“Co-creating Hopes during Uncertainties and Adversities”
Prof. Amy Y.M. Chow
“Balance of Life under the Pandemic”
Dr. Vincent W. L. Tam
“Our Student Advising Experience Before, During, and After the Pandemic”
Prof. Pak Wo Leung
The titled workshop was held by AASO on 7 June 2022 (Tuesday) via Zoom. We were pleased to have the invited speakers to share with us on how to prepare the new cohort of students for the uncertainties and challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic and transition to university.
Experienced Faculty Academic Advisers:
“Co-creating Hopes during Uncertainties and Adversities”
by Prof. Amy Y.M. Chow, Head of Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU
“Balance of Life under the Pandemic”
by Dr. Vincent W. L. Tam, Principal Lecturer and Honorary Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, HKU
Guest Speaker:
“Our Student Advising Experience Before, During, and After the Pandemic”
by Prof. Pak Wo Leung, Associate Dean of Science (Undergraduate Studies & Student Affairs) and Director of Office of Academic Advising and Support (School of Science), HKUST
Over 30 Faculty Academic Advisers and colleagues joined the workshop. Ms. Rachel Hong started by presenting the issues that students face in learning and well-being during the pandemic. In Prof. Amy Chow’s sharing which followed, she introduced various strength-based and positivity strategies through which advisers can empower the advisee to find hope and solutions. Using three quotes from Albert Einstein, Dr. Vincent Tam encouraged us, as the educators or academic advisers, to inspire students to believe in themselves and face difficulties with pro-activeness and a balanced perspective to life and studies.
To expand our scope of professional exchange beyond HKU, we heard Prof. Pak Wo Leung of the HKUST shared their advising work during the pandemic and the new initiatives to improve the student experience such as repackaging their year one induction course into a full year course. Among many other good practices shared, participants found the “International Day for Failure” most inspirational where failures were celebrated to promote positive thinking among students.
Participation at the Q&A session was active and we are glad that this workshop served as a good exchange platform for academic advisers and colleagues to examine ways to nurture strong and adaptable students, in preparation for the arrival of our new cohort of students.
