At the opening ceremony of “Discover & Innovate@CityU Exhibition” held on 4 May, CityU community members including our enthusiastic alumni were glad to learn about the recent University development through the exhibits. The event which was held until 8 May at the International Finance Centre Mall in Central revealed how CityU contributes to the social and economic well-being of Hong Kong, the region and beyond. Read the University report HERE.

On behalf of the Convocation, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the establishment of the Jockey Club Humanity Hall Alumni Association.

We highly appreciate the efforts and enthusiasm of the Executive Committee in forming the alumni association to groom and bloom the alumni community.

Since its inception in 2007, the Convocation has endeavoured to broaden the networking among the alumni community. We have also created an online platform to facilitate fellow alumni to keep abreast of the latest development of the alma mater.

With the concerted efforts of alumni associations and the Convocation, we are confident that we will continue to strive and serve our fellow alumni.

I wish the newly formed Alumni Association all the best in future endeavours.

Karmen Chan
Convocation Chairman

Louis Kwok, Vice-Chairman of Standing Committee
BBA (Hons) Business Economics (1999)
MA in Global Business Management (2010)
Lecturer
Department of Business Administration,
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Tsing Yi)

A former corporate trainer and now a lecturer at an education institution, Louis is delighted that he can put what he learnt at CityU into practice. A strong believer in giving back, he aspires to instil a positive impact on alumni and students.

Through Convocation activities, Louis hopes to engage fellow alumni to reconnect with the University and bring new insights to the alma mater.

His belief in devising fun-filled activities to achieve far-reaching impact is rooted from his experience when he served as the Sports Secretary of the Students’ Union. He organised some of the most remarkable sports activities that are still reminisced by Citians. For example, the Round City Run around the campus involving students and staff was a meaningful event that boosted the community spirit of CityU members.

Serving the Convocation is a rewarding experience for Louis that gives him the chance to collaborate with a cross section of alumni volunteers and learn more about University education.

James Kong, Standing Committee Member
BEng (Hons) Electronic Engineering (2002)
Teacher (Secondary Section) and I.T. Co-ordinator
Saviour Lutheran School (SEN School, mild grade)

CityU has a special place in the heart of James and he shows this in a special way. The corridor of the University’s sixth floor where he encountered the joys and challenges of organising student activities forms the backdrop of his wedding invitation card!

The camaraderie that he shared with his buddies of the sixth floor, where the Students’ Union is located, motivated him to overcome all the challenges. The anecdotes of making banners, leaflets and promotional boards by hand with limited budget are all unforgettable. University colleagues such as Ms Rebecca Chan, Director of the Student Residence Office and Ms Karen Kwok of the Department of Student Development Services, who he had worked closely with were his mentors during the schooldays.

James feels the same sense of community in the Convocation Standing Committee. He appreciates the leadership and persistence of Convocation Chairman Karmen Chan, who unites SC members to strive for the betterment of the University.

Being an IT professional, James aspires to enhance the homepage and Facebook Fans Page of the Convocation. He hopes the electronic platform will become a regular meeting place for alumni where they get updates about the University, and share their stories and experiences.

William Khoo, Standing Committee Member
Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (2006)
Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (2007)
Associate, DLA Piper Hong Kong

The spirit of resilience keeps William pursuing his true calling as a lawyer. He entered the law school of CityU as a mature student after receiving his first bachelor’s degree in chemistry at another local university. “I never thought that I would be a lawyer when I was young,” says the legal eagle who specialises in corporate finance.

Thanks to the support and encouragement from professors and teaching fellows, he soon got along well with his classmates. One of his most memorable experiences was to work with his classmates to represent CityU in a mooting competition against Oxford University in the UK.

Elected as the Chief Arbitrator of the Arbitration Committee of the Students’ Union, William is grateful the post gave him opportunities to meet with a diverse range of CityU community members.

William is honoured that fellow alumni elected him as a Standing Committee member, giving him the chance to contribute his experience and knowledge back to CityU through the voluntary work. He is delighted to work with Convocation Chairman Karmen Chan and other standing committee members to foster a positive impact on the University while further strengthening the alumni network through an established platform and structure.

MSAA organised a cheese tasting at Monsieur CHATTÉ, a reputable French shop, on 7 May 2011. The Vice President, Mr Eddie Chan, appreciated the participating cheese lovers for their support to the event. By tasting different types of exquisite cheese, the participants got to understand their characteristics and the art of enjoyment from cheese and wine. Full version can be found at MSAA website after June 16.

