University students will have the chance to get out of the classroom and serve the community through new internship programmes.
Chinese University chief Joseph Sung Jao-yiu (pictured) said the internships aimed to provide structured training and work experience for students to learn about social issues such as poverty, environmental protection, drug abuse or the spread of Aids in developing countries.
The CUHK is appealing for HK$100 million in donations to support the programme with non-governmental organisations in the coming academic year. It is also liaising with local and overseas NGOs for the internships.
'We hope that young people will have a sense of mission about serving society after graduation instead of just finding a job to make a living,' Sung said.
'It will also be possible for some students to defer their studies for a year so they can join overseas NGOs. The programme is not just about service, it will have a strong educational element too. For example, students will study courses about poverty before they go out to help the needy and they will have to prepare reports about the programme.'
The CUHK has so far received about HK$10 million for the programme. The HK$100 million would be used as an endowment fund to generate an expected 4 per cent return a year, about HK$4 million, to support the programmes.
