and engineering, are offered by PolyU's academic departments, including the English Language Centre, Department of Applied Social Sciences, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Introducing the new programme, Professor Walter W. Yuen, PolyU Vice President (Academic Development), said, "The gifted programmes offer unique opportunities for the prodigies to experience university life at PolyU and expand their academic horizons. More importantly, we hope these programmes would enhance their personal growth and improve their communication and inter-personal skills."
Professor Yuen said the gifted programmes would provide an ideal platform for the university to better understand the needs for the first cohort of NSS students and thus facilitate the implementation of the new four-year undergraduate degree curriculum in 2012.
Dr Stephen Tommis, Executive Director of HKAGE, said, "We are delighted to join hands with PolyU in the development of new courses for bright students in Hong Kong. One key component of the gifted programmes is they all have a strong service element for our students to contribute their understanding to society and country, thereby developing their sense of social responsibility."
In addition to seminars and workshops conducted by the professors and lecturers of the hosting departments, participants also have the chance to take part in laboratory visits and study tours to the Chinese mainland to facilitate learning beyond classrooms and broaden their exposure.
Upon completion of the programmes, each participating student will receive a certificate jointly issued by PolyU and HKAGE which can be added to their Student Learning Profile. Students may also be granted academic credits by the relevant department when they choose to apply for PolyU's undergraduate programmes.
Other academic departments of PolyU have also expressed their interests in the gifted programmes, more short to medium-term courses in Mathematics, Computing and Chemistry will be offered in the near future.
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