To: HKUMed undergraduate students and staff

Dear All, 

In view of the escalating COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, I write to provide guidelines to students and teachers for undergraduate teaching and learning arrangements at HKUMed.

Online teaching is the default mode of teaching in Semester 1 as well as Semester 2.  Face-to-face (f2f) teaching will only be conducted on a need basis, such as practical and clinical skills sessions, which will be arranged in half-day sessions as far as possible.  Appropriate infection control measures will be implemented for all teaching and learning activities including assessments, as usual.  

Details of arrangement for specific undergraduate programmes are set out below:

MBBS I and II

• Teaching will be conducted through e-learning sets, pre-recorded videos, and live Zoom sessions as scheduled.
• F2f practical sessions scheduled for 1 December 2020 and onward will be POSTPONED until further notice. 
• Formative assessments scheduled in December 2020 will be conducted in-person as scheduled.

MBBS III Enrichment Year

• A separate email will be sent to EY students on the teaching and learning arrangements.  

MBBS Junior Clerkship, Senior Clerkship and Specialty Clerkship

• All clinical clerkship teaching will continue as scheduled.  

BNurs

• Clinical practicum, OSCA and examinations will continue as scheduled. 
• Separate announcements on details of the arrangements will be made by the School of Nursing in due course, as appropriate.

BPharm

• Teaching (including lectures and PBL) will be conducted through e-learning sets, pre-recorded videos and live Zoom session as scheduled.
• The ward visit will be changed to virtual ward visit.  Practicals and site visit will be scheduled in March onwards (or postpone until further notice, if necessary).
• Examinations scheduled in December 2020 will be conducted in-person as scheduled.
• The Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy will issue separate announcements to students to provide further details, as appropriate.

BChinMed

• In-person examinations for Years 1 to 5 and Clinical Clerkship for Year 6 being conducted in Shanghai will continue as scheduled. 
• Students who have Chinese Medicine clinical attachment in December 2020 – January 2021 should have received information on the updated arrangements from the School of Chinese Medicine earlier. 
• The School of Chinese Medicine will reach out to students to provide further details, as necessary.

BBiomedSc

• All BBMS courses will be conducted in e-learning format, except BBMS2001 and BBMS3004 which are practical courses and classes will be conducted f2f.  BBMS4001 will also remain f2f for laboratory research projects.  Students may check the delivery mode of the courses through SIS.  
• The School of Biomedical Sciences will reach out to students to advise further details, as necessary.

BASc(GHD)

• GHAD1001 examination on 8 December 2020 will be conducted via Exam Moodle as scheduled.
• For courses offered by other Faculties, students should refer to the announcements made by the respective course-offering Faculties/Units.  
• For questions, please seek assistance from the School of Public Health.

BSc(Exercise&Health)

• Students should refer to the announcements made by the respective course-offering Faculties/Units.
• For questions, please seek assistance from the School of Public Health.

Please continue to stay strong and positive, and do take good care of yourselves by observing the universal precautions in infection control at all times.  The Faculty will do its level best to facilitate your studies and to provide support.  Do reach us via ugmed@hku.hk or the respective School/Department Offices if you have any questions.

If you are experiencing any issues, be it related to studies, personal, social or other aspects of your wellbeing, our counsellors are here to listen to you.  Just reach them through 3917 9075 or medwell@hku.hk.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: All Undergraduate Students and Staff at HKUMed 

Dear Students,

With the stabilisation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Faculty is taking a gradual approach in conducting face-to-face (f2f) teaching in all undergraduate programmes.  The Faculty’s existing infection control measures remain in place to safeguard the health and safety of students, teachers and staff who are attending the f2f teaching sessions.  Please follow our instructions carefully and perform all the necessary actions. 

Universal Precautions

1. You should be wearing a mask, and you must keep your mask on during the f2f classes.  Maintain good hand hygiene and observe proper social distancing.

Before you come to your class

2. Each student will be required to submit an online Health Declaration Form (HDF).  You will receive a link to the HDF (to be provided in due course) on the day before a f2f session.
3. The health declaration made will be effective for the next day after you have submitted the online form.  In other words, you will have to fill in the HDF by the specified time on Tuesday if you have an in-person class on Wednesday.    
4. Students who have failed to submit the HDF by the specified deadline will not be permitted to attend the classes held in the stipulated period.
5. A blank HDF is attached for your reference. You will be permitted to attend the classes in person if you:
   
   • showed no symptoms in the past 7 days; 
   • did not visit any of the named regions outside Hong Kong in the past 14 days (subject to change as advised by the Department of Health);
   • are not required by law to undergo quarantine; and
   • have not been in contact with a person confirmed/suspected to have COVID-19 in the past 14 days. 
6. Those students who have reported any issues in the HDF are not permitted to attend the classes in order to minimise the possible risks posed to other participants. 
7. On receipt of the HDF from the students, the Faculty or the School/Department concerned will issue an email notification to each student by end of the day, confirming whether s/he is permitted or not to attend the scheduled classes.
8. Should there be any changes to your health condition or travel/contact history after you have received the approval to attend the classes, act responsibly and take the initiative to notify the Faculty or the School/Department concerned immediately.  Most importantly, you should not come to classes if you have any respiratory symptoms.  Please report sick to the Faculty or the relevant School/Department if you feel unwell before going to class. 
9. You will be required to re-submit a new HDF to capture your latest status as necessary.  Please follow the instructions of the Faculty or the School/Department concerned.

When you arrive at the Sassoon Road Campus

10. Infrared thermal scanners are set up at the main entrances at the Sassoon Road Campus to monitor your body temperature.  You are advised to go to your designated teaching venue at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of your class.
11. A student whose body temperature is <37.5°C is permitted to enter the premises to attend the class. 
12. However, if a student’s temperature is ≥37.5°C, s/he will be directed to a rest corner.  After 10 minutes the student will undergo another measurement by the infrared thermal scanner.   
13. A student with a reading of ≥37.5°C at the second measurement will not be permitted to enter the premises nor to attend the class.  The student will be advised to seek medical consultation and s/he will have to sign on the “Health Surveillance Form for Novel Coronavirus Infection”.  The student will receive a copy of the completed form on the spot, and s/he should scan and email the form to ugmed@hku.hk for record of class attendance. 

For details of the f2f teaching arrangements, including timetable, teaching venues, etc., please refer to the announcements to be made by the Faculty or the School/Department concerned. 

Students who are attending teaching sessions in Hospital Authority (HA) compounds shall follow the HA protocol for infection control as announced previously.   

For enquiries, please write to ugmed@hku.hk. 

Stay vigilant and take good care of yourself.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: MBBS Students of Specialty Clerkship, Junior Clerkship and Clinical Foundation Block

Dear Students,

I am pleased to inform you that the HA has agreed to resume clinical attachment of medical students in HA hospitals on 14 September 2020. 

Please follow the existing timetable and attend scheduled sessions accordingly.  Clinical departments will work out the operational details and update you by end of this week.  

Kindly note the following for attending clinical classes:

• Infection control measures implemented in July 2020 shall remain in force (please refer to email announcement dated 23 June 2020).  
• Students must wear surgical masks at all times within HA hospital compound. 
• You are advised to change your surgical masks each time when you leave the clinical areas, so please always bring along spare surgical masks. 

Surgical masks:

• As there is presently a stable supply of surgical masks in Hong Kong at a reasonable price level, following the University’s policy the Faculty will not supply surgical masks for students to attend classes. 
• However, you are advised to stock up a good supply in case prices go up later.
• Per HA’s practice, students should wear at least Level 1 surgical masks for the purpose of accessing clinical areas.

Should you have any questions regarding the teaching and learning arrangements, please contact Ms Sonia Lee (sonialee@hku.hk / 3917 9347) or Mr Ryan Yeung (tlyeung5@hku.hk / 3917 9938) of the Faculty Office. 

If you wish to have a chat about any issues you are experiencing, be it personal, academic, or social, our counsellors are always ready to listen to you (medwell@hku.hk / 3917 9075).

