Student Life
Student Induction and Guidance
New Student Induction
New Student Induction, which is usually held in August every year, aims to promote new students' understanding of holistic development and adjustment to their university life. During this period, the University Life Orientation Workshop (Personal Transformation) is offered to all new students to facilitate their planning of university life through introducing the concepts of whole person development and a wide range of university resources for supporting students’ holistic development and increasing awareness of their current state of whole person development. Senior students are recruited to serve as peer mentors for new students to facilitate their adjustment. For non-local students, a series of customised training and programmes are offered for their smooth transition to university life in Hong Kong.
Guidance
Upon admission, each new student will be assigned mentors who will provide guidance to the students for their academic and personal development in the new environment. This assistance does not relieve the student of the responsibility to consult the University Student Handbook and other information booklets for basic information on the University. She/He should be particularly aware of all the regulations, procedures and requirements relating to her/his own programme. Students entering the final year should take the initiative to consult their respective departments with regard to academic progress, study programme and graduation requirements.
Support from Unit for Students with Special Educational Needs
The University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for all students, including those with special educational needs (SEN). SEN students should first register their documented special educational needs with the University. The Unit for Students with Special Educational Needs will conduct need assessment and coordinate with relevant academic and administrative departments to provide fitting accommodation, facilities and services to facilitate their learning and studies. Eligible students are also encouraged to apply for disability grants and funds which provide financial support for their academic and personal development. Please click here to visit the website of the Unit for Students with Special Educational Needs for details of the support services.
Co-curricular and Extracurricular Activities for Whole Person Education
With the emphasis on educating whole persons as exemplified in its Graduate Attributes, the University provides many opportunities for co-curricular and extracurricular activities to help enrich students’ educational experience in conjunction with the academic programmes. These complementary activities are designed to help students attain the University’s Graduate Attributes in addition to supplementing the academic programmes.
Creative Arts Activities
The opportunities for music performance at Baptist University are rich and diverse. The Academy of Music offers many performing groups that can be taken for academic credit including the University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra (Collegium Musicum), University Choir, Chamber Choir (Cantoria Hong Kong), String Ensemble, Women’s Chorus and a wide range of smaller instrumental ensembles. All of these and more are available to students regardless of major.
Students can enjoy a wide range of visual arts activities offered by the Academy of Visual Arts (AVA), ranging from on-campus exhibitions of works in different art forms at Koo Ming Kown Exhibition Gallery (Baptist University Road Campus) and Gallery of Academy of Visual Arts (Kai Tak Campus), artist talks and seminars, guided tours, visual arts conferences and visits to large-scale international art festivals. AVA also organises various community arts activities for students in partnership with the community and the creative industry, including art workshops, knowledge transfer projects, exhibitions and summer school programmes. All these activities have helped link up students with the art world and the audience, as well as foster art appreciation in the community. In addition, the AVA offers many general education courses in visual arts for non-visual arts students, and opens up Visual Arts major courses in studio and media arts, crafts and design, and visual arts studies to all students irrespective of their major.
The Academy of Film regularly offers masterclasses, special screenings, seminars, and workshops for HKBU students to enhance their creativity, critical thinking skills and preparation for careers in the creative industries. Acclaimed Hong Kong and International directors, writers, cinematographers, editors and designers share their expertise with students in guest lectures.
Sports Programmes
The University is a member of the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong, China. It maintains an intercollegiate programme of athletics, badminton, basketball, cross-country, dragon boat, fencing, football, handball, karatedo, rugby, squash, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, table-tennis, volleyball, water polo and woodball. Competition is scheduled for both men’s and women’s teams. Students also have the opportunity to take part in selected intramural sports competitions. In addition, Healthy Lifestyle courses covering a variety of physical activities are offered by different departments as university core courses.
Student Organisations
Membership of student organisations is open to all students at the University. Students are encouraged to engage in activities initiated by student organisations to enrich their campus life and build connection with peers with common interest. However, joining any such organisation is entirely voluntary and may involve payment of a membership fee. There are various types of student bodies that are registered with or recognised by the University:
- The Students’ Union aims to promote activities in the best interests of undergraduate students and the University, to help collaborate with various student organisations, and to co-operate with the University administration for the common good of all. Full-time undergraduate students who pay the annual membership fee may join the Students’ Union as members.
