Dear colleagues —
This summer has been unlike any other. Normally I am welcoming you back from a summer break, where many of you would have travelled for either research or vacation. This year, most of us have remained in Hong Kong, and so it is understandable that we may be feeling less refreshed than normal. We’ve also had to get used to the uncertainties of the pandemic and the announcement and implementation of the National Security Law. If you have children, you’re probably doing a 2nd job as home-school teacher as well. Please make sure that you are looking after yourself, and your families.
You will just have received the message below from Ian Holliday, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning), announcing that the University plans to resume some face-to-face teaching on September 22. In this Faculty, that will be the case for most classes with a size of fewer than 90 students. You can confirm whether your course will go f2f by looking in SIS.
All courses will continue to be taught online, and students must not be required to attend f2f teaching (except for a very small number of courses with exceptional requirements). Thus, f2f components are optional. For example, many courses will have in-person lectures but will also need to deliver that content online by live-streaming/recording it, or doing a different version online.
Of course, sudden spikes in COVID-19 case numbers may require revision of this plan, and suspension of f2f at short notice. We will do our best to provide communication on any such changes as quickly as possible.
I know that these plans come after a very challenging last 12 months for everyone, with sudden changes to teaching caused by social unrest and the pandemic. As teachers, you have had to rapidly learn how to deliver your classes online, and change many of your assessment methods. The coming semester with its hybrid delivery (both f2f and online for many courses) will have its own challenges to overcome — I am grateful for the efforts that you will put in to deliver teaching of our usual high standards. With progress in vaccine development it is hoped that the pandemic will come under control in the first half of 2021, so hopefully a return to “normal operations” is within sight.
Please keep in close contact with Department Heads as the semester gets underway, and let them know if you have any difficulties with online and f2f delivery of teaching. As always, I’m happy to hear from you if you would like to raise any issues to me. Hopefully over the next few months we’ll be able to get away from Zoom and start seeing each other in real life again!
Best wishes for the semester
Will Hayward