Please stay tuned for updates, and take good care of yourselves.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: Ug and TPg Students and Staff at HKUMed

Dear Students,  

Following the below announcement from the University, I am writing to provide updates on the teaching and learning arrangements for undergraduate (Ug) and taught postgraduate (TPg) programmes in the Medical Faculty:

Professional undergraduate degrees:

1. Professional degree programmes are granted flexibility in modifying the arrangement as and when appropriate.
2. The Faculty aims to achieve an appropriate balance between online teaching and f2f teaching as required by the individual curricula.
3. Online teaching is the default mode of delivery for most classes in Semester 1, except for some practical and clinical skills sessions which must be conducted f2f and which will be scheduled towards the mid/end of the semester, where possible.  Please refer to the announcements made by the Faculty or the respective Schools/Departments for detail arrangements.
4. For clinical teaching in various programmes:
   
   • MBBS Clinical Foundation Block, Junior Clerkship and Specialty Clerkship have been ongoing in e-learning format.  The arrangement will continue until student clinical attachment at Hospital Authority (HA) hospitals resumes.  The Faculty has been in active dialogue with the HA on the resumption of clinical teaching and the latest development is that there is possibility for resuming clinical teaching within HA in gradual phases on 14 September 2020, subject to further review and close monitoring of the COVID-19 situation.  When the arrangement is confirmed, the Faculty will reach out to MBBS students to advise the details.
   • BNurs(full-time) clinical practicum at HA hospitals is planned to resume in 2020/21.  The School of Nursing will reach out to nursing students to announce the details in due course.
   • BChinMed Clinical Clerkship in Shanghai will be conducted from end September 2020 to end April 2021.  Please refer to the announcement of the School of Chinese Medicine for details.
   • BPharm Clerkship is targeted to resume in hospitals, the community and the industry on 14 September 2020 with the agreement of HA.

Other undergraduate degrees: 

• These programmes will follow the arrangements as announced in Professor Holliday’s message.  The respective Schools will reach out to students to provide instructions as necessary.

Taught postgraduate:

• Similarly, TPg programmes will also follow the arrangements as announced in Professor Holliday’s message.  The respective Departments will reach out to students to provide further instructions.

If you have any enquiries about the T&L arrangements, please reach us via the following contacts:

• Undergraduate: ugmed@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk

If you are experiencing any issues, be it related to studies, personal, social or other aspects of your life, our counsellors are here to listen to you and provide assistance.  Just reach them through medwell@hku.hk / 3917 9075.

Let’s look forward to welcoming the new term, and I hope to see you all soon on the campus when f2f teaching resumes.  Stay vigilant, and take care!

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: All Undergraduate Students and Staff at HKUMed

Dear Students, 

I write to advise the updated infection control measures for in-person undergraduate examinations at HKUMed. 

In light of the significant surge in the number of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, all Accident and Emergency Departments (AED) of public hospitals have been under immense pressure to deliver emergency clinical services with regards to PCR tests for COVID-19 including the Queen Mary Hospital (QMH).  In order to achieve an equitable balance between the needs of our students and that of society at large, the Faculty has slightly revised the infection control measures ensuring that health safety of all parties participating in an in-person examination will remain reasonable:

In-person written examinations

• Candidates with a body temperature at or above the fever threshold (37.5°C) will be arranged to sit the examination in single rooms. Upon completing the examination, these candidates are advised to seek medical attention from a general practitioner or a public hospital as for any other Hong Kong citizens.

In-person clinical examinations

• More weight will be given to the consideration that the candidates concerned might be able to sit a clinical examination on the same day should a PCR test turn out to be negative. 

There will be two scenarios:

1. For candidates who have a good chance to sit the last round of the clinical examination on the same day given a negative PCR test, the candidates concerned will be referred to QMH AED to seek medical advice and undergo the PCR test as soon as it is available.
2. In the event that it is clear that the candidates concerned will have no or negligible chance to sit the last round of the clinical examination on the same day due to processing time for all the required logistics, they will be advised to seek medical attention from a general practitioner or a public hospital as for any other Hong Kong citizens.  These candidates will be arranged to sit the clinical examination on a future date.  

All other infection control measures shall remain in force.

Thank you for your understanding in the above modified arrangements. Let’s look forward to the coming of the new academic year in which we shall work together to take advantages of and improve our recently revamped e-learning platform.  

Stay strong and positive, and take good care of yourselves.

Yours sincerely, 

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: All Undergraduate Students and Staff at HKUMed

Dear Students, 

In view of the third wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, the Faculty has tightened the infection control measures by resetting the fever threshold from 37.8°C to 37.5°C, which will be implemented on all students and personnel for in-person examinations and classes to be held on the Sassoon Road Campus with immediate effect.  All other measures will remain in force. 

Please continue to stay vigilant, and take care.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: Ug and TPg Students and Staff at HKUMed

Dear Students,  

Following the below announcement from the University, I am writing to provide guidance on teaching and learning arrangements specific to undergraduate (Ug) and taught postgraduate (TPg) programmes in the Medical Faculty:

Professional undergraduate degrees:

• Professional degree programmes are granted flexibility in modifying the arrangement as and when appropriate.
• The Faculty aims to achieve an appropriate balance between online teaching and f2f teaching as required by the individual curricula. 
• Online teaching and learning materials will be made available for most classes, except for some practical and clinical skills sessions which must be conducted f2f and which will be scheduled at a later time.  The Faculty or the respective Schools/Departments will inform students of the arrangements in greater details in due course.
• MBBS students in clinical years should have received updated arrangements from the Faculty via separate emails earlier. 
• Assessment choices as set out in Professor Ian’s Holliday’s message below would not be applicable for some of the courses of the professional degree programmes.  The Faculty and/or the respective Schools/Departments will give instructions regarding this matter.

Other undergraduate degrees: 

• These programmes will follow the arrangements as announced in Professor Holliday’s message.  The respective Schools will reach out to students to provide instructions as necessary.

Taught postgraduate:

• Similarly, TPg programmes will also follow the arrangements as announced in Professor Holliday’s message.  The respective Departments will reach out to students to provide further instructions.

If you have any enquiries about the T&L arrangements, please reach us via the following contacts:

• Undergraduate: ugmed@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk

If you are experiencing any issues, be it related to studies, personal, social or other aspects of your life, our counsellors are here to listen to you and provide assistance.  Just reach them through medwell@hku.hk / 3917 9075.

Stay vigilant, and take care!

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students,

The changing public health situation in Hong Kong means that we need to update our teaching arrangements for Semester 1 (S1), 2020-21.

In principle

We remain committed to a dual mode of teaching for UG and TPG courses in S1:

• Online: all courses, apart from a few exceptions requiring hands-on engagement, will be available online throughout the semester. (Faculties will issue separate guidance to their students about anyrequired hands-on teaching.)
• Face to face: when it is safe to do so, we will also offer students the option of returning to campus for some f2f classes. 

In practice

This is how S1 will look for UG and TPG courses:

• 1-21 Sept: all courses, apart from a few exceptions requiring hands-on engagement, will be delivered online only. (Faculties will issue separate guidance to their students about any required hands-on teaching.)
• By 1 Sept: I will issue a bulk email outlining our teaching arrangements for the period from 22 Sept.
• 22 Sept: we hope to reinstate some f2f teaching for the remainder of S1, though in the event that may not be possible.
• S1 as a whole: all courses will be available online, apart from a few exceptions requiring hands-on engagement. (Faculties will issue separate guidance to their students about any required hands-on teaching.)
• Final exams will take place online, unless there are special requirements or all the students taking a course are in Hong Kong and it is safe for them to attend an in-person exam.

Assessment choices

As before, we are offering all UG and TPG students three assessment choices for S1 courses: letter grade, pass/fail, late drop. Assessment choices can be submitted through SIS from 09:00 on Monday 28 September to 23:59 on Saturday 10 October. This deadline is final, and no modifications will be permitted once it has passed. I would like to reiterate here what I have said before. We strongly advise all students to think carefully when opting for pass/fail grading. Courses that are simply passed will be recorded as P on the transcript, with no impact on the GPA calculation. For UG students in particular, this could have important knock-on effects. Internally, we rely on SGPA data for elective opportunities, such as academic exchange and other funded programmes. Externally, employers and universities around the world examine transcripts in some detail when taking decisions about jobs and postgraduate study. Students without solid SGPA data from S1, 2020-21 may therefore place themselves at a significant disadvantage. Please consult your teachers, your academic advisers, the Academic Advising Office, your family and your friends before submitting your assessment choices.