- The Postgraduate Association is dedicated to support and represent the interests of postgraduate students. The Association promotes welfare and facilitates intellectual and social connections among the postgraduate students of the University.
- Academic societies composed of students studying the same programme, seek to cultivate a professional attitude amongst members through co-curricular and extracurricular studies and projects. There are over 30 societies in this aspect with details available at: https://sa.hkbu.edu.hk/cls/student-organisations-and-support/student-organisations/academic-societies.
- In addition, there are around 40 interest clubs enriching students’ campus experience in aspects other than their studying disciplines. Information of all interest clubs: https://sa.hkbu.edu.hk/cls/student-organisations-and-support/student-organisations/interest-clubs.
- Hall Councils aim to promote activities and interests of hall residents. There are altogether four Hall Councils, each with a unique hall motto: the Student Union Hall Council of Y. P. Cai Hall, the Students’ Union Hall Council of C. L. Soong Hall, the Students’ Union Hall Council of C. N. Yang Hall and the Students' Union Hall Council of S. R. Zhou Hall.
- The International Association serves as a platform to facilitate communication between international students, local students and the University. The Club also acts as a support group helping international students to assimilate into university life as well as establish networks with other student societies.
Career Centre (CC)
Career Centre (CC) serves as a bridge connecting students, academic staff and employers. CC is dedicated to enhancing students’ career development and job search effectiveness. The staff of CC maintains robust relationships with different business sectors to keep abreast of the current employment market trends. As a vital resource, CC offers a wide range of services and programmes tailored to guide students in their career paths and entrepreneurial pursuits. These offerings include career advising, skills empowerment schemes, recruitment services, networking opportunities and workshops that cover a broad spectrum of career development and entrepreneurship topics.
Career Education
CC organises a diverse array of services and programmes to boost students’ career development. These include career talks and exhibitions from both the public and private business sectors, where prominent guest speakers from various professional fields and government departments share vital career information. This aids students in their career selection process and helps them understand the practice, sub-culture and expectations of being an executive in different professions.
Besides, job search skills workshops are conducted to equip students with essential competencies for the job market, such as career exploration, crafting application letters and professional resumes, job interviewing techniques, workplace communication skills and presenting a professional image to potential employers.
Company visits are also arranged, offering students firsthand interaction with senior executives and insights into business operations.
Career Advising
Individual career advising services are offered. Students can make appointments to enhance self-understanding, explore career interests, acquire updated job market information and formulate appropriate action plans. In addition, psychometric tests are available to help students ascertain their occupational preferences and strengths, facilitating informed decisions about their future direction.
The Interview Clinic and CV Clinic offer one-on-one consultations to sharpen students’ interview and CV writing skills, delivered through online or offline modes, with feedback provided by professionals or career advisors.
Career Mentorship Programmes
Theme-based career mentorship programmes are designed to shape students’ career aspirations and enhance their understanding of the professional world.
Career Exploration / Start-up Exploration Trips
CC organises career and start-up exploration trips during winter breaks to places like Japan, Singapore and South Korea, as well as shorter trips to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) during the semester, helping students broaden their global perspective and knowledge of different work cultures.
Skills Empowerment Scheme
Skills Empowerment Scheme encourages students to gain practical skills desired by employers, with the aim of achieving market or internationally-recognised certifications. Training courses in areas such as digital marketing and data analytics are offered, along with access to LinkedIn Learning for flexible online skill development.
Entrepreneurial Learning
CC is committed to fostering an entrepreneurial culture within the University, recognising this as a significant career path for our students. We offer comprehensive entrepreneurial training and hands-on learning experiences for students who aspire to launch their own ventures. In collaboration with external startup incubators, industry professionals, companies, and organizations, CC provides opportunities to support students in establishing their startups. These opportunities include training, incubation programmes, seed funding, business guidance, networking events and more.
