Renowned academics, enthusiastic educationalists and students packed City University of Hong Kong (CityU) Friday to share the University's commitment and improvement in the quality of teaching and learning culture in the past years.

A special event, the Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA) plaque unveiling ceremony, was held on the campus of the university Friday afternoon to mark the success of building a culture of quality education at the university.

At the ceremony, Prof. H. K. Chang, President of the university, emphasized the importance of maintaining the momentum of a culture of quality teaching and learning and gave an assurance of his strong support to quality education in the University.

The TEA plaque, which is engraved with the names of all TEA winners in the past 11 years, is placed at the entrance of the Academic Building of the university for the university community to appreciate the university's continuing efforts in recognizing their outstanding teaching staff.

Prof. Richard Ho, chairman of the CityU's Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) announced five dedicated teachers as winners of the Teaching Excellence Awards Scheme in 2003/2004.

CityU's TEA scheme, which is playing a pioneering role among other local universities, has ventured into its 11th year since its inauguration in 1993/1994.

It aims to recognize and reward distinguished teachers and to emphasize the university's commitment to support a teaching culture with a focus on the enhancement of student learning. The scheme has recognized the efforts of 59 outstanding teaching staff so far.

In commending the TEA Scheme, Prof. K. P. Mohanan from the National University of Singapore said, "I am very impressed by the commitment and rigor of the deliberations in CityU of the Teaching Excellence Awards exercise. I have learnt a great deal from it."

Ms Denise Chalmers from University of Queensland said, "In Hong Kong and Australia, there is an increasing emphasis on student learning and the way teaching is developing to support it. The TEA winners in CityU would be recognized as outstanding teachers in higher education internationally."

Prof. Richard Ho said that he was confident that CityU would embrace a more visionary future in the higher education arena with its evidence-based philosophy of quality education.

The TEA not only focuses on teaching methods and strategies, but more importantly, gives much attention to assessment and learning outcomes. These achievements of their teachers and the efforts of the university will certainly help make CityU a learner-oriented institution, added Ho.

(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2004)