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More than 1,600 university students from eight publicly-funded tertiary institutions were able to widen their horizons during the past three years through participation in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Summer Internship Programme for Tertiary Students (JCSIP).

Co-ordinated by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and jointly organised by eight publicly-funded tertiary institutions, JCSIP aims to provide job placement opportunities for local university students. It was kicked off in 2004 with a donation of HK$16 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

The three-year programme has come to a fruitful conclusion and a homecoming event was held yesterday (28 September) at the Jockey Club Auditorium on the PolyU campus. The ceremony was kicked off by Prof. Edward Chen, Convenor of the Heads of Universities Committee; and Ms Olga Chew, Charities Manager of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was followed by a Chinese classical dance performance by students from Southeast University; and experience sharing by student representatives from participating institutions.

Addressing the ceremony, Prof. Chen expressed gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and employers from various sectors for supporting this meaningful programme inthe past three years. He said internship is an effective and productive training for students. In addition to professional knowledge and hands-on experience, students are rewarded with friendship and social skills.

He also called upon The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and members of the community to render their support for the continuation of this programme. "With joint efforts, our tertiary institutions can groom more talents for the future of Hong Kong," he said.

Students participating in JCSIP came from various disciplines of the eight UGC-funded institutions. With financial support from JCSIP, they were placed with companies and organisations in the Chinese Mainland and overseas to gain valuable working experience and broaden their horizon during the summer.

Out of those nearly 800 students undertaking internships in the past summer, about 600 were placed in Mainland cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Harbin and Guangzhou, while the remaining 200 students undertook internships in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the United States. Areas of internship included mass communication, information technology, legal, accounting and financial services, biochemistry and manufacturing.

Prior to their departure, a preparatory training programme was held in May to equip them for the summer internship. A maximum subsidy of $7,000 and $16,000 per student was granted for placement on the Mainland and overseas respectively.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has long been supportive of various youth development programmes. The sponsorship for this major internship project fits well with the Jockey Club's vision of promoting whole-person development of our young people.
                                  
For more details about JCSIP, please refer to the programme website at URL:  www.polyu.edu.hk/sao/jcsip

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