Teaching support

I think most teachers already know about the support for online teaching and learning offered by TELI, CETL and ITS. Hundreds of colleagues have attended each of TELI’s online workshops on Virtual Flipped Classroom Design (https://tl.hku.hk/elearningblog/). Many colleagues have also registered for CETL’s Summer Sandbox Series on Creative Online Course Design (https://www.cetl.hku.hk/sandbox2020/). We also have tech experts and resources available to help with online teaching problems (WhatsApp: 6437-8034). Do contact us with any issues that arise.

Finally, and as ever, many thanks to everyone for enabling us to keep teaching and learning at HKU in challenging circumstances. Please consult our website about teaching and learning in S1 (https://tl.hku.hk/teachonline/). Please contact me with queries (ian.holliday@hku.hk).

Best wishes,

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

To: All Undergraduate Students and Staff at HKUMed

Dear Students,

Following the latest directive of the University with respect to the local COVID-19 situation, and as discussed within the Deanery of the Medical Faculty, I write to provide you with an update on teaching and learning arrangements including examinations:

1. All in-person examinations in all disciplines will be suspended for 3 weeks, i.e. no in-person examinations before 10 August 2020.  The examinations will be postponed to later dates with details to be announced by the Faculty or the respective Schools/Departments in due course.  Examinations being postponed are:
   
   • MBBS I Supplementary/Re-Assessment from  4-7 August
   • MBBS II Supplementary/Re-Assessment from 22-24 July
   • Specialty Clerkship (Rotation 1) Clinical Competency Tests scheduled for 20 July and onward
   • In-person supplementary/re-examinations of BNurs, BPharm and BChinMed from 21 July to 7 August
2. Face-to-face teaching of all programmes will be suspended for 1 week, i.e. no face-to-face teaching before 27 July 2020.  A review will be conducted to confirm whether face-to-face teaching can be resumed in the week of 27 July.   The respective Schools/Departments will update students of the arrangements afterwards.  For MBBS students, please note the following:
   
   • Specialty Clerkship: Teaching of Rotation 2 will continue as scheduled (starting 22 July) and mode of delivery of teaching will be in online format as determined by clinical departments.  Please follow the instructions of the respective departments.  The T&L Deanery will have a Zoom briefing with Specialty Clerkship students on 21 July to update the overall arrangements (details already announced in a previous email).
   • Junior Clerkship and Clinical Foundation Block: The current plan for Junior Clerkship and Clinical Foundation Block is to frameshift the teaching of both by 2 weeks.  The Faculty is still reviewing all the schedules to ensure the feasibility of the arrangements.  The T&L Deanery will meet with students concerned via Zoom on 22 July to provide an update on the overall arrangements (details to be announced separately).
   • Enrichment Year: A separate announcement has been issued earlier today regarding the small group presentations of the Enrichment Year Celebration Week.  Please refer to that email for details.
3. Online examinations and online teaching sessions that have been scheduled for other undergraduates will remain unaffected during the above suspension periods.

I understand that the sudden changes can be frustrating to all of you.  The Deanery has examined the option of implementing more stringent infection control measures so as to continue with scheduled activities (e.g., by conducting COVID-19 PCR test before class/examination as was done for the recent MBBS Final Examinations), but it was concluded that such measure is neither sufficient nor feasible given the severity of the local outbreak and that PCR test is in short supply within both the public and the private sectors.  

Please stay strong and positive, and do take good care of yourselves by observing the universal precautions in infection control at all times.  The Faculty will do its level best to facilitate your studies and to provide support.  Just reach us via ugmed@hku.hk or:

• For MBBS Assessment:
  
  • Ms Fiona Wong (3917 9342 / fionawy@hku.hk)
  • Ms Jessica Chiu (3917 9857 / jesschiu@hku.hk)
• For MBBS Clinical Clerkships:
  
  • Ms Sonia Lee (3917 9347 / sonialee@hku.hk)
• For other undergraduates:
  
  • Please contact the respective Schools/Departments.

If you are experiencing any issues, be it related to studies, personal, social or other aspects of your wellbeing, our counsellors are here to meet with you and to provide assistance.  Just reach them through 3917 9075 or medwell@hku.hk.  

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students, 

In light of the current local outbreaks of COVID-19, the University will make further adjustments to its operations. Apart from staffing for emergency and essential services, staff shall work from home to provide basic services for the duration of the week from 20 July to 26 July 2020, subject to review thereafter.  Heads of Departments/units will communicate with their staff members about the detailed work arrangements to be made based on the situation on the ground.

All undergraduate and taught postgraduate face-to-face teaching will also be suspended for the coming week from 20 July 2020, subject to review thereafter, with the exception of the clinical programmes and the examinations in those programmes, for which the Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine will reach out separately to students concerned.

Individual campus facilities and catering outlets will make necessary adjustments to their services and operations. Specifically, the Main Library and the Chi Wah Learning Commons will remain open with limited services.   The dental and physiotherapy clinics of the University Health Service, and the sports facilities under the Centre for Sports and Exercise will be closed.  On-campus catering will continue on a reduced basis.  Please check with the COVID-19 INFO HUB on the University Main Page for services update.

The University will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely, and make the necessary adjustments. Please continue to stay vigilant and make personal and group health your top priority.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

To: MBBS Junior Clerkship Students

Dear Students,

The HAHO has announced that all clinical teaching within the HA compounds will be suspended with effect from 17 July 2020 (Friday) for 4 weeks (no clinical attachment before 17 August 2020).

The Faculty has been working with clinical departments to explore alternative arrangements.  Please stay tuned for further updates from the Faculty.

We fully understand that this is a difficult situation for all of you, and will try the best to assist every student in your progression.  Take good care and be vigilant during this period. 

Should you need any assistance regarding your studies or assessment, please feel free to contact Ms Sonia Lee of Faculty Office (3917 9347 / sonialee@hku.hk).  If you wish to have a chat about any issues you are experiencing, be it personal, academic, or social, our counsellors are always ready to listen to you:

• Faculty Student Wellness Counsellor
  3917 9075 / medwell@hku.hk

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: MBBS Specialty Clerkship Students

Dear Students,

The HAHO has announced that all clinical teaching within the HA compounds will be suspended with effect from 17 July 2020 (Friday) for 4 weeks (no clinical attachment before 17 August 2020).

The Faculty has been working with clinical departments to explore alternative arrangements regarding the CCTs.  Please stay tuned for further updates from the Faculty.

We fully understand that this is a difficult situation for all of you, and will try the best to assist every student in your progression.  Take good care and be vigilant during this period. 

Should you need any assistance regarding your studies or assessment, please feel free to contact Ms Sonia Lee of Faculty Office (3917 9347 / sonialee@hku.hk).  If you wish to have a chat about any issues you are experiencing, be it personal, academic, or social, our counsellors are always ready to listen to you:

• Faculty Student Wellness Counsellor
  3917 9075 / medwell@hku.hk

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: MBBS Junior Clerkship Students

Dear Students,

The Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO) convened an emergency meeting with the two medical schools today regarding undergraduate teaching activities in light of the recent COVID-19 development in HK.  The understanding is that there is a high likelihood of HAHO suspending all clinical teaching within all Hospital Authority compounds any time from now for the purpose of safeguarding the health and safety of all parties.  The Faculty would like students to be aware of such unfortunate development and the possibility that class suspension may happen even before the end of the current rotation.

We understand that resumption of clinical teaching has been scheduled for next week, 20 July 2020.  The Faculty is working with clinical departments to explore alternative arrangements, if possible.  The T&L Deanery would meet with students again via Zoom for a briefing on the related arrangements.  Details will be announced in due course.

