Lingnan University’s Postgraduate Mentorship Programme is only the latest example of Lingnan’s School of Graduate Studies’ commitment to ensuring its taught postgraduate (TPG) students have the greatest chance of success both during and beyond their time at the university. The new initiative was launched via a ‘Kick-off Ceremony’ held on the Lingnan campus in early February.
“The Postgraduate Mentorship Programme is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, and one of the University’s key strategic initiatives to enrich our postgraduate students with knowledge and vision, through the coaching and sharing of their mentors’ experiences,” noted Professor Frankie Lam, Associate Dean of Lingnan’s School of Graduate Studies, in his welcoming remarks. Via the scheme a total of 41 mentors, all prominent professionals from a range of fields, had been matched with 114 postgraduate students to help them develop their life aspirations and plan for their future careers.
Ms Carrie Leung
Officiating guest at the ceremony was Ms Carrie Leung, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers, and Lingnan University Council Member and Chairman of the University’s Career Development Committee. In her address, Ms Leung said she was a keen supporter of the programme and its goals, and she thanked all those who had made it possible.
“We are very grateful for the support of dedicated Lingnan alumni and associates, including our Council members and Career Development Committee advisers. These industry experts and professionals will act as career mentors, providing student mentees with an opportunity to gain wisdom and receive advice to support their career development,” Ms Leung said. The scheme will also provide invaluable opportunities for the mentees to make important contacts, expand their personal networks, keep abreast of the latest business and operational practices, and learn about workplace culture.
Lingnan’s TPG programmes
The new Mentorship Programme builds on the real-time mentoring and feedback TPG students already have access to during the course of their studies. Along with teaching of the highest quality, this support is delivered by faculty from a rich range of international backgrounds.
In its TPG programmes, Lingnan places an emphasis on experiential learning that comes via active community engagement. Furthermore, as a liberal arts university with a global perspective, one of Lingnan’s major objectives is to provide students with international exposure. To achieve this, expert guests from the UK, China and other parts of the world, are invited to share their unique knowledge and insights, and students are encouraged to take part in international symposiums and exchanges with Lingnan’s partner universities from across the globe.
Students also have access to a wide variety of overseas, mainland and local internship opportunities. In the course of these internships, they can gain on-the-job experience, apply what they’ve learned in class, and broaden their exposure to culturally rich and diverse environments.
The range and scope of Lingnan’s TPG programmes are expanding all the time, with another 15 added to the university’s prospectus in just the past three years. For example, two new concentrations - in Heritage Tourism and Management, and in Cultural Management and Digital Future – have just been included as options for Lingnan’s ground-breaking MA in Arts and Cultural Heritage Management. Lectures for these programmes will be held in M+, Hong Kong’s exciting new museum of visual culture.
Mentorship Programme launch
The speakers at the Kick-off Ceremony agreed that Lingnan was unique, not only because of its status as Hong Kong’s liberal arts university, but also because of the lengths it will go to in caring for its students. This was just one of the factors that have contributed to the growing popularity of the university’s postgraduate programmes, which have seen their students numbers grow from 800 to close to 2,000, over the past three years.
Prof Lam explained that the overarching goal of the Postgraduate Mentorship Programme is to inspire the participating students’ development into society’s future leaders and role models, and to spur them to make their own personal positive contribution to the well-being of the Hong Kong community. A commitment to the people of Hong Kong is something particularly prized at Lingnan University. “We also serve the needs of the community through unique programmes such as our social enterprises,” he added.
The launch ceremony took place on Li Chun, or the beginning of spring in the traditional Chinese calendar. This was something picked up on by Ms Leung, who made a very positive link with the easing of COVID-related restrictions, and the commencement of this initiative.
“It is indeed heart-warming to see such strong Lingnanian bonds, with generations working hand-in-hand for a common goal, totally reflecting our genuine Lingnan Spirit. I sincerely wish all student participants can come out of this event motivated to strive for a better future. Together with the commencement of the year 2023, all seems to be moving back to a more normal situation. I foresee that our future will be much brighter.”
Following the opening formalities, the students were able to join one of three sharing sessions. These were led by distinguished industry experts from sectors with attractive employment opportunities.
The Human Resources Management meeting was headed by Mr Armstrong Lee, Managing Director, Worldwide Consulting Co Limited, and Mr David Li, the former President of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management. Leading the Finance and Investment session was Ms Christina Gaw, Managing Principal of Gaw Capital Advisors Limited. While Mr Raymond Chan, Managing Director of 9F International Holdings, shared his knowledge and advice in the session on Banking and FinTech.
Mr Li, Ms Gaw and Mr Chan are all current Lingnan University Career Development Committee members or advisers, while Mr Lee is the former chairman of the Committee.