SLS-4a Explosion - University leadership

When we visited University of San Francisco in April 2012, we noted the staff were very proud of the involvement of their rector, a Jesuit priest - who went with the students on service trips to central and South America.  It is, of course, a strong indication of the commitment of the university as well as great encouragement to the students and staff. We took the lesson to heart, and worked hard to get our leadership to join the students in the field, particularly the president.  

President Prof. Timothy Tong of PolyU, who presided through the inception of service-learning at PolyU, has always been a supporter.  Among his many actions, his trip to visit the teams serving in Cambodia in 2014 made a particularly significant impact.  By then we have built up a strong presence in Cambodia.  Several teams were on site around Phnom Penh in early June.  Prof. Tong went around visiting them and insisted on serving with them.  It is one thing to read and listen to reports on campus.  It is something else altogether to be holding up charts to test the local children’s colour blindness, playing eagle and the chicken with the local children, reading to the children in the classroom, eating in the face of numerous flies with the students in the local village, distributing supplies in the city’s slum, listening to the students’ sharing after a full day’s hard work and sweating, …, seeing the satisfaction of the students at their moment of success, and the joy of the community who benefit.  Since Prof. Tong came back from Cambodia,  his passion and conviction have been evident for all to see.  

It is one thing to be cognitively convinced of something.  And quite another to be emotionally invested. For the former, it is achievable with data and reasoning.  For the later, personal experience is vital.  Both are critical for true commitment.  We work very hard to educate the campus, including our leadership, on the merits of service-learning, through academic arguments, presentations, publicity, and discussions.  We also work hard to facilitate our leadership to acquire that vital personal experience.  In fact, we strive to do that for all levels and aspects of campus life.  We actively reach out to the departments/units/offices of finance, personnel, health clinic, campus development, …  For service-learning to truly become part of the core value of the university, we need the buy in from all over the campus.  On the other hand, civic engagement is truly the business of everyone.  

Prof. Tong was not the only member of our leadership to be actively engaged with service-learning.  Prof. Philip Chan, while he was provost of the university, had officiated at many events over the years, and have been most encouraging.  Before he retired, he helped us put social responsibility into the graduate attributes.  Prof. Walter Yuen, vice-president for Academic Development and the instigator of the whole program, went on the first Rwanda expedition in 2013 and worked closely with the students in the field.  He stayed with the students in the same spartan guest house, suffering the same water shortage.  Later he came again in 2015, after he stepped down as vice-president, confirming that he did not just participate out of a sense of duty. Prof. H. C. Man, Dean of Engineering, went with the team on the first solar panel project in Rwanda in 2015. He climbed onto the ladder to teach the students how to install solar panels on the roof of a primary school.  When we realised that we didn’t have the correct type of electrical cables for outdoor wiring, Prof. Man demonstrated problem solving skills as a true engineer would.  He went to a local hardware shop nearby to purchase plastic pipes and to teach the students how to use the pipes to protect the cables - we were in the hills and proper cables were just not available.  Naturally he became a hero for the students.  

Prof. Angelina Yuen, vice-president for Student and Global Affairs, was a social worker by training.  She has been a very strong supporter for service-learning, particularly in taking students to Mainland China and international collaboration.  She was the motive force behind the establishment of the University Social Responsibility Network (USRN).  She secured funding for students from USRN member universities to participate in PolyU service-learning projects in Mainland China as well as Cambodia.  Most importantly, she was instrumental in securing many major donations for service-learning.  Naturally she also went to visit the students in the field in Cambodia.  She climbed to the top of a used container being converted into a community learning centre, to the cheers of the students and staff.  Prof. Daniel Shek, associate vice-president for undergraduate programs, oversees the Office of Service-learning (subsequently Service-Learning and Leadership Office).  He teaches a number of important service-learning subjects himself, taking students to serve in challenging environments in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Vietnam.  He also conducts many research projects related to service-learning and publishes numerous papers on the topic.  His team received the University Grants Committee Outstanding Teaching Award in 2018 for work related to service-learning.  

Prof. Chetwyn Chan, associate vice-president for Learning and Teaching, visited the students in Cambodia as well as Rwanda. He is a strong advocate on eLearning and encouraged us to develop MOOC and other eLearning tools with service-learning content.  Dr. Miranda Lou, executive vice-president of PolyU, is also a strong supporter.  She visited the students in Cambodia in 2019, working alongside the students enthusiastically on a number of tasks, earning much respect from the students and staff.  She has also participated in events related to service-learning in Mainland China and Hong Kong, becoming a great ally.  Prof. Esmond Mok, Dean of Students, came with the students to Rwanda in 2019.  An engineer himself, he was able to advice the students in their projects.  In his capacity as Dean of Students, he has also facilitated much closer collaboration between the Dena of Students Office and the Office of Service-Learning.  

In the process of engaging the leadership in service-learning, we face many questions and challenges.  These occur at all levels ranging from the operational to the existential.   Why did you choose this project?  Why did you choose to come to this site? In what way does it benefits our students? Why should we help this community?  Is this really academic? Why can’t this be left to the academic departments to do? Why do you do this? Why do you not do this?  Why is it necessary to have a office of service-learning? We do not fear questions and challenges.  They are opportunities to educate and draw people in.