I know this is frustrating, if not devastating, to you all.  Rest assured that we will do our best to assist your progression in MBBS.  Please stay tuned for updates, and take good care, mind and body.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: MBBS Specialty Clerkship Students

Dear Students,

The Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO) convened an emergency meeting with the two medical schools today regarding undergraduate teaching activities in light of the recent COVID-19 development in HK.  The understanding is that there is a high likelihood of HAHO suspending all clinical teaching within all Hospital Authority compounds any time from now for the purpose of safeguarding the health and safety of all parties.  The Faculty would like students to be aware of such unfortunate development and the possibility that class suspension may happen even before the end of the current rotation.

We understand that CCTs have been scheduled for the end of this week.  The Faculty is working with clinical departments to explore alternative arrangements, if possible, in case teaching is suspended before this rotation ends.  If this happens, the T&L Deanery would meet with students via Zoom on Monday, 20 July for a briefing on the related arrangements.  Details will be announced in due course.

I know this is frustrating, if not devastating, to you all.  Rest assured that we will do our best to assist your progression in MBBS.  Please stay tuned for updates, and take good care, mind and body.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

To: All HKUMed Undergraduate Students, MBBS Final Year Students

Dear Students, 

In view of the relatively more stabilised situation and prevailing public health measures in regard to COVID-19 in Hong Kong, the Faculty will adjust the infection control measures by resetting the fever threshold from 37.5°C to 37.8°C.  The adjustment will be implemented on all students and personnel for in-person examinations and classes to be held on the Sassoon Road Campus with effect from 08 May 2020.  All other measures will remain in force.  

Please continue to stay vigilant. 

Thank you for your kind attention. 

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

With the recent surge in the number of COVID-19 infection cases, the University will follow the Government's advice and introduce new social distancing measures to reduce crowd gatherings and minimise the chance of infection in the community.

Closure of Campus Facilities

Starting from 29 March, the following facilities will be closed for two weeks:

• All HKU Libraries
• Learning Commons

Online services will be maintained but there will not be face-to-face services provided during this period. 

All book drops and book returns will be closed. Due dates of books due before 3 May that are not requested by other users will be automatically extended to 4 May. Please check email announcement from the Medical Library for other details.

Delay of Face-to-Face Teaching

Final year Undergraduate face-to-face teaching and any Taught Postgraduate face-to-face teaching will be delayed for two weeks. 

The pandemic situation is changing rapidly and we are committed to ensuring that teaching and learning can be conducted as safely as possible.

Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Dear staff and students, 

With the recent surge in the number of COVID-19 infection cases, the University will follow the Government's advice and introduce new social distancing measures to reduce crowd gatherings and minimise the chance of infection in the community. Starting from 29 March, all HKU Libraries and the Learning Commons will be closed for two weeks.  Online services will be maintained but there will not be face-to-face services provided during this period.  

The University will continue to monitor and assess the situation, and keep the University community posted.  We are actively reviewing other services provided on campus, for which separate announcements will be made.  Please check with the COVID-19 INFO HUB on the University Main Page for services update.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

Important message from Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)

Dear students,

In light of the recent surge in the number of COVID-19 infection cases and following the HK government's advice, the University has decided that final year Undergraduate face-to-face teaching and any Taught Postgraduate face-to-face teaching will be delayed for two weeks, in order to minimise the chance of infection in the community. 

The pandemic situation is changing rapidly and we are committed to ensuring that teaching and learning can be conducted as safely as possible. We very much appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority. 

Professor Ian Holliday 
Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)

To: MBBS Final Year Students

Dear Students,

You probably have been made aware of the Hong Kong Government’s latest move to limit the number of people who can gather together in public places to only four, which will take effect for two weeks starting from this Sunday, 29 March.   

We are now looking into the Government’s announcement in relation to the upcoming MBBS Final Examinations.  The T&L Deanery is already engaging in an active dialogue with the relevant authorities, and we will keep you posted once we have clarified the details of the proposed measure and completed further consideration.  

Understandably you may find the news disconcerting.  Please stay calm and be focused on your studies, and leave this matter to us.  Your wellbeing is of utmost importance to the Faculty.  I assure you that we are making every effort to come to a suitable arrangement for you and for the community at large.

Take good care of yourself and stay healthy!

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Important message from Task Force on Infectious Diseases

In light of the latest developments of the COVID-19 in Hong Kong, the University will, starting from 23 March until further notice, make necessary adjustments to its operations.

Work Arrangements

• Apart from staffing for emergency and essential services, staff shall work from home to provide basic department services.
• Heads of Departments will communicate with their staff members about the detailed work arrangements to be made as per the department's situation.

Access to University Facilities

• Main Library and the Learning Commons: Open with restricted access to current students and staff.
• The University Health Service (UHS) : Continue to maintain operation with the necessary adjustments to non-urgent services in order to redeploy more resources to handle the care related to the COVID-19 threat.
• Sports facilities under the Centre for Sports and Exercise: Closed
• On-campus catering: Continue on a reduced basis, for which separate announcements will be made.

The University will continue to monitor and assess the situation, and keep the University community posted.

For services update, please check the HKU COVID-19 info hub.

Task Force on Infectious Diseases

To: All students who are currently undertaking learning/research activities abroad

Pursuant to the email sent to you yesterday, we write to give further specific advice as follows.

HKUMed strongly urges all Hong Kong students to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. For non-local students who are now abroad, you are urged to leave your current location and return home and stay put until further notice, except for those whose hometown is in Hubei Province.   

All students returning to Hong Kong are required to observe the government’s compulsory quarantine requirement, available here. 

For those who do not fall under the compulsory quarantine requirements, you are strongly encouraged to stay at home for 14 days, exercise social distancing and take all measures so as to reduce the risk as far as possible. You should also refrain from entering the University campus for 14 days following your return to Hong Kong. Should you have any symptoms, you should seek medical care as soon as possible.

For MBBS students undertaking EY programmes abroad, please update us on your decision once it has been made by completing the form here.

For RPg students who choose to return from overseas exchange/study leave, please communicate with your overseas collaborator and HKU supervisor about your travel plan and discuss with them about your alternative research plan in lieu of overseas exchange.

Stay safe and healthy.

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Professor WK Leung
Associate Dean (Research)

To: All students who are currently participating in official non-local learning activities

In view of the rapidly deteriorating global situation with COVID-19, students who are currently participating in official non-local learning activities (outside Hong Kong) should seriously consider returning to Hong Kong.  Anyone who decides to return to Hong Kong should do so as soon as possible.  

Safety should be your top priority and concerns about possible impact on your academic work should not affect your decision making.  The Faculty will exercise maximum flexibility for the academic requirement under these programmes. Details will be announced soon.

Those who choose to stay should exercise all safety precautions and contact us at enrichme@hku.hk or your supervisor / department head.

Stay vigilant and healthy,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Professor WK Leung
Associate Dean (Research)

To: All HKUMed students and staff

[This announcement is intended to supersede the announcement issued on 6 March 2020 (revisions are marked in blue for easy reference).]

Following the University’s announcement, the Faculty would like to provide our students with latest information on teaching and learning arrangements for HKUMed programmes for the rest of the semester.  In essence:

• Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face at non-hospital areas will begin on 1 May 2020 the earliest.  Group size of these small group teaching will be further reduced, as appropriate, to maintain low density at a single venue.  Students and teachers are required to put on their surgical masks during class, and are advised to avoid congregating before or after the classes.  The Faculty and the respective School/Departments will monitor closely and continuously the arrangements for small group teaching for safety of students and teachers.
• All other classes that are didactic in nature will continue in e-learning format.
• Please refer to details below for teaching and examination arrangements of individual programmes.
• For students’ options of assessment choice for individual courses in Semester 2, i.e. letter grading, pass/fail grading or late drop as announced by the University, this is only applicable to certain courses and/or certain programmes at HKUMed.  Please refer to separate announcements for individual programmes to be issued by the Faculty or the respective School/Departments in due course, when more information is available from the University.