Local Internship Opportunities
Local internship opportunities, like STEM Internship Scheme, aim to enhance students’ competitive edge for employment. Students can broaden their vision about the world of work and strengthen their transferable skills such as self-confidence, sense of cooperation and problem-solving ability. Students can undoubtedly gain practical skills from the job experience and explore their career aspirations.
The Greater Bay Area Opportunities
The development of the GBA, one of the most economically vibrant regions in Mainland China, is accorded the status of key strategic planning in the country’s development blueprint. Students will definitely possess an edge in the job market if they have related experience in the GBA.
CC collaborates with external parties to provide students with insights into the GBA’s labour market, work culture and career prospects.
Metropolitan Attachment Programme (MAP) / Global Attachment Opportunities (GAO)
MAP and GAO offer students the chance to work in overseas companies, enhancing their competitiveness, language skills and cultural adaptability. In the summer of 2024, students were arranged to have work attachment experience in Berlin, Melbourne, Sydney, Nanjing, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, etc.
Networking Events
Networking events are organised so that our students are well-prepared to meet the prevailing hurdles in their job search journey by enhancing the communication between students and business professionals and broadening their perspectives towards different industries.
Career Fair and Virtual Career Fair
The Career Fair is an annual event organised for students to obtain the most updated job market and recruitment information. Recruitment booths from diverse industries are set up, offering students the chance to network with potential employers and explore a range of employment opportunities.
The Virtual Career Fair is a signature event of HKBU in which employers and HKBU students can interconnect and chat in real-time. Apart from applying with traditional cover letters and CVs, students can add a video CV to their online applications to give employers a clearer and stronger impression. Interviews, both online and offline, can then be arranged in a more efficient and boundaryless manner.
Employment Information and Liaison
CC liaises with employers for full-time, summer, part-time and temporary job opportunities. Students can search for these job vacancies and on-campus student helper opportunities via BUhub.
Recruitment talks, exhibitions and campus interviews/tests are arranged to familiarise students with job application procedures, recruitment processes, and information on companies and jobs.
Career Services for Postgraduates
CC also offers specialised services and training to assist postgraduates in career planning and preparation through a series of professional services and career training. These include self-exploration workshops, job search skills training, company visits, individual consultations by professionals in different industries, and networking events.
Graduate Employment Survey
The Graduate Employment Survey is conducted annually to understand the first career destination of current year’s graduates. Survey reports are available for reference.
E-resources
A comprehensive pool of resources, including tips on job seeking and making video CVs, is available to students on the CC website.
Campus Life and Amenities Section (CLA)
Campus Life and Amenities Section (CLA) is committed to enriching students’ university life through the provision of student amenities and funding support, and encouraging students to participate in University Governance and organise student activities to attain personal excellence:
Support to student bodies
CLA plays a vital role in supporting and facilitating the development and operations of student bodies which are registered with or recognized by the University. Guidance, administrative assistance, training, financial support as well as advice on guidelines and procedures are offered to facilitate the organisation of student-led activities and the development of student bodies.
Provide of student amenities
The Learning Commons and various student amenities and facilities are managed by the team to create a collaborative and dynamic environment for students. These spaces enable students to access resources, collaborate with peers, build network, enhance their talents and engage in wide range of campus activities and events.
Facilitate students’ participation to University Goverance
To ensure that students’ views and concerns are properly addressed in the University’s policy-formulation process, membership of a majority of the policy making and advisory bodies of the University is open to student representatives. The team administers the Election of Student Members to the Senate and coordinates the nomination of student members to various university-wide committees and working group. Student consultation, focus group discussion and meetings with the management are also arranged as needed.
Counselling and Development Centre (CDC)
A team of trained and experienced counsellors is here to provide assistance for students in enhancing students’ mental health, setting personal goals and fully actualising their potential. Please click here to visit the website of the Counselling and Development Centre.
Counselling and Assessment
- Individual Counselling: Counselling and psychotherapy are provided for students to induce personal growth and positive changes in areas such as emotional management, interpersonal relationship, self-esteem, university adjustment, study problems, career exploration, etc.
- Assessment: Psychological tests are administered to enhance students' self-understanding and identify their areas for growth.
