Academic Advising

For new students, the aim of academic advising is to help them have a smooth transition to study life at HKBU. Students receive advice on academic endeavours such as choosing their study majors, developing effective study skills, and mapping out study plans to satisfy requirements at different stages of their studies. In addition to the formal curriculum, students should also be introduced to other learning opportunities such as exchange, internship, experiential learning, service-learning, and residential education.

Continual support should be given to students after their first year at the University so that they can update their study plans, relate what they have learnt to their endeavours after graduation, and formulate their career goals and/or plans for further studies.

With the provision of academic advising and their active participation, students can achieve the following effectively:

• adapt to the University learning environment;
• identify study strategies, majors, concentrations, minors, and courses suitable for their personal growth, academic plan and professional development;
• develop sound study plans and monitor their own progress throughout their learning journeys in the University;
• formulate a plan and get prepared for careers or studies after graduation; and
• make use of the available resources in the University to benefit their studies.

Advisor Meeting Requirements for Students

All students in their first year in the University are required to meet with their academic advisor at least once per semester.

From Year 2 of study onwards, all students are encouraged to schedule meetings with advisors as needed to discuss their academic progress.

In any year, students are required to meet with their advisor under the following circumstances:

(i) when they declare or change a major;
(ii) following an advisor change;
(iii) when they are placed on academic probation; and
(iv) when they opt out of Transdisciplinary Second Major (TSM)/Second Major (SM).

Academic advisors are appointed to support and assist students:

1. Faculty/Programme Academic Advising Coordinator—assumes the overall responsibility for coordinating all academic advising activities in the Faculty/programme, works closely with academic advisors to take care of students' development during their University study;
2. Faculty/Programme Academic Advisors—broad-based programme academic advisors at the Faculty level help students adjust to university life, choose their majors and plan their studies. Some advisors can provide more specific support for the transdisciplinary curriculum;
3. Department Academic Advisors (for First-Year-First-Degree Year 1 students in programme-based admission and Year 2 students and above,)—advisor at the departmental level help students succeed in their major studies, provide advice on course selection, study planning, career development, and guide  their successful transition to the workplace'
4. TSM/SM academic/teaching staff – provide students with specific information of the TSM/SM and advise students on course selection in the TSM/SM; and
5. Advisors designated by the Division of Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Programmes – help individualised major students adjust to university life; and advise them on major and course selection and formulation of the study plan.

The full academic advising guidelines can be accessed in the BUniPort.