Enriching student hostel experiences through bilateral communications and learning —— A visit of Lingnan University’s delegation to residential colleges of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

Prof Li Donghui, Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs) of Lingnan University, was invited by Ms Yeung Yu-hung Antonia, Associate Vice-President (Development and Campus Services) of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) to pay a visit to the latter’s Residential Colleges on 6 February. The Lingnan delegation included colleagues from the Office of Student Affairs, Professor Amoah Padmore Adusei, Warden of William M W Mong Hall The Bank of East Asia Hall, and Prof Cheng Wing-tung Michelle, Programme Director of MA in International Higher Education and Management.  

During the visit, both parties discussed how to provide a smarter and more convenient hostel experience for residents in the digital era. While Dr Cheung Pui-sze, Director of Student Affairs of the HUSHK and her team shared how to use smartphone applications to instantly check the various hostel information (e.g. the operation and availability of laundry machines) to enrich residents’ living experience, Prof Li revealed that Lingnan will establish the School of Data Science and had recently appointed an expert scholar in artificial intelligence as one of the student hostel wardens laying the foundation for intelligentisation of its residential facilities and digitalization of its Residential Education Programmes in future. The nearly completed Lingnan Hub, which offers staff quarters and co-living and working space to encourage staff-student interactions, was also introduced.  

Besides, both parties launched an insightful exchange on the ideal of residential education, hostel management models, hostel places allocation mechanisms and living-learning activities, as well as how to, in hostel setting, implement Sustainable Development Goals and incubate residents’ capacity in innovation and entrepreneurship. Prof LI concluded that more mutual visits are anticipated in order to establish a closer working relationship.