Message from CIO and University Librarian

Welcome to this new face of ITSC e-Newsletter. After a year of planning, I am glad that this e-Newsletter is now launched with more attractive visuals and interface. It also provides a more convenient way to update our services and facilities more regularly.

The year 2020 commenced with a global coronavirus crisis that presented unprecedented challenge to every one of us. ITSC took up a new charge to arrange staff to work from home and meet online in a safe manner, and to support online learning and teaching. From acquiring Zoom license as the online learning and meeting platform, providing technical support to conducting a series of training workshops, ITSC staff is dedicated to support the University's mission of offering high-quality learning environment for our students. Thus, we also assisted many administrative units to automate their systems to ensure their services can be provided online. I am proud that amidst these busy schedules, we are able to launch the new Online Admission System on time, develop the new Online Reporting System, make CTLE online, upgrade the Banner System and myLingnan Portal, and enhance the AV systems of several venues.

The calmer summer with less and even zero confirmed cases did not put a halt to the spread of the virus. The Third Wave of attack in August was a great turning point for the University to decide to offer hybrid mode of teaching and learning. Again, ITSC tried our utmost efforts to transform all our classrooms to support hybrid teaching. A special VPN was also arranged to improve the performance of the network performance from the Mainland. My heartiest appreciation to all my colleagues for their unfailing support to the University.

Crisis often comes with opportunity. This COVID-19 pandemic did transform many of our long-held beliefs, practices and habits. With social distancing and contactless as the new norm, online learning, teaching, meeting and events become rapidly receptive to our stakeholders. Such move to online will certainly be more accelerating after the COVID-19. How we respond determines our fate in the future. Let's prepare ourselves now to grasp this opportunity to change and change for the better.