1. MBBS
   • MBBS Final Year
     • MBBS Final Examinations would be held in April/May 2020 with infection control measures in place.  The examination timetable and related arrangements have been announced by the Faculty earlier.
   • MBBS I and II
     • Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and clinical skills sessions, will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning May 2020.  Group size of these small group teaching will be reduced, as appropriate.  All other classes that are didactic in nature will continue in e-learning format.  Summative assessments will be pushed back to July 2020 with infection control measures in place, as appropriate.  Schedules of small group teaching and summative assessments will be announced upon finalisation.  Arrangements for the Chinese course for MBBS II will be announced at a later time.
   • MBBS III Enrichment Year
     • Arrangements remain unchanged.  Details on the assessment will be announced soon.
   • Junior and Specialty Clerkships
     • The Faculty is liaising with the Hospital Authority for a resumption date of clinical teaching at low risk areas within hospital compounds and clinics across town.  The liaison will take time and it is expected that the possible resumption date will not be in the near future.  The Faculty is planning for a different strategy for teaching of didactic materials of Junior and Specialty Clerkships during this period, before resumption of teaching within hospital compounds.  Details will be announced later this month.
   • The Fourth Summative Assessment in 2020 will be pushed back appropriately.  Examination arrangements are to be announced when we have a clearer picture of resumption of teaching within hospital compounds.  
   • Junior and Specialty Clerkships students are advised to stay in Hong Kong this summer and should prepare that the term break during Christmas and New Year in December 2020 will be significantly shortened.
     
2. BNurs 
   • All teaching will be conducted in e-learning format, except small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and skill laboratory sessions which will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning May 2020.  Group size of these small group teaching will be reduced, as appropriate.  The School of Nursing is liaising with the Hospital Authority and other collaborative partners for a resumption date of clinical practicum at hospitals and community settings, details of which will be announced by the School as soon as possible.  Examinations including OSCA are aimed to be held in May 2020 with infection control measures in place, as appropriate.  Separate announcements will be made by the School of Nursing in due course. 
     
3. BChinMed
   • Teaching will continue in e-learning format as far as possible.  Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and clinical skills sessions, will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning May 2020.  Examinations for Years 1 to 5 are targeted to be held in May/June 2020 and the clinical oral examination for final-year students will be held in May 2020, all with infection control measures in place as appropriate.  Details of teaching and examination arrangements for different years of studies will be announced by the School of Chinese Medicine in due course.
     
4. BPharm
   • Teaching will be conducted following the teaching schedule in e-learning format for the rest of the semester.  Examinations (including OSCE for the final year students) will be held in May 2020 on Sassoon Road Campus and the Main Campus with infection control measures in place, as appropriate.  Lab-based practical sessions will be arranged for Years 1-3 students in June after the final examinations.
     
5. BBiomedSc
   • All BBMS courses will continue by online learning according to the original teaching schedules. The two practical courses BBMS2001 Basic Biomedical Laboratory Techniques and BBMS3004 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory will be adapted for online learning.  For BBMS4001 Final Year Project, students will have an option to complete their project without further experimentation with greater weighting to be placed on literature review and with options for oral presentations by video conferencing.  All BBMS examinations for this semester are to be held online in May 2020. 
     
6. BSc(Exercise&Health)
   • For all EXSC courses, teaching will be delivered in e-learning format.  All practical sessions and field trips will be replaced by alternative assessment components.  Adjustments on the assessment and assignment format/submission deadline will be made with details to be announced by the course lecturer.  For the final-year project EXSC4000 Dissertation, students will be given an option to either continue with their current research study, or change to another feasible approach as advised by their supervisor.  The assessment will be 100% based on the written dissertation, without the oral presentation component.  Details of arrangement will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course.
     
7. BASc(GHD)
   • For the compulsory course GHAD1002 Introductory Economics and Finance, teaching will be conducted in e-learning format for the rest of Semester 2 until 16 May.  Adjustment to the assignment submission deadline will be made and announced, if necessary.  In line with the University, the final examination will be moved online to be held in May 2020.  Details of the examination arrangements will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course.  For courses offered by other Faculties, students should refer to the announcements made by the respective course-offering Faculties/units.
     
8. TPg programmes
   • Most teaching will continue to be conducted online.  Special arrangements for practicum and final examinations are being made.  The Programme Directors/Coordinators concerned will announce the detail arrangements to their own students in due course.
     
9. RPg programmes
   • RPg courses will continue to be conducted online.  Special arrangements for final examinations are being made.  The Course Coordinators concerned will announce the detail arrangements to their own students in due course.  For students’ whose research progress is affected by the outbreak and extension of candidature is thereby needed, they are requested to submit an application for candidature extension at least 3 months before their period of study is due to expire with an explanation of how their research has been deferred due to the outbreak.

Meanwhile, if you have any enquiries about the T&L arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk
• Student Wellness Team: medwell@hku.hk

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Important message from Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students,

We’re continuing to monitor and analyse the COVID-19 situation and its implications for the University. Within this still uncertain framework, we’re trying to figure out the best way forward for teaching and learning. As before, our absolute priority remains the health and safety of both HKU members and the general public.

With this at the forefront of our minds, we’re announcing a series of updates to our plans for the remainder of the semester. We recognise that the choices we’re able to make at the present time are not ideal, but we believe they’re the best that are available to our campus community.

Until the end of the teaching period on 16 May, all teaching and learning will be delivered online.  There are just a few exceptions, including:

1. Non-clinical laboratory, studio and practical skills components of courses for final-year students that have to be taught through face-to-face classes in order for students to graduate on time. We will arrange for these students to come on campus for low-density laboratory, studio and practical skills teaching sessions beginning no earlier than 30 March. Their other classes will remain online. When required to come on campus, these students will be provided with face masks. Faculties will inform final-year students taking these courses of detailed arrangements at the start of next week.
2. Clinical programmes in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of Medicine. These two Faculties will reach out separately to students enrolled in these programmes.

Assessment

• Assessment components and weightings will conform to the arrangements already announced by course coordinators. However, for all courses taught online there will be no proctored, in-hall exams during the assessment period from 18 May to 6 June. Instead, all ‘final exam’ components will be moved online. We’re asking teachers to rethink the tasks that will constitute the ‘final exam’ to ensure they’re suitable for online assessment.
  

Assessment choices

• As in Semester 1, we’re offering all UG and TPG students three assessment choices:
  
  •   Continue with letter grading, where applicable (contributing to GPA)
  •   Change to pass/fail grading (not contributing to GPA)
  •   Opt out of the course entirely through a late drop option
• Students will be able to make these choices through a link on SIS from 23 March to 30 April. Full details will be announced within the next two weeks.
  

Pass/fail

• We strongly advise all students to think carefully when opting for pass/fail grading. Courses that are simply passed will be recorded as P on the transcript, with no GPA. For UG students in particular, this could have important knock-on effects. Internally, we rely on SGPA data for elective opportunities, such as academic exchange and other funded programmes. Externally, employers and universities around the world examine transcripts in some detail when taking decisions about jobs and postgraduate study. Students without solid SGPA data from 2019-20 may therefore place themselves at a disadvantage.
  

Late drop

• Students returning to the University beyond the normative study period solely to make up late dropped credits from 2019-20 will not be asked to pay a composition fee. Normally, this policy will apply only in 2020-21. However, in cases where a student is unable to make up the dropped credits in 2020-21 because the requisite course is not on offer or, in special cases where personal circumstances stand in the way, an extension to 2021-22 may be permitted.

As ever, many thanks for working together with us to get through a challenging semester. Please do write to me with queries: ian.holliday@hku.hk.

Best wishes,

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

To: All HKUMed students and staff

Following the University’s announcement, the Faculty would like to provide our students with latest information on teaching and learning arrangements for HKUMed programmes for the rest of the semester.  In essence:

• Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face at non-hospital areas will begin on 1 April 2020 the earliest.  Group size of these small group teaching will be further reduced, as appropriate, to maintain low density at a single venue.  Students and teachers are required to put on their surgical masks during class, and are advised to avoid congregating before or after the classes.  The Faculty and the respective School/Departments will monitor closely and continuously the arrangements for small group teaching for safety of students and teachers.
• All other classes that are didactic in nature will continue in e-learning format.
• Please refer to details below for teaching and examination arrangements of individual programmes.
• For students’ options of assessment choice for individual courses in Semester 2, i.e. letter grading, pass/fail grading or late drop as announced by the University, this is only applicable to certain courses and/or certain programmes at HKUMed.  Please refer to separate announcements for individual programmes to be issued by the Faculty or the respective School/Departments in due course, when more information is available from the University.

