The Non-local Student Services Team (NLSST) devised a Host Family Scheme to let non-local students experience family lives in Hong Kong, as well as giving them a flavour of local cultures, ideas and values. This scheme matches up nonlocal students with local families and allows them to visit the families regularly. A Lantern Poon Choi Dinner, which serves the city’s unique communal dish Poon Choi, drew more than 150 students and members of host families to serve a taste of a traditional Lunar New Year gathering, while also fostering bonds among them.
A New Website for Non-local Students
To provide an all-in-one information platform for non-local students and other users, the NLSST launched a new website in May 2023. The website covers information about pre-arrival preparations, accommodation, visa and immigration rules, academic support services and more, to provide user-friendly, accessible and valuable resources to visitors.
Welcoming Sessions and a series of interactive activities were organised by the NLSST at the beginning of the semester to bid welcome to freshmen and exchange students. Through these activities, they got to know more not only about PolyU but also about their peers. As a gesture of warm welcome, the NLSST also distributed over 1,000 welcome packs to these students.
In addition, the NLSST also worked closely with the Hong Kong Police to raise awareness of the dangers of scams and frauds during the orientation information sessions.
The “Exploring Hong Kong Series” is a programme for non-local students to explore local places and cultures more fully. From handcrafting the intangible cultural heritage Hong Kongstyle milk tea at a workshop to discovering traditional cultures in Tai O to tasting an authentic Hong Kong-style BBQ to exploring the UNESCO Global Geopark in Sai Kung, this programme has so much to offer.