- Whole Person Development Inventory (WPDI): This inventory, which was constructed for tertiary students in a Chinese context by the Office of Student Affairs and academics from the Faculty of Social Sciences (currently Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), is administered to students at various stages of their university life to enhance the understanding about their different aspects of whole person development.
- Psychological Online Tests: Self-report psychological tests are available online to promote students’ self-understanding and help them identify areas for personal growth. Students can log in the platform and obtain immediate feedback. Please click here to take the tests.
Psychological Competence and Development
- Development Courses: Workshops on self-understanding enhancement, EQ development, mental health education and university life adjustment, etc. and the 12-hour Mental Health First Aid Standard Course are offered throughout the academic year.
- eCourses: Students who are interested in enhancing their self-understanding, psychological competence, and life skills through online learning can access a variety of eCourses on the BU eLearning platforms. Please click here to take the eCourses.
- Mental Health Enhancement: To promote mental wellness proactively, different activities such as displays, talks, web articles, experiential activities, etc. are organised to increase students' awareness and understanding of mental illness. The Mental Health First Aid Standard Course is offered to enhance participants' understanding in various mental illnesses, first aid responses, and community resources to strengthen self-care as well as alertness to and acceptance of people in need.
- Mental Health First Aid Captain Programme: This programme aims at building a supportive mental wellness network among HKBU students. The Mental Health First Aid Captains, who are also certified Mental Health First Aiders, are trained to identify and provide immediate support to fellow students with emotional needs. They will also take initiatives in reaching out and organising activities to help strengthen the mental wellbeing of classmates of the same major and cohort.
Support for New Students
- Transition to University Life Webpage: This webpage for freshmen provides helpful information and resources for students’ psychological adjustment to university life. In addition to helping students be more aware of the changes they are going through in the first year of university study, it also provides students with tips for personal growth and student success. For details, please click here.
- Peer Mentor Programme: This programme aims to mobilise peer support on campus. The peer mentors provide assistance for new students in their adjustment to university life at the beginning of the first semester. They will also have opportunities to learn through training, supervision and their helping experience.
- University Life Orientation Workshop: The Personal Transformation Workshop (UOW 1) is organised for new students during their orientation to better prepare them for university life.
- Whole Person Development Mentoring: This service aims to raise students’ awareness of the importance of HKBU's Whole Person Development as well as one’s strengths and weaknesses. With individual mentoring, students are encouraged to use co-curricular and extracurricular activities to facilitate their growth.
- Host Family Programme for non-local students: This programme aims to provide an opportunity for non-local freshmen to enhance their personal learning experience by connecting them with local host families. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the people and culture of Hong Kong. They can also receive support and "home care" while they are miles away from home.
Mainland Student Services
- Induction Programmes: Induction activities, Cantonese classes, seminars, and workshops, etc. are provided to assist new Mainland students to assimilate into the University and Hong Kong society.
- Individual Mentoring: Officers of the Mainland Student Services Unit provide mentoring and advice for Mainland students to address issues which hinder their adjustment to new life in Hong Kong.
Leadership Qualities Centre (LQC)
In line with the mission of the University to provide higher education that develops and sustains the integrity of the whole person, and its values of strong commitment to both academic excellence and community service, the Centre aims to empower students to become committed global and local citizens, assume active roles to face and resolve global challenges and to become proactive contributors in the local community.
Co-curricular Learning
The Centre offers a wide range of Co-curricular Learning (CCL) activities, which are components of the U-Life Programme that are in line with the mission of the Office of Student Affairs and the University. The programme aims to provide students with a comprehensive and diverse range of non-formal learning opportunities which will help expand their breadth of knowledge, stimulate their thinking, and broaden their horizons. These activities take different forms, including seminars, workshops, campus events, and experiential learning activities.
Adventure Education
The adventure education programme aims to increase students’ resilience, perseverance and teamwork abilities through learning experiences outside the classroom. Through participating in various low-event and high-event adventure activities, students will be more willing to embrace challenges with a positive mindset, collaborate with one another to achieve a common goal and step out of their comfort zones to excel.
Cultural Literacy (LIVE)
The appreciation of arts and culture is a crucial element of holistic education. Studying on a creative campus environment can have enduring benefits.