1.  MBBS
   • MBBS Final Year
     • MBBS Final Examinations would be held in April/May 2020 with infection control measures in place.  The examination timetable and related arrangements have been announced by the Faculty earlier.
       
   • MBBS I and II
     • Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and clinical skills sessions, will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning April 2020.  Group size of these small group teaching will be reduced, as appropriate.  All other classes that are didactic in nature will continue in e-learning format.  Summative assessments are targeted to be held in the second week of June 2020 as scheduled with infection control measures in place, as appropriate, which will be confirmed when all schedules of small group teaching are finalised.  Arrangements for the Chinese course for MBBS II will be announced at a later time.
       
   • MBBS III Enrichment Year
     • Arrangements remain unchanged.  Details on the assessment will be announced soon.
       
   • Junior and Specialty Clerkships
     • The Faculty is liaising with the Hospital Authority for a resumption date of clinical teaching at low risk areas within hospital compounds and clinics across town.  The liaison will take time and it is expected that the possible resumption date will not be in the near future.  The Faculty is planning for a different strategy for teaching of didactic materials of Junior and Specialty Clerkships during this period, before resumption of teaching within hospital compounds.  Details will be announced later this month.
   • The Fourth Summative Assessment in 2020 will be pushed back appropriately.  Examination arrangements are to be announced when we have a clearer picture of resumption of teaching within hospital compounds.  
   • Junior and Specialty Clerkships students are advised to stay in Hong Kong this summer and should prepare that the term break during Christmas and New Year in December 2020 will be significantly shortened.
     
2. BNurs 
   • All teaching will be conducted in e-learning format, except small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and skill laboratory sessions which will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning April 2020.  Group size of these small group teaching will be reduced, as appropriate.  The School of Nursing is liaising with the Hospital Authority and other collaborative partners for a resumption date of clinical practicum at hospitals and community settings, details of which will be announced by the School as soon as possible.  Examinations including OSCA are aimed to be held in late April to May 2020 with infection control measures in place, as appropriate.  Separate announcements will be made by the School of Nursing in due course.
3. BChinMed
   • Teaching will continue in e-learning format as far as possible.  Small group teaching that must be conducted face to face, such as practical and clinical skills sessions, will be arranged on Sassoon Road Campus beginning April 2020.  Examinations for Years 1 to 5 are targeted to be held in May/June 2020 and the clinical oral examination for final-year students will be held in April 2020 as scheduled, all with infection control measures in place as appropriate.  Details of teaching and examination arrangements for different years of studies will be announced by the School of Chinese Medicine in due course.
4. BPharm
   • Teaching will be conducted following the teaching schedule in e-learning format for the rest of the semester.  Examinations (including OSCE for the final year students) will be held in May 2020 on Sassoon Road Campus and the Main Campus with infection control measures in place, as appropriate.  Lab-based practical sessions will be arranged for Years 1-3 students in June after the final examinations.
5. BBiomedSc
   1. All BBMS courses will continue by online learning according to the original teaching schedules. The two practical courses BBMS2001 Basic Biomedical Laboratory Techniques and BBMS3004 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory will be adapted for online learning.  For BBMS4001 Final Year Project, students will have an option to complete their project without further experimentation with greater weighting to be placed on literature review and with options for oral presentations by video conferencing.  All BBMS examinations for this semester are to be held online in May 2020. 
6. BSc(Exercise&Health)
   • For all EXSC courses, teaching will be delivered in e-learning format.  All practical sessions and field trips will be replaced by alternative assessment components.  Adjustments on the assessment and assignment format/submission deadline will be made with details to be announced by the course lecturer.  For the final-year project EXSC4000 Dissertation, students will be given an option to either continue with their current research study, or change to another feasible approach as advised by their supervisor.  The assessment will be 100% based on the written dissertation, without the oral presentation component.  Details of arrangement will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course.
7. BASc(GHD)
   • For the compulsory course GHAD1002 Introductory Economics and Finance, teaching will be conducted in e-learning format for the rest of Semester 2 until 16 May.  Adjustment to the assignment submission deadline will be made and announced, if necessary.  In line with the University, the final examination will be moved online to be held in May 2020.  Details of the examination arrangements will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course.  For courses offered by other Faculties, students should refer to the announcements made by the respective course-offering Faculties/units.
8. TPg programmes
   • Most teaching will continue to be conducted online.  Special arrangements for practicum and final examinations are being made.  The Programme Directors/Coordinators concerned will announce the detail arrangements to their own students in due course.
9. RPg programmes
   • RPg courses will continue to be conducted online.  Special arrangements for final examinations are being made.  The Course Coordinators concerned will announce the detail arrangements to their own students in due course.  For students’ whose research progress is affected by the outbreak and extension of candidature is thereby needed, they are requested to submit an application for candidature extension at least 3 months before their period of study is due to expire with an explanation of how their research has been deferred due to the outbreak.

Meanwhile, if you have any enquiries about the T&L arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk
• Student Wellness Team: medwell@hku.hk

Yours sincerely,

Professor Gilberto Leung
Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)

Important message from Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students,

We’re continuing to monitor and analyse the COVID-19 situation and its implications for the University. Within this still uncertain framework, we’re trying to figure out the best way forward for teaching and learning. As before, our absolute priority remains the health and safety of both HKU members and the general public.

With this at the forefront of our minds, we’re announcing a series of updates to our plans for the remainder of the semester. We recognise that the choices we’re able to make at the present time are not ideal, but we believe they’re the best that are available to our campus community.

Until the end of the teaching period on 16 May, all teaching and learning will be delivered online.  There are just a few exceptions, including:

1. Non-clinical laboratory, studio and practical skills components of courses for final-year students that have to be taught through face-to-face classes in order for students to graduate on time. We will arrange for these students to come on campus for low-density laboratory, studio and practical skills teaching sessions beginning no earlier than 30 March. Their other classes will remain online. When required to come on campus, these students will be provided with face masks. Faculties will inform final-year students taking these courses of detailed arrangements at the start of next week.
2. Clinical programmes in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of Medicine. These two Faculties will reach out separately to students enrolled in these programmes.
   

Assessment

• Assessment components and weightings will conform to the arrangements already announced by course coordinators. However, for all courses taught online there will be no proctored, in-hall exams during the assessment period from 18 May to 6 June. Instead, all ‘final exam’ components will be moved online. We’re asking teachers to rethink the tasks that will constitute the ‘final exam’ to ensure they’re suitable for online assessment.
  

Assessment choices

• As in Semester 1, we’re offering all UG and TPG students three assessment choices:
  • Continue with letter grading, where applicable (contributing to GPA)
  • Change to pass/fail grading (not contributing to GPA)
  • Opt out of the course entirely through a late drop option
• Students will be able to make these choices through a link on SIS from 23 March to 30 April. Full details will be announced within the next two weeks.
  

Pass/fail

• We strongly advise all students to think carefully when opting for pass/fail grading. Courses that are simply passed will be recorded as P on the transcript, with no GPA. For UG students in particular, this could have important knock-on effects. Internally, we rely on SGPA data for elective opportunities, such as academic exchange and other funded programmes. Externally, employers and universities around the world examine transcripts in some detail when taking decisions about jobs and postgraduate study. Students without solid SGPA data from 2019-20 may therefore place themselves at a disadvantage.
  

Late drop

• Students returning to the University beyond the normative study period solely to make up late dropped credits from 2019-20 will not be asked to pay a composition fee. Normally, this policy will apply only in 2020-21. However, in cases where a student is unable to make up the dropped credits in 2020-21 because the requisite course is not on offer or, in special cases where personal circumstances stand in the way, an extension to 2021-22 may be permitted.

As ever, many thanks for working together with us to get through a challenging semester. Please do write to me with queries: ian.holliday@hku.hk.

Best wishes,

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President (Teaching and Learning)

To: All HKUMed students and staff

Following the University’s announcement below, the Faculty would like to provide our students with information on teaching and learning arrangements for HKUMed programmes for the rest of the semester.  

