There is a saying, “it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books”. It may be a cliché saying, but Professor Jeanne Fu, Vice-President (Learning and Student Experience) of HSUHK, adheres to the concept given her personal experiences. Raised in Hong Kong, Professor Fu earned her PhD in Psychology at The University of Hong Kong, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University in the United States. She then started teaching at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and City University of Hong Kong. In 2017, she joined the Department of Management at HSUHK. With global education and work opportunities, she truly experienced cultural diversity. She says “Establishing interpersonal networks by interacting with people from different places and cultures has enriched my personal growth and broadened my horizons. These are lifelong benefits.” Years of multicultural experiences have sparked her interest in cross-cultural management, one of the academic research areas that she focuses on.
Professor Fu took up the position of Vice-President (Learning and Student Experience) at HSUHK in February 2024. She now leads student learning, development and growth, including the enhancement of teaching and learning quality, the Common Core Curriculum, student support services and development programmes, strategic partnerships with established institutions in the Greater China region and overseas to provide students with a comprehensive and transformative learning experience.
Encouraging HSUHK students to step out of the campus and enrich their learning experiences beyond Hong Kong is a key focus for Professor Fu. She explained how the University actively provides students with more opportunities for overseas exchange programmes and learning experiences. This includes funding outstanding students to attend summer programmes at world-renowned universities such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University. HSUHK’s Honours Academy is also organising the Global Immersion Programme which allows students to go to Australia and Europe among other places for in-depth cultural exchanges and visits. HSUHK also arranges and encourages students to participate in large-scale international events such as the University Scholars Leadership Symposium supported by the United Nations, where they can meet emerging student leaders from different countries and join workshops to further develop their leadership abilities.
Professor Fu emphasised that students highly value these non-local experiential learning opportunities as personal experiences, which are always more profound than theoretical discussions. Based on her observations, students undergo remarkable transformations after participating in overseas exchanges, through which they become more mature, independent, responsible, adaptable, and improve their communication and problem-solving abilities. “Some employers have mentioned that they prefer students with overseas exchange experiences when recruiting for high-ranking positions. Even academic research shows that overseas learning experience brings positive effects on creativity and career success alongside having a profound influence on overall student development.”
HSUHK also plans to organise an international student leadership conference in the future, inviting students from universities around the world to come to Hong Kong. Professor Fu explained “Not every HSUHK student can go abroad for exchange, so it is important to invite foreign students to our campus, to further encourage exchanges between local and foreign students.” She believes that when students from different nationalities come to HSUHK, they can deepen their understanding of each other’s cultures, share perspectives on issues and social topics, and help broaden each other’s worldviews and perspectives. This also gives local students an opportunity to improve their language and communication skills.
In Professor Fu’s eyes, HSUHK students are diligent and always look for room to improve. She believes that every stage of university life brings valuable experiences to students and encourages students to participate in overseas academic exchanges, internships and experiential co-curriculum to build confidence and interpersonal networks. “Your university classmates or roommates may become your most important friends and partners in life and provide strong support for your future.”