LIVE offers diverse platforms for students to explore, experience and express, and to elevate the arts and culture ethos on campus. Through active participation, students can refine their aesthetic awareness, understand cultural diversity and heritage, stimulate their creative thinking, broaden their global visions, uncover their potential, and empower their well-being to become influential leaders in the arts.
Signature events organised by LIVE include the Moon Party, “Lunchtime I’m in Love” Art Fair, Star Chat, Getting Together busking, STEAM project “Toxic Tree: Sleep with Microplastics”, “Poetic Microscope” and “Perfect Criminal”, transdisciplinary projects like Food without Borders, Cuisine Safari and Foodie Adventure, and collaborations with the Hong Kong Arts Festival Young Friends.
Leadership Development
Our programmes offer various integrated trainings, workshops, and service opportunities to enhance participants’ understanding of their personal characters, equip them with professional and practical skills and knowledge to serve and lead. Peer mentor support groups will also be formed by students who have completed the programme to build a network with motivated and positive-minded students.
Student Leadership Corps provides multi-dimensional experiential learning to enhance students’ leadership knowledge and skills, raise their awareness of social issues, and develop their personal qualities, teamwork and compassion for serving the community and the world.
Leadership & Character Enhancement Programme is a bespoke programme that aims to nurture future leaders with professional knowledge, practical skill sets for team management, and righteous values and qualities. University student leaders take on the roles of peer mentors to lead secondary school students in groups to receive professional training and gain thrilling learning experiences.
Global Vision
Global Leadership Programmes target to increase students’ international exposure and global awareness. The Centre nominates passionate and outstanding students on behalf of the University to participate in local and international conferences, such as the Global Peace Summit, University Scholars Leadership Symposium, etc.
The Centre also offers an array of new overseas experiential learning opportunities including Backpacker Learning to develop students’ global perspective and awareness of international affairs, foster students’ caring spirit for the community and enrich students with meaningful exposure and experience. Students are provided with funding to initiate projects to explore the world for learning and skills enrichment, establish connections and friendships with people in their projects, or provide services to the underprivileged. Students will be exposed to planned and unplanned learning opportunities which could help them improve their problem-solving, team communication, time management and budgeting skills.
Serve-cation provides students service and study opportunities to explore the world and connect with the local people by providing services to the communities. A series of pre-trip workshops and preparatory meetings will be organised to equip students with necessary skills and knowledge for overseas exposure. After the trip, students share their learnings and self-reflections about the service and study trips with the HKBU community.
Community Engagement
The Centre is a central hub for elite and multi-hyphenate student volunteers to impact the community by connecting, collaborating, and effecting change. A number of dedicated community engagement programmes are organised to instil social consciousness, foster community engagement and develop talents among students for the successful delivery of services.
Skilled Volunteer Cadre nurtures students into servant leaders by providing a series of training for students to learn different core skills and opportunities to apply their skills to deliver innovative service to the needy. By addressing the needs of the community, our students develop empathetic minds with a keen concern for society.
Community Experience Project provides HKBU students volunteering opportunity for not less than 54 hours during the summer vacation. Students are assigned to different NGOs or social enterprises according to their interests and expertise, to participate in a variety of services, including teaching, health education, environmental work, business development, multimedia creation, local ecological or cultural tourism, or other service projects that benefit the community and institutional planning.
Community Service Week instils students with caring spirits to build a more inclusive and equitable society. Charitable organisations are invited to host booths and provide stimulation experiences on campus to raise students’ awareness of the needs and livelihoods of the underprivileged. Students are recruited as Organising Committee members to design and deliver tailor-made services to the service targets. Through a series of volunteering activities and services, our students develop empathy towards the disadvantaged in the community.
Dreamer Lab Award (DLA) provides subsidies to students to actualise their dreams and address the social issues in and outside Hong Kong. The award scheme encourages students to build a better community by initiating social innovation projects that address social issues and care for neglected groups in an innovative and sustainable approach. The experiences develop students' leadership skills and other personal qualities which include a "dare to try" and "never give up" spirit.