In general, all undergraduate teaching will continue in e-learning format (including the 2-week recess on 17-29 February 2020 proposed by the University, except for BASc(GHD)). 

1. MBBS
   
   • Final-year MBBS
     • Considering the Hospital Authority’s timeline for intern allocation exercise for July 2020 and students’ progression to the Enhanced Pre-Internship Block in June, the Final MBBS Examinations will be held from 1 April to 8 May 2020, with the supplementary/re-examinations being held in mid-June 2020.  The Faculty is working with clinical departments to reschedule all the written and OSCE examinations and will announce the examination timetable once the arrangements are confirmed.  In this connection, the MBBS Elective originally scheduled for mid-April to mid-May 2020 will be cancelled.  
       
   • MBBS I and II
     • All classes will continue in e-learning format, as far as possible, except for classes that must be conducted face-to-face (e.g. practical and clinical skills sessions) which will be rescheduled.  The end date of teaching may have to be extended.  The First and Second Summative Assessments may be pushed back appropriately allowing time for students to revise before sitting the examinations.  
   • MBBS III Enrichment Year
     • Arrangements remain unchanged, same as the last announcement.
   • Junior Clerkship
     • Classes that are didactic in nature will continue through e-learning.  Clerkship rotations will be frameshifted appropriately when class resumes to ensure that students will have adequate clinical exposure:
       • Rotation 2: The remaining clinical teaching and the end-of-rotation clinical tests will be rescheduled.  
       • Rotation 3: The whole rotation will be frameshifted.
     • The Fourth Summative Assessment in 2020 will be pushed back appropriately allowing time for students to revise before sitting the examinations, with the supplementary/re-examination being held in July/August 2020.   As such, students are advised to stay in Hong Kong this summer.  
     • Senior Clerkship in 2020 will be frameshifted accordingly.  Students should prepare that the term break during Christmas and New Year in December 2020 will be significantly shortened.
       
   • Specialty Clerkship: Classes that are didactic in nature will continue through e-learning.  Clerkship rotations will be frameshifted appropriately when class resumes to ensure students will have adequate clinical exposure:
     • Rotation 1: The remaining teaching will be frameshifted and the end-of-rotation CCTs will be rescheduled.
     • Rotations 2-7: The full rotations will be frameshifted.
   • Because of the frameshifting in 2020, students should prepare that the Christmas and New Year break in December 2020 will be significantly shortened.  They will be arranged to sit the Final MBBS Examinations from April/May 2021 and have the supplementary/re-examinations run into the summer.  As such, we will have to omit MBBS Elective in 2021, and students are advised to stay in Hong Kong in summer 2021 as well.  
   • Separate announcements will be made by the Faculty for MBBS students in different years of studies, as and when appropriate.
     
2. BNurs
   
   • All teaching will be conducted in e-learning format, except skills lab sessions which will be rescheduled.  The School of Nursing has been in active liaison with clinical partners to rearrange the clinical practicum.  Examinations originally scheduled during the class suspension period have been rescheduled.  Together with examinations for this semester, all examinations are aimed to be held in May 2020.  Separate announcements on details of all these arrangements will be made by the School of Nursing in due course.
     
3. BBiomedSc
   
   • All BBMS courses will continue by online learning according to the original teaching schedules.  Continuous assessments and assessment weightings may be modified to suit online learning as advised by the course coordinators.  The two practical courses BBMS2001 Basic Biomedical Laboratory Techniques and BBMS3004 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory will be adapted for online learning.  For BBMS4001 Final Year Project, students will have an option to complete their project without further experimentation with greater weighting to be placed on literature review and with options for oral presentations by video conferencing.  All BBMS examinations for this semester are aimed to be held in May 2020.  More details will be announced by the School of Biomedical Sciences in due course.
     
4. BChinMed
   
   • Teaching will continue in e-learning format as far as possible.  Teaching that must be held face-to-face or on site will be rescheduled.  Details of arrangements for different years of studies, including clinical teaching, as well as assessment methods for courses in Semester 2 will be announced by the School of Chinese Medicine in due course.  In addition, examinations scheduled during the class suspension period will be rescheduled, details to be announced by the School of Chinese Medicine.
     
5. BPharm
   
   • Basically, all teaching will continue following the teaching schedule in e-learning format, including PBL/workshop/student presentation.  All clinical teaching and ward visit (including UHS) will be cancelled and replaced by online clinical-based group discussions.  Practical classes will be conducted in recorded online format with data provided for students’ analysis and report writing.  Class tests may be conducted using alternative assessment methods (e.g. online quiz/assignment), as appropriate.  An e-platform enabling an online forum/live Q&A session for each course will be set up to facilitate students’ consultation.  All examinations for this semester are aimed to be held in May 2020.  Details of arrangement will be announced by the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy in due course. 
6. BASc(GHD)
   
   • For the compulsory course GHAD1002 Introductory Economics and Finance, teaching will be conducted in e-learning format in the rest of Semester 2 (except during the 2-week recess from 17 to 29 February).  Adjustment to the assignment submission deadline will be made and announced, if necessary.  The final examination is targeted to be held in May 2020.  Details of arrangement will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course.  For courses offered by other Faculties, students should refer to the announcements made by the respective course-offering Faculties/units.  
7. BSc(Exercise&Health)
   
   • For all EXSC courses, teaching will be delivered in e-learning format.  All practical sessions and field trips will be replaced by alternative assessment components.  Adjustments on the assessment and assignment format/submission deadline will be made, details to be announced.  For the final-year project EXSC4000 Dissertation, students will be given an option to either continue with their current research study, or change to another approach as advised by their supervisor.  The assessment will be 100% based on the written dissertation, without the oral presentation component.  Details of arrangement will be announced by the School of Public Health in due course. 
     
8. TPg programmes
   
   • TPg Programme Directors and Coordinators have been consulted with regard to the teaching (lectures and tutorials), practicum and examination arrangements for the second semester 2019/20.  Most teaching will be conducted online.  Re-arrangement for practicum is being made and they may be deferred.  Re-arrangement for examinations (mostly being held in April-May 2020) will be determined later.  Programme Directors/Coordinators will announce the detail arrangements to their own students in due course.
9. RPg programmes
   
   • In addition to the tuition fee waiver for candidature extension necessitated by the disruption due to the outbreak, the Faculty would provide subsidies to full-time students during the extension period given that their Postgraduate Studentships will cease upon expiry of their normative study period.  Details will be announced in due course.

Classes at HKUMed will resume making reference to the resumption of campus teaching as announced by the University.  Further announcements will be made by the Faculty when appropriate.

Meanwhile, if you have any enquiries about the T&L arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk
• Student Wellness Team: medwell@hku.hk

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Important message from Vice President (Teaching and Learning)

Dear colleagues and students,

The University is continuing to draw on expert medical knowledge in monitoring the coronavirus situation in Hong Kong. While all of us are eager to return to teaching and learning in early March, we realise that it is now unlikely that scheduled classes on campus will be able to resume so quickly. As long as there is risk of infection in a crowded classroom, we cannot deliver face-to-face teaching. I’m writing to inform you of how we envisage the remainder of the semester unfolding.

Please note that the teaching and assessment schedules for professional undergraduate programmes may differ from those described below, and will be announced separately by programme directors.

Undergraduate programmes 

Taught postgraduate programmes

• We are adopting a flexible approach to the scheduling of taught postgraduate programmes. Faculties or programme teams will announce the detailed teaching arrangements to their own cohorts of taught postgraduate students.
  

Research postgraduate programmes

• University policy encourages research postgraduate students with no immediate need to visit the campus to undertake their research, and liaise with their supervisors, remotely. Students who need to conduct their research in a campus setting, such as a laboratory, must adhere to Government and University infection control protocols before returning to campus. All research postgraduate students should discuss their study plans in detail with their supervisors. We will respond sympathetically to requests for candidature extensions necessitated by disruptions experienced during this semester, and for tuition waivers for the extended period of studies.
  

