By POON Ching - BEng(CivE) II
YU Sea Ki, Victoria & NG Tsz Wai, Jason - BEng I
Following Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Mathieson’s participation in our 10th Anniversary Guangxi trip, an interview organized by the current members of Project Mingde was conducted on 15th Jan 2015. Professor Mathieson began with his belief that experiential learning would improve the education in HKU if it becomes a common module in various curriculums. Freshmen will be expected to engage in it, which also offers important opportunity for them to obtain experience from foreign countries.
Through sharing his experience of service in Africa, Professor Mathieson emphasized how he was benefited as much as that of the service target. He acknowledged similar ideology in Project Mingde, which could be life-changing lessons of the participants. He encouraged such important learning approach to be upheld in HKU.
Regarding Professor Mathieson’s vision for Project Mingde, he believes that it is an excellent example of experiential learning and engagement with China. He pointed out that secondary school graduates in Hong Kong have little foreign experience. While Mainland China is at the doorstep of Hong Kong, HKU is at a great position of providing such experience to students.
Talking about the integration of Hong Kong with China, Professor Mathieson mentioned about the current political complications which increases our difficulty to cooperate with the Mainland. However, he is positive towards the nature of Project Mingde - non-political and interdisciplinary; students from different backgrounds can put efforts together to help the Mainland children. He further stated that experiential learning would solve the problems of geographically separation and lack of interdisciplinary between faculties in HKU.
Last but not least, Professor Mathieson promised to join us again in the near future.
Members involved in the interview (Year 2014-2015):
PUNG Chun Nok - BEng(CivE) III
WONG Pak Yue - BEng(CivE) III
CHOU Sio Hin - BEng(CivE) III
YANG Ziyuan - BEng(CivE) II
LU Yulin - BEng(CivE) II
LAU Cheuk Yin - BEng(CivE) II
KWOK Ka Ki Kristie - BEng I
LO Yiu Fu - Laboratory staff of the Department
Click on the video below for Mingde Interview with Professor Peter Mathieson: