Student Experiences

As a first-year student in the Broad Discipline of Construction and Environment, I am having a very fruitful and meaningful university life. Even though taking Cluster Area Requirement courses and a service-learning course are part of the graduation requirements, I am thankful that PolyU has given me the opportunity to learn and gain new experiences. My service-learning project involved travelling to the small town of Shao Guan, where I and three other students taught English to about 60 primary school students. It was a very harsh trip physically but I enjoyed helping the students – it was an awesome experience!

Throughout my years of study, BRE has given me a glimpse of the building profession, not only academically, but practically. The programme is reviewed recurrently with contemporary knowledge from the industry to ensure that graduates are prepared for the real business world. Meanwhile, extracurricular activities like the Asian Coalition for Building Science and Construction Engineering and study tour have provided me with exposure to foreign technologies and culture. All these have helped me to achieve an advantage over graduates from other universities.

 I treasured the opportunities given by PolyU and the department of BRE to join an exchange programme to study in the Architecture Department of Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, for about 6 months. This allowed me to broaden my horizons and extended my international network. This definitely benefited me a lot when I worked as a project manager and had to hold various conference calls with client representatives in different places.

Besides, with the support of my department, I was able to join the Preferred Graduate Programme in both 2009 and 2010 to work in Nanjing Construction Bank and the largest developer in Xi Shan for my summer internship. Working in a state-owned company and experiencing the working environment in China were crucial to my career development and life.

BRE has provided a professional and engaging studying environment, with highly qualified professors actively involved in the industry. Highlights also included industrial workshops, a mentorship scheme and an internship experience. All these have given me good opportunities to keep myself up-to-date in this fast-changing industry. This, combined with the strong professional networks, good social background and hands-on courses in the surveying programme, is what makes studying in BRE so unique.

With the well- designed programme and all the resources here, I have acquired a diverse set of skills to tackle challenges in different areas. Also, studying here has further confirmed my interest in real estate and enhanced my confidence.

During my freshman year at PolyU, I learned how to organise functions as part of the Students' Society, how to get along with fellow residents as part of hall life, and many other intangible yet vital skills. The year was a complete transition from life at home. I have already become a wiser and better person. As a university student, striking a balance between studying and recreation is never easy. Some students find that they have no time for non-academic activities, but some find them enjoyable. To me, everything I encounter is a chance to discover more about myself.

My first year at PolyU has been very challenging, but also exciting, interesting and meaningful. The civil engineering subjects offered highlight the diversity of areas within the discipline, covering environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics, structural and transportation engineering. One subject, Construction for Better Living, was enjoyably interactive. For instance, in addition to regular lectures and tutorials, we had a site visit to Disneyland, where we saw how classroom knowledge was applied to the built environment and some of the ways in which our chosen discipline contributed to real life.

I also attended the IC Training offered by the Industrial Centre in mid-August 2013. With a focus on engineering safety, the training was essential to my goal of becoming an engineer.

Spending a semester at the University of Leeds was definitely a precious experience for me. It has allowed me to widen my horizons not only through academic learning, but also through travelling and exploring the UK. I met plenty of friends there by participating in club activities and talking to my lecturers, through which I have gained a deeper self-cognition about what I hope to achieve in the future. I feel like I am now living in an expanded world. I am more confident and independent after my return.

Do you know what geomatics means? It stands for geo-informatics. LSGI is the only department in Hong Kong to provide professional training in geo-spatial data capturing, processing and presentation. It provides an all-round education to each student, so I have had many chances to operate different types of survey equipment, try various kinds of software and take part in many challenging but interesting fieldwork. Such activities have also helped me to develop a team spirit. Working with friends is definitely a memorable part of my university life.

I have also benefited from PolyU’s Work-Integrated Education programme, whereby students spend two months in industry to gain practical experience. I am currently taking part in the programme and learning many techniques for improving surveying results. These will be absolutely useful in my future career.