On April 19, MSAA organized a free Career Talk with JMEN magazine and Adecco for alumni and friends. This is the first time we held a career talk off campus and this event took place at Ramas Oyster Bar & Grill. There were almost 100 participants including our alumni, Jmen readers and Adecco consultants. With free flowing of red wine and canapés for the whole evening, the event started with the lively Adecco team to coach us with interviewing skills through role play. …Full version can be found at MSAA website  after June 16.

Don’t miss the chance to nominate fellow alumni for the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Selection organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Junior Chamber International. The event aims to recognise individuals who have the attributes in personal achievement, leadership and contribution to the community. Nominations are open until 29 July. Please click here for more details.

BA (Hons) English for International Corporate Communication, University of Central Lancashire, UK

This is a 1-year full-time UCLan top-up programme designed to help students develop skills to communicate effectively in English in a wide range of social and work-related situations. It also equips students with knowledge in their chosen pathway among Marketing, PR or Translation and Interpreting. The programme is suitable for Associate Degree/Higher Diploma graduates in Language, PR, Media or other disciplines. www.cityu.edu.hk/ce/baeicc

BA (Hons) International Business Communication with Chinese/Japanese, University of Central Lancashire, UK

This 1-year full-time UCLan top-up programme enables students to communicate effectively in an international business environment using English and either Chinese or Japanese. It is suitable for Associate Degree/Higher Diploma graduates in Chinese, Japanese, Translation, Bilingual Studies or other disciplines. www.cityu.edu.hk/ce/baibc

於城大電腦科學系畢業的胡權斌(Alan)，現任思齊軟件有限公司董事兼技術總監，他亦是公司的創辦人。該公司主為網上應用方案開發商，主力於電腦儲存管理和網上商務服務的軟件開發，致力為中小企業開發實用且合乎成本效益的在線營銷解決方案。

他自中學時代就對電腦有極大興趣，在大學接受充分的訓練後，他自行編寫軟件，並在畢業後參加了政府的『科技創業培育計劃』，成立自己的公司，而他設計的軟件已經成功行銷海外。 

談及在城大讀書的經歷，Alan坦言，對他影響最深的就是入學伊始的迎新活動中，所講的『君子不器』。 『君子不器』語出《論語•為政》。 Alan形容自己的專業就如同器，而人不應當拘泥於某一個方面的專業，而這也正式孔子在這句話中的意思。在城大唸書的幾年中，Alan修讀過許多和專業無關的課，從批判性思維一直到詩詞歌賦。而城大邀請到的眾多大師來大學講座也對他影響頗深，甚至學電腦科學專業的他有棄理從文的打算。當然最終他並沒有這樣做。因為Alan覺得，知曉各方面的知識，對整個人的發展都有好處，正所謂「君子不器」。 Alan對電腦的興趣始於中學時代，在當時，他就自己嘗試尋找客源上門教授電腦知識。而到了大學，接受了專業訓練使自己的知識更加牢固。在大學第三級的暑假，Alan參加了學系的實習活動。而當時執政的董建華先生，也大力推行科技創新。 Alan嘗試編寫了自己的程式，便有人購買。隨後他改良程式，得到很多人的青睞。甫畢業，Alan便參加了政府的『科技創業培育計劃』，在創新中心成立了自己的公司。而和他同時期創業的城大校友耿春亞，所創辦的公司正在他公司的對面。到現在，他的客戶已經包括波音公司，迪士尼，以及香港政府，在美國以及其他海外國家，都有他的客戶。 「我一直認為，最理想的是睡覺時也在做生意。因此，我們將流程大部分都自動化了。登廣告、收款、讓客戶下載軟件等，全都可以在網上完成。」

談及政府的這個計劃，Alan感到受益頗深。正因為計劃所提供的基金和科研經費，才使得他畢業伊始就得以自行創業。 

Alan 不但善用網絡資源創造生意機會，也樂於回饋社會。他曾贊助非牟利機構及教育團體免費使他公司研發的網路營銷管理軟件，而在贊助名單當然少不了母校城大。問及終極目標為何，Alan答道：『不做一個專業的程式員，而做一個專業的人。 』他又說『文理要並重，因為整件事情都是不矛盾的，是一致的。除了文理，商科也需要。而賺錢做生意都不是目的，最終極的目的是做到君子不器。 』