Student Partnership
The Centre has leveraged its well-established student partnership with external organisations, namely Wofoo Leaders’ Network (WLN) and University YMCA® (HKBU), to implement the “Train-the-Trainer” and Experiential Learning Model. This model aims to develop students as office-bearers and peer leaders in various projects and activities.
Student Accommodation Section (SAS)
Undergraduate Halls
The Office of Student Affairs aims to cultivate a congenial yet stimulating living-learning environment in the Halls that encourages participation and integration of 1,770 residents from different backgrounds. Under the roof of two high-rises, the four Student Residence Halls are named after four prominent Chinese figures, namely Prof Chen-Ning Yang (楊振寧教授), the late Mr Yuan-Pei Cai (蔡元培先生), Mr Shu-Ren Zhou (周樹人先生) and Madam Ching-Ling Soong (宋慶齡女士) who had outstanding achievements in areas of scientific research, education, literature and social movement respectively in the contemporary Chinese history, and would serve as observable role models to whom students may look up to throughout their University studies and life-long expedition.
In the Halls, all bedrooms and communal facilities are air-conditioned and provided with LAN and Wi-Fi service. The communal facilities which serve as platforms for residents’ interaction and engagement, include a 300-seat canteen, a Courtyard, Fitness Rooms, Study Rooms, Laundry Rooms, a Computer Room, Sitting Lounges, a Games Room, Multi-Purpose Rooms, a multi-purpose Chapel, floor Lounges and Kitchenettes, etc.
Under the guidance and care of Resident Masters, and with the support from student committees and leaders, residents experience in various kinds of structured residential education and hall life programmes that contribute to their whole person development and cultivate their abilities and transferable skills. Residents learn to live with each others in this home away from home and improve their self-management, interpersonal and communication skill and learn mutual respect through their daily interaction with fellow residents.
Dr Ng Tor Tai International House
Located on the campus, Dr Ng Tor Tai International House (“House”) provides homely and comfortable accommodation to the guests and visiting scholars of the University. It also serves as one of the on-campus student hostels for accommodation of full-time non-local postgraduate and undergraduate students of the University. In the House, every air-conditioned student room is equipped with a private bathroom, basic furniture, electrical appliances and LAN and Wi-Fi service. Basic room cleaning and security patrol are also provided to ensure a clean and safe living environment. A common room with food-reheating and self-serviced laundry facilities, the reading corners and the House restaurant are ideal places for meeting friends and small groups’ discussions.
Like those living at hostels, student residents of the House are required to observe and comply with hostel rules and regulations. To protect the safety and health of all student residents and ensure proper functioning of hostel facilities, room inspections are conducted regularly. Besides, to show the House’s caring culture, gifts are given to student residents during festivals and examination seasons.
Village CARE
Located at the the Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, the Village CARE (Creative Arena for Residential Education) is a four student residence towers that integrates learning, living dining and socialising spaces. It provides a unique opportunity for the University to further develop residential education which aims to work in synchrony with the formal curriculum to provide the best student experience for the achievement of whole person development and best student experience. Four living-learning communities, each guided by a theme that complements academic study with designated learning outcomes, are established. It accommodates a good mix of research postgraduate students, local and non-local undergraduate students, as well as exchange students, and thus intercultural communication and inter-disciplinary connection is well facilitated.
Under the leadership of the College Masters and Fellows and in collaboration with academic departments, credit-bearing courses and non-credit bearing activities that meet specific learning purposes are offered to residents. Residents would also be required to participate in various co-curricular learning activities such as high table dinners, seminars, workshops and community services. Student residents may also initiate and organise extra-curricular activities that under the guidance of college masters and Office of Student Affairs.
The Village CARE features innovative design in its living spaces and room types. It offers single rooms, twin rooms, and apartment type Unit with shared pantry, with a total of 1,726 bedspaces. Its stepped building heights to add visual interest, enhance air ventilation and provide roof terraces at various floors for student activities. A large central courtyard to serve as an extension of the major circulation spine of the University. Multipurpose hall and student facilities are provided on lower floors to create a vibrant environment for intermingling and cross-fertilisation ideas.