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Launched in the academic year 2020/21, the “INSPIRE” – PolyU Mentorship
Programme aims to enhance the holistic education experience and facilitate
the personal, academic, and professional development of our local and non-local,
undergraduate and postgraduate students from all Faculties/Schools through a robust
network of role models and prominent leaders from the PolyU community.
Following the success of
the first three rounds of
“INSPIRE”, the fourth round,
commenced in May 2022,
has brought the total to 175
Mentors and 723 Mentees.
PolyU takes pride in the
strong pool of its “INSPIRE”
Mentors which comprises
PolyU’s Council and Court
members, University Fellows,
outstanding alumni leaders,
strategic partners, as well as
friends and supporters from
Hong Kong and Mainland
China.
Thanks to the valuable contributions from both Mentors and various PolyU units, an
array of engaging and stimulating activities such as coaching sessions, forums, outings,
and annual gathering are organised throughout the year. The first Annual Gathering of
“INSPIRE” was held at PolyU’s Jockey Club Auditorium on 27 October 2021 to celebrate
the success of the Programme and the growth of the student Mentees.
Brian Kwok, a final-year student from the Faculty of Construction and Environment,
is very grateful for the wise counsels from his Mentor, Ir Yau Kwok-fai, Executive
Director of Able Engineering Holdings Limited. “Mr Yau is indeed my life coach,” he said.
“Having such an outstanding industry leader as my Mentor not only provides me with
excellent exposure to the construction sector but also a valuable opportunity to learn
the essential attributes for becoming an all-round professional. I will take to heart all his
advice, and be forever grateful for his care and support.”
To facilitate connection between Mentors and Mentees, PolyU rolled out a new mobile
application “INSPIRE@PolyU” in November 2021 for the “INSPIRE” community, with
which they can organise mentoring activities and share insights at their fingertips.
Virtual Career Fairs
SAO organises Career Fairs every year with a view to letting
PolyU students have a better picture of the job and internship
opportunities available in the market. The Fairs are also occasions for
students to connect with potential employers and for employers to
identify the right candidates for their job openings.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, the Career Fair had
to go online. PolyU’s first Virtual Career Fair was successfully held in
November 2020 for students to search for graduate or internship job openings through
virtual booths, interact with employers via online chats, and gain industry insights
through online career talks over a one-stop platform.
The second and third Virtual Career Fairs were launched respectively in October 2021
and March 2022, and supported by over 370 employers who posted more than 11,000
job vacancies.
STEM Internship Scheme
PolyU has pledged its support to the STEM Internship Scheme, initiated by the
Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government. The Scheme
serves to encourage STEM students to gain innovation and technology (I&T)-related
work experience during their study and to foster their interest in pursuing a career in
I&T, thus enlarging the local I&T talent pool.
Two rounds of the Scheme were launched in the academic year 2021/22 and a total of
400 companies/organisations participated, providing more than 820 STEM internship
opportunities for over 360 students. It is encouraging to note that the Scheme is well
received by our STEM students and most of the participating employers have indicated
their interest in joining again in the future.
Globalink Research Internship Programme
Further to the partnership agreement
established between PolyU and Mitacs,
15 students took part in the Globalink Research
Internship (GRI) programme, a 12-week
attachment at a Canadian university to undertake a
research project in their area of interest under the
supervision of a professor. The students found the
research experience and the stay in Canada eyeand
mind-opening.
The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, McMaster University in Hamilton,
University of Waterloo in Waterloo, and University of Calgary in Edmonton, all worldrenowned
universities, are among the Canadian universities joining the latest GRI
programme.
Work-Integrated Education (WIE) Programmes
PolyU is the first tertiary institution in Hong Kong to
incorporate a mandatory Work-Integrated Education
(WIE) component in the undergraduate curriculum,
providing students with work-based learning experiences
which are related to their chosen future profession.
In coordination with Faculties/Schools, SAO strives to
provide physical or virtual internship opportunities in Hong Kong, Mainland China,
and overseas for students to further strengthen their professional competencies and
expand their global perspective.
Over the years, SAO has worked closely with Faculties/Schools to make available WIE
internship opportunities in more than 30 overseas countries and around 20 cities in
Mainland China.
Major WIE Locations
Overseas: Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia,
Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, UK, US
Mainland China: Beijing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Nansha, Nantong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xi’an,
Zhoushan, Zhuhai
