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Welcoming Message

GE Programmes
Co-curricular Programmes for ALL HKU Students
 


s/ash
Hong Kong has gone through an unprecedented summer that has shocked the world.  Millions of people took to the streets to protest the erosion of their freedoms and to defend the core values. Undeniably there will be conflicting viewpoints of the chain of events, and being reductionist is of no value at all. Instead, we have to look, ponder, probe from various perspectives, and keep equipping ourselves to look for the truth, continuing our philosophy, which we have held since 1995, of providing interest and passion driven non-credit bearing programmes to pave the way towards our goals and dreams.  
 
Some call our young people as Gen Z or Digital Natives, as they tend to be more digital-savvy and multi-tasking than previous generations. We might also describe them as Gen S (Slash).  In this context, the term ‘Slash’ was coined by Marci Alboher[1] to describe people who have multiple concurrent careers and identities instead of a single cohesive career.
 
Zygmunt Bauman, the Polish Sociologist/Philosopher has used “liquid modernity” to describe the fluid manner in which a person can shift from one social position to another.
 
“Be water, my friend…”
Bruce Lee’s idea can also be applied in many diverse contexts. So let’s keep our agility and flexibility for the ever changing world.
 
Our co-curricular programmes are curated for your Multi-roles-tasking-visions-capacities-possibilities because we believe in AcadeMediArTradExperiencEducation. We offer four major categories of programmes for you to explore and learn.


1/  We Are the World


HK Series
We must seek out exit strategies that enable us to move forward rationally and peacefully. We must dig deep into the roots of the social conflicts of the past few years.  No matter where are you from, these programmes are for you if you care about the issues.
 
CapTV: In the House
Season 2 will keep up with our down-to-earth approach, with topics close to the students.
 
Japan Series
From Heisei to Reiwa in May 2019 to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, we would like to take this journey with you to explore and learn; from Japanese craftsmanship to the self-discovery of the soul and spirit of ourselves and our own hometowns. The key is in the process and not the results. Learning the spirits (精神) through excelling at the skills, but not purely focussing on the skills. Also, learning from maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto’s practices of humanism and his passionate dedication will shed some light on how we could pursue excellence with a soul.
Moreover, from comparing the Japanese popular culture of different generations, we might be able to find some clues to how it influences our identities.
 
As ever, GE’s long time partners, Prof. Lung Ying-tai and Edward Lam will continue to surprise us at every turn.
 
2/ F:A:C:E:
F:A:C:E: (Fascinating Arts and Cultural Experiences) is one of our flagship programme series which includes Mentorship, Subsidy, Book Club, Music Salon, and many other choices of eye-opening events.
We have inspiring artists from China (Kunqu), Taiwan (Photography) and Finland (Rap and Dance), and local performers (Dance) etc., and we will co-organise the first Asia-Pacific Community Music Network Conference. There must be something there that will ignite your creative spark.
 
3/ Green Living Lifestyle
GE will proudly present our 15^th Trail Walker 50km challenge, which is about team spirit and going beyond your comfort zone. It’s also about zero trace and the appreciation of nature. Another signature series is our Rooftop Farm and Herb Garden and its related green activities (Green Monday Lunch, Harvest Lunch, Community Open Farm, Herb Garden Tea Gathering) to learn how to become a responsible global citizen and take good care of mother earth.
To suit the increasing appetite for sustainable knowledge, we have designed a
Vegetarian Food Tour/Cooking Class exploring the neighbour restaurants. We will also offer a Wild Camping experience.
 
 
4/ GEST
Co-curating and co-creating are what we believe and practise. And we celebrate diversity.
GEST (GE Student Team) is a dynamic group of students who show their talents in various fields in addition to their academic studies.  Our well-acclaimed Tea from Around the World, Global Kitchen, Global News Chat, Curators Series, and Skills Sharing offer you a warm welcome all year-round.  Anyone can be our curators and performers, visual artists, stand-up comedians, chefs, producers, instructors, hosts etc.
Just drop by our Gatherland, where you will find the wooden furniture, wallpaper, lamp shades, graffiti, and vibrant events that are all the beautiful legacies and stories from our youngsters.  And there’s still plenty of room for you to contribute, to know your peers, learn with joy, and to have fun.
 
Last but not least, we are always open to ideas and suggestions. Please talk to our friendly staff and student team members and make your dreams come true. 
Have a spectacular new academic year!
 
The GE Team