Visiting campus

• One general reminder during the current coronavirus situation in Hong Kong: colleagues and students who visit the campus must adhere to Government and University infection control guidelines. We will have no alternative but to take strict disciplinary action against anyone not adhering to them.
  Once again, many thanks for your understanding and cooperation as we seek to navigate the remainder of an unprecedented and unpredictable semester. As before, please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)

To: All HKUMed staff and students

In line with the University’s further suspension of campus teaching, all teaching at HKUMed, including classes to be conducted on Sassoon Road Campus and at all hospital compounds and clinics across town, will continue be suspended from 17 February 2020 and resume on 2 March 2020.  Teaching will be conducted in e-learning format, as far as possible, and make-up sessions will be arranged for class activities that must be held face-to-face or on site once classes are resumed.  Further notices will be issued by the Faculty Office or the respective Schools/Departments on the specific arrangements for individual programmes.

MBBS Final Year

• There will NOT be Final MBBS written examinations in February as originally scheduled.  The Faculty is working on the final details of a contingency plan and will issue an announcement next week after conferring with clinical departments.
  

MBBS III Enrichment Year

• As students are undertaking a variety of modules involving many parties and in multiple locations, separate messages will be issued, as appropriate, for different groups regarding the arrangements.

If you have any enquiries about the teaching and learning arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine 

Important message from The Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)

Dear Staff and Students,

Hong Kong is going through a very challenging time due to the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in Mainland China. The University has been closely monitoring and reviewing the virus situation in Hong Kong. Having continuously received advice from medical experts, we now come to the view that we will need more time before allowing all campus teaching to resume.

• Undergraduate programmes
  
  • We have decided that campus teaching for undergraduate programmes will be suspended for two weeks from Monday, 17 February 2020, and will resume on Monday, 2 March 2020 (except for a few special programmes for which detailed arrangements will be announced separately in due course).
    
    As previously announced, we will conduct online teaching and learning for two weeks from 3 February to 17 February . This is to ensure that students make a start on their second semester learning. Building on the week of face-to-face classes conducted in the week before Chinese New Year, these two weeks will generate an opportunity for teachers and students to lay down the foundations of their courses.
    
    The University will then move into recess for two weeks from 17 February to 2 March. In this period, students may undertake self-study based on the three weeks of teaching already undertaken in the semester. However, no formal teaching and learning activities will be scheduled.
    
    We are currently exploring options for ensuring that proper and adequate teaching is provided in the remainder of the semester. Our core aim is to deliver for students the face-to-face experience that has always defined education at HKU.
    
    We are considering many ways of restructuring the semester to generate additional time for campus teaching. We may conduct regular teaching activities during the March reading week (9-14 March). We may extend the semester to end on a later date. We may schedule classes in the evenings and on weekends. This of course has to be decided by consideration of many factors and dynamic change of virus situations. 
• Postgraduate Programmes
  
  • The Faculties or the programmes concerned will announce the teaching arrangements for taught postgraduate programmes in due course.
    
• Research postgraduates should discuss their study plans with their supervisors. 

Like many in the society, we are dealing with tremendous human health challenges. The situation is changing rapidly and we hope to work with you to provide best possible delivery for our safety, teaching and learning. We very much appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Please stay vigilant and continue to make personal health your top priority.

Professor Ian Holliday
Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning)

To: All HKUMed staff and students

In line with the following University’s announcement, all teaching at HKUMed, including classes to be conducted on Sassoon Road Campus and at all hospital compounds and clinics across town, will be suspended after the Chinese New Year until 16 February 2020.  Teaching will be conducted in e-learning format, as far as possible, and make-up sessions will be arranged for class activities that must be held face-to-face or on site once classes are resumed.  Further notices will be issued by the Faculty Office or the respective Schools/Departments on the specific arrangements for individual programmes.

In addition, arrangements for examinations that have been scheduled during the class suspension will be as follows:

• BNurs(FT) and BChinMed examinations will be rescheduled
• Final MBBS written examinations – the Faculty is working on the final details of a contingency plan and will issue an announcement after conferring with student representatives later this week.

MBBS III Enrichment Year students undertaking a variety of modules involving many parties and in multiple locations will receive separate messages for different groups regarding the arrangements.

If you have any enquiries about the teaching and learning arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: eskmok@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Important message from the President’s Office

Dear colleagues and students,

In light of the latest development of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, classes at the University will be suspended after the Chinese New Year holidays and will resume Monday, 17 February 2020. Detailed arrangements about in-class examinations, online teaching and make-up classes will be announced in due course.

Non-local students who are in Hong Kong are advised to stay in Hong Kong during the period when classes are suspended. Those who are not in Hong Kong at present should consider not returning to Hong Kong at this point in time. Research postgraduates should discuss their study plans with their supervisors.  

We have strengthened preventive measures as far as practicable across the University. However, students and colleagues, especially those in residential halls, should take proper precautions related to personal hygiene and prevention of transmission or infection. Please consult the advice and announcements provided by the University Health Service here.

In order to safeguard the health of all University members, and to be able to provide appropriate assistance to affected individuals, all students and colleagues returning from Mainland China must complete an online health screening form, which will be emailed to University members. 

The campus will remain open, and office and research labs will continue to operate, but heads of units and supervisors should communicate clearly with colleagues about working arrangements and exercise discretion regarding staffing flexibility as necessary, including work at home arrangements for some colleagues.

Events on campus in the coming weeks, especially events involving a large number of participants, should be rescheduled or cancelled.

The University has established a Task Force on Infectious Diseases, chaired by Vice-President (IA) Professor Norman Tien, to continually monitor and assess the situation. We will post updates to the University’s FaceBook page, HKU App and HKU Portal and website as appropriate and send bulk emails as necessary.

Please stay vigilant and continue to make your personal health a top priority.

Professor Xiang Zhang
President and Vice-Chancellor

To: All HKUMed staff and students

In association with the first Wuhan Novel Coronavirus case confirmed in Hong Kong today, the Faculty has decided to suspend ALL teaching within ALL hospital compounds (including non-clinical areas) with effect from tomorrow, 23 January 2020, until further notice.  The measure applies to bedside teaching at wards, out-patient clinics, clinical attachments, practicum, tutorials, lectures and so on, to be conducted at hospitals for all students in the Faculty.

Classes to be held on Sassoon Road Campus will continue as scheduled.

The Faculty will reassess the situation and update students with the teaching and learning arrangements after the Chinese New Year.

If you have any enquiries about the arrangements, please contact the following:

• Undergraduate: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate: ylwongd@hku.hk
• MBBS Enrichment Year: enrichme@hku.hk

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

To: all staff and students of HKUMed

On the latest measures for campus security and health security, we will provide periodic updates through emails. Please pay close attention to your email inboxes for the latest arrangements and information.

Campus Security

With the ongoing safety and security concerns across the entire university, students and staff must bring a valid UID at all times. You are required to cooperate when authorized personnel request that you show a UID when entering university premises.

Current security arrangements will remain in place until further notice.  We will keep you updated of campus security measures in accordance with university-wide policy.

Health Security

In light of the novel coronavirus that has emerged from Wuhan, all staff and students who travel for official purposes or for vacation to affected areas are required to declare to their unit supervisors the dates and location of travel upon their return to campus. If you are not feeling well, you must wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice immediately.

The Faculty will soon be installing temperature scanners as well as hand sanitizers at building entrances for William MW Mong Block, Lab Block and JCBIR. This is to maintain a safe learning and working environment.

The Faculty will be working with QMH on appropriate surgical masks for those involved in clinical work and training.  You will receive email notices from your Programme Director for further arrangements.

Given this is also the flu season, please take a sick leave if you are feeling unwell and exercise good hygiene at all times.  Each and every one of you play an essential role as a member of the Faculty and bear a collective responsibility for everyone’s well-being.

Students and staff can refer to the website of HKU Health Services and the Hong Kong Department of Health for the latest information and advice. 

Students who wish to make enquiries on teaching and learning matters or student support services may contact the following:

• Undergraduate matters: kittang@hku.hk
• Taught postgraduate matters: tpgmed@hku.hk
• Research postgraduate matters: kimmyliu@hku.hk
• Student support services: medwell@hku.hk / 3917 9075

We will keep you posted on any further updates. 

Thank you,

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine