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Graduation and top honours project awarding ceremonies of 2021 COMS graduates were held on last Friday. Congratulations to all top honors project award recipients!

Highlight Photos:

The Department of Communication Studies invites current students and alumni of the School of Communication and Film to participate in our logotype design competition. A logotype is a text-only typographic design without any added graphics. We are looking for a logotype that delivers a modern and professional image and showcases a forward looking spirit of the Department. The winning logotype will be used December of 2021 on the website, letterhead, office space, and any promotion materials of the Department.

Awards and Prizes

Winner (one entry): Cash prize of HK$5,000

Runners-up (three to five entries): Cash prize of HK$1,000 for each entry

Period

The competition will accept submissions from October 15, 2021 to December 3, 2021 (both days inclusive, Hong Kong time). Late submissions will not be accepted. A selection panel of faculty and staff members as well as alumni of the Department will evaluate the submissions. The winner and runners-up will be announced in late November or early December of 2021 via the Department’s websites and Facebook page. The winner and runners-up will be notified by email individually as well.

Requirements

1. The design should convey a modern and professional image of the Department and should not clash with the University and the School logo. The current logos of the University, the School, and the Department can be accessed here (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1prCSp4RdCgQi-mdP4HSXfYcxvZea4xs8?usp=sharing).
2. The composition elements of the logotype must only include the texts “Department of Communication Studies” and “傳播系”, without any added graphics. For one entry, three versions of the logotype should be provided :(1) an English-only version: Department of Communication Studies; (2) a Chinese-only version: 傳播系; and (3) a bilingual version: Department of Communication Studies 傳播系 (For this version, the entry should clearly show how the positions of the English and the Chinese words are arranged.).
3. Each design should be in a maximum of three colors. In addition, both color and black/white versions must be included.
4. Each participant may submit one entry.

Submission formats and method

All entries must be designed using a computer graphic software and exported to and submitted in a JPEGformat. An entry should not exceed 1280 x 1024 pixels. The Department may request editable digital files at a later stage. The winning logotype and runners-up will be required to provide the editable digital files after results are announced.

Please email your entry to coms@hkbu.edu.hk. Begin the subject line with “Logotype” and your full name (e.g., Logotype Chan Tai Man). Include the information listed below:

• Name of participant (as stated on the identification document);
• Phone number;
• Indicate if you are a current student (year and major) or a graduate (year of graduation and major);
• A JPEG file(s) of the logotype (the attachment(s) should not exceed 20MB in total).

Intellectual Property Rights

All the participants agree to assign the intellectual property rights of the winning design the Department of Communication Studies, HKBU. All the entries must be original and free from infringement of any existing intellectual property rights. The participants shall bear full legal and related responsibilities arising from any possible breach of intellectual property rights in respect of their entries. The Department reserves the right to modify the winning logotype and/or develop different versions of the logotype with relation to its colors, size, form, resolution and all other features, with or without the consent of the creator of the winning entry.

Enquiries

For inquiries, please contact Ms. Venice Cheng (venicectk@hkbu.edu.hk).

The Department of Communication Studies has launched a new Organizational Communication (ORGC) curriculum forthe academic year of 2021-22 onwards. With a new positioning, the ORGC program emphasizes two new areas: internal communication and data analytics.

   Dr. Timothy Fung, ORGC Program Director, the Department of Communication Studies

Why does ORGC need a change?

According to Dr. Timothy Fung, Associate Professor and ORGC Programme Director, the former ORGC curriculum used to emphasize flexibility aiming to train all-around communicators. However, its career goals were not clearly designated and did not reflect the fact that today’s digital era is creating new job opportunities in the communication industry.

There is a great demand for practitioners with digital communication skills and corporate strategic capability in the current job market. Corporates from different sectors are looking for internal communication talents able to help companies enhance employee engagement and bolster organizational performance across regions and countries.

The revamped ORGC curriculum synergizes the other two concentrations offered by the Department, Public Relation (PR), and Advertising and Branding (AB). Each concentration offers a facet of communication. PR concerns external relations; AB aims at corporate branding, and ORGC emphasizes internal relations.

Internal communication: A Digital-Orientated Approach

The Department of Communication Studies offers new courses on digital technology in order to prepare students to be digitally savvy professionals in the field of internal communication. Students will keep abreast of technology and learn how to employ data analytic skills to execute daily communication tasks in the workplace.

Timothy notes the importance of digital technology in the communication industry. The proficient use of digital media is crucial to student success. Data analytics should be regarded as an essential tool.

“Many companies retain data on their internal communication systems. However, they often lack efficient methods to analyse this data for strategic planning and decision making. The ability on the part of students to analyse big data means that once in the workplace, they can fill this gap and help companies find solutions to all manner of problems,” says Timothy.

     New brochure of ORGC concentration

Timothy also highlights the fact that there is an increasing number of young digital natives among employees in many companies. “Most enterprises have their own App, social media and websites created by the IT department. These are run by young digital media professionals reflecting a growing demand for talent in this new era.”

He goes on to stress two main advantages for ORGC graduates once they commence their careers. The first advantage is that they will benefit from the inclusion within the course of professional training. “As the new curriculum takes the professional association’s guidelines as its reference, the quality of training students receive is up to date and has industry relevance.” The second advantage is that students will graduate with digital communication skills which fit for working in corporate enterprises and human resources departments.

New Curriculum Design: Four Pillars

The new ORGC curriculum focuses on four pillars of communication: internal communication training, digital communication skills training, multi-platform content production training, and work-related training. “It contains conceptual knowledge and professional skills for internal communication,” says Timothy.

The second pillar aims to train students to be problem solvers, visual communicators, and communication transformers while the third pillar offers students training in advanced media design or how to use texts, images and communication platforms to plan internal communication activities.

The final pillar, work-related training, is included to prepare students to be job-ready candidates through participating in internship, practicum, and co-curricular activities such as study tours, career talks, and seminars.

The Department invited Mr. Jason Hui, Senior Manager in communication from Shangri-La Group, as guest speaker to kick off the first Internal Communication Seminar on 13 September 2021. “Our guest speaker for the next seminar will be the chairperson of The Institute of International Communication (IoIC). We’ll invite internal communication managers from big tech companies to give talks in the future seminars,” announces Timothy. “We welcome our alumni to join the seminars and stay in touch with us for the details of registration for the seminars.”

The 1 ^st seminar on Internal Communication by Jayson Hui

“Students will continue to take leadership and writing courses as before,” adds Timothy. “We’ll also continue to provide professional skills training courses, such as campaign or event planning, to further enhance students’ practical skills on how to work with corporate goals and use knowledge to formulate and execute internal communication strategies.”

Students will learn how to plan activities systematically through courses such as Internal Communication and Employee Engagement. Other courses such as Social Media@Work can deepen students’ understanding of the relationship between social media and the workplace.

By taking the new courses, students can explore Data Analytics and Visualization for Corporate Communication, Programming for Digital Communication, and learn to use programming languages to analyse data, generate visually appealing graphs and develop communication programs based on data.

Cultivate Job-ready Candidates

The course has been revamped to enhance ORGC’s competitive advantage by providing students with a clear career path and digital skills to fit them for success in a data-driven jobs market.

“We are not going to train our students with great computer science ability,” Timothy asserts. “But we want our students to become communicators and use digital skills to innovate within corporations.”

The School of Communication provides overseas opportunities to broaden students’ horizons. Students are encouraged to participate in exchange programs and visit multinational companies to get a taste of what a future role in Public Relations might look like. The faculty is expanding job roles and internship vacancies for students. One such role is that of Internal Cooperation at the Shangri-La Company.

Tips for ORGC Students

What do students need to know if they plan to study the ORGC concentration? Timothy believes that attitude is key to everything. To succeed, students need to be curious about what is happening both within a company and the society. After four years’ training, students will be ready to assume internal communications roles and make a positive contribution to both corporate and community.

For more details, students can refer to the department’s website and brochure at www.coms.hkbu.edu.hk/orgc or contact Dr. Timothy Fung.

Authors: LUK Man Sin, WONG Cathy Kin Yan (ORGC3046 Writing for Professional Communication Class 2020)

Edited by Dr. Michelle HUANG

Serene is currently employed as a government executive officer. She is an alumna of the HKBU School of Communication and a lifelong learner. The road to success has not always been easy, but driven by her passion, Serene has faced the unknown to develop a successful career. Her courage and curiosity have ensured she has made the most of every opportunity to develop her abilities and shine. She has now returned to the School of Communication to share her knowledge and experience with those who hope to follow in her footsteps.

Never could Serene have dreamt that knowledge acquired as a student of Communication Studies at HKBU would prove fundamental to her success.

Spark of Education

Serene graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University with a major in organisational communication (ORGC). At the time, it was a three-year undergraduate program. When she first arrived on campus, Serene was undecided about which major to choose. However, after chatting with senior communication students at the orientation camp, she happily chose Organisational Communication.

Fast forward to today, Serene is proud of her identity as an ORGC graduate. “The School of Communication is a place that nurtures students to become well-rounded professionals,” says Serene. At the conclusion of the three-year program, Serene had mastered a wide range of soft skills including leadership skills, communication skills and problem-solving skills.

These skills have allowed her to successfully compete with other candidates in the job market and to secure her current position. Indeed, Serene has found that academic knowledge and practical communication skills acquired in the ORGC concentration have had broad application in the real world of work.

Courage

Courage is essential to become a success in the workplace. Without it, we shrink from new experiences and stagnate in our careers. Serene took advantage of the learning opportunities provided by the school.

“I participated in the exchange programme for one semester in the United States. The overseas study adventure was truly a great experience. I met people from very different backgrounds, experienced a brand new culture and grew as a person. My courage allowed me to broaden my career horizons,” says Serene excitedly.

Studying at a US university which promoted a proactive classroom learning culture gave Serene the opportunity to develop further at a personal level. “The exchange programme helped me to develop confidence and a greater sense of independence, to widen my social network and improve my English language skills,” says Serene.

While at university, both in Hong Kong and the US, Serene was determined to equip herself for life after university. For example, she met a Taiwanese professor, whom she came to regard as a mentor and friend. “He treated each student as an individual. He had the ability to empathize and share ideas to help students think broadly and strategically about how to pursue opportunities.” Through this relationship, Serene came to appreciate the importance of preparation and planning. Various internship experiences reinforced such abilities.

“The internship experience allowed me to apply academic knowledge in real business contexts,” Serene explains. She believes this opportunity provided experience that gave her a distinct advantage when she entered the workforce. As if to prove the point, four years ago, Serene secured her dream job as a government executive officer.

Attitude

Serene’s humble attitude has taken her a long way. “I believe the true way to learn is by giving: giving your time, your energy and your passion,” Serene stresses. “In the process of giving, your heart will tell you where your true interests lie.”

Serene took on several work roles before landing her current role as a civil servant. She was at various times, a bank manager, a market research analyst responsible for content creation and a website manager.

Striking a healthy work-life balance as a means of performing well at work was recommended by a friend. Taking this advice on board and putting it into practice represented a turning point in Serene’s career and has enabled her to perform at her very best.

In her current role as an executive officer, Serene has had job rotations to different government departments every two years. To date, she has worked in the Home Affairs Department, the Marine Department, and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

Serene is hosting the Marine Department Union Cum Dinner

“I love my job because I am able to experience a completely different type of work every two to three years without changing companies,” she revealed. Serene has gained insight and expanded her skill-set from her current role.

Next Generation

Serene knows success is not an overnight phenomenon. She urges students to make the most of their four years at university to prepare themselves for the challenges that lie ahead.

Serene believes, “Friends are assets that enhance the quality of your life and sometimes even assist your career”. She encourages students to build a wide social network while at university. This can be achieved by joining societies and participating in extracurricular activities such as the unique “huts” activities in the School of Communication.

Serene’s experience at the School of Communication was one of belonging to a large nurturing family which she found to be a rich source of support. She hopes the current crop of students will take advantage of this. “Take the initiative to ask questions,” advises Serene. Ask for advice from teachers and fellow students and embrace the possibility of success in the foreseeable future.

The Last Word

No one can shine overnight. “Life is full of unknowns, which sometimes leaves us overwhelmed. Yet, with clear future goals and a good dose of courage, anyone can become a rising star”.

Authors: Yammie Chan Ho Ying, Kimmy Kwan Wai Yiu, Otila Cheng Tsz Ying, Judy Cheung Yin Yan, Tavia Kan Man Yi (ORGC3046 Class 2021)

Edited by Dr. Michelle Huang

Prof. John Powers, a professor emeritus in HKBU, retired fully in 2018. While in retirement, Prof. Powers has continued with his academic work despite leaving his office on campus. He now rents a humble office in a small village and keeps writing on several book projects.

Prof. John Powers reminisces about the old days serving in the Department of Communication Studies

For Prof. Powers, the biggest difference between work before and after retirement is that he no longer needs to conform to a strict schedule. He finally has the time to complete projects that he could not take priority before and to embark on new areas of interest. He refers to this as “doing what all retired people dream of doing”.

From Texas to Hong Kong

An interesting set of coincidences drew him to Hong Kong. He first joined Texas A&M University following the completion of a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from the University of Denver.

During his time at Texas A&M University, Prof. Powers co-founded a communication program with his colleagues. He later worked as a visiting scholar for a year at a university in Malaysia. After his one-year stay in Malaysia, he and his family stopped by in Hong Kong for a two-day visit before flying back to Texas. The vibrancy of the city and the stunning lights along the Victorian Harbor captured his heart. He made a promise to his family, “We must visit Hong Kong again in the future.”

A few years later, he saw a job opening for a professor in communication at Hong Kong Baptist University. He flew to Hong Kong all the way for the opportunity, never expecting that he would eventually make Hong Kong his home for more than two decades.

From ACS to ORGC

After settling in Hong Kong, Prof. Powers was teaching a new program, which did not include the TV, Public Relations and Advertising, Digital Graphic and journalism stream, instead, the new courses for Applied Communication Studies (ACS).

When he was the acting Head of the Department, Prof. Powers set about building networks across the university and working with the other colleagues, such as Prof. Vivian Sheer and Prof. Xiao Xiaosui, to build the new program, the Organizational Communication (ORGC) concentration.

The then ORGC curriculum placed emphasis on the synthesis of information, verbal skills, critical reasoning, teamwork, judgment, and problem-solving abilities. The program drew on a mix of theories to guide empirical practice and covered personal, social and institutional interactions. The ORGC students were expected to be future well-rounded communication professionals contributing to a variety of organizational roles and across a range of industries.

Compared with the earlier Applied Communication Studies (ACS) program, the ORGC concentration is more practical in its approach, providing students with hands-on practice on handling real world challenges. The ORGC graduates are more readily seen as competent to take on particular workplace roles.

“You’ve got the opportunity. You’ve got the faculty who wants to work with you, so do it and make good use of it,”

A Legacy to HKBU

Prof. John Powers founded the public speaking program in 2013. The program offered public speaking as a General Education core course to all undergraduates at HKBU. He had devoted considerable time and effort to ensure the course remained responsive to students’ needs.

Prof. Powers considered public speaking skills as an essential pathway to success in our careers. He developed all the teaching and learning materials for the public speaking course based on his expertise in speech communication.

“Public speaking is more than the use of language; it is a two-way communication between the speaker and the audience,” says Prof. Powers. “Students need to master relevant communication skills and principles.”

Today, the course entitled “The Art of Persuasion” has become a university core course for all undergraduate students.  A legacy of Prof. Powers’ to the university.

Good Old Days with the Students

Our students have always contributed to Prof. Powers’ sense of belonging and fulfillment at COMS and provided him with precious memories. During his first couple of years at HKBU, assisting students with honors projects helped him become grounded in the new work culture.

Prof. Powers particularly enjoyed fostering students to think independently and clarifying complex concepts by themselves. This approach encouraged students to be confident, open to others’ ideas and comfortable approaching faculty members for assistance when needed.

“We enjoy a reputation for having the best students in the university and that’s true,” says Prof Powers with a broad smile. “Open doors for people who expect from you.”

A Fulfillment of his Promise

The 24-year flashback at HKBU is a fulfillment of that promise made on the Malaysia-Texas trip through Hong Kong where Prof. Powers and his family saw the lights along the Victorian Harbor 30 years ago. Prof. Powers will leave Hong Kong and move back to the US soon. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Prof Powers for his 24 years’ contribution to HKBU, and our best wishes to him for a happy life ahead in his home country.

Authors: Chan Hiu Ching, Wong Pui Man Karman, Ip Cheuk Lam Brianna, Am Ho Ching Julia, Wong Nga Lee Alice, Daria Kulakova (students from ORGC3046 Writing for Professional Communication 2021)

Edited by Dr. Michelle HUANG

Penny talks about his university life at HKBU.

Penny is currently the owner of a production house. Here he shares his experience of studying Organizational Communication (ORGC) at HKBU and his subsequent career.

How it All Started

“As a Form Six student in secondary school, I had to stand in front of hundreds of people for the first time to deliver a Student Union speech. I shared a joke, and everyone laughed! This was very satisfying and I became aware of the power of communication,” says Penny.

“I was also inspired by a lecturer at HKBU Dr Ng (吳昊博士).” Dr Ng’s teaching of Techniques of Narration fostered Penny’s interest in product shooting. “That’s how I got into the advertising industry,” he explains.

Choosing ACS as a Major

At secondary school, Penny liked reading different kinds of novels. At times, he also had opportunities to speak on stage. Both these interests led to a fascination with communication and this in turn led to his decision to study Applied Communication Studies (ACS), the forerunner of Organizational Communication (ORGC) at HKBU.

“I was exposed to a number of theories in the first two years at HKBU and started to take part in several practical activities in Year 3”. Penny particularly enjoyed the class projects because they enabled him to apply what he was learning at a hands-on level. For instance, he designed one project aimed at fundraising for pet welfare. Another project involved the creation of a virtual entertainment department to showcase how a company was run and what services it could offer.

Practical skills vs. Theoretical knowledge

At first, Penny considered a career in organizational communication, but on second thoughts, decided to try something else, “Why don’t I use images instead of verbal language to express my point of view?” He mused at that time. After he chose CTV (Cinema and TV) as a course elective, he became fascinated with video shooting as a way to communicate his ideas and values to audiences.

In the real world of communication, practical skill is more relevant than theoretical knowledge. Penny worked as a production assistant (PA) before becoming a commercial director. That experience taught him that each work role in acareer trajectory requires communication with people from all walks of life. Communication skills cannot be mastered simply by reading about relevant theories. Practical experience is essential in acquiring these skills.

                   Penny enjoys the production process.
“Shooting is easy, but it is hard to produce,” says Penny.

A Small Step Makes a Big Difference

Penny spent 10 years on his journey from Production Assistant (PA) to successful owner of a production house. Penny’s work-life balance as a production assistant was never in balance. Back in those days, he used to work for one entire month without one single day off, not even weekends or public holidays.

“It was unforgettable. I slept on the sofa in the office for a whole week. It was even more ‘miserable’ for the production crew. They didn’t return home for three months,” he recalled. Penny cherished these experiences because they remind him how it all started.

Despite the heavy workload, he was meticulous in attending to detail. He believed that even the lowliest job, like mopping floors, could contribute to his future success. Although in one way he was overqualified for this work, he saw this as a strategy for ultimate success.

These days, students’ career expectations can be somewhat unrealistic. Students tend to reject the necessity of taking one step at a time on the career ladder. “With each step, I’d rather choose a job I love and where I can develop my skills, rather than simply go for a job with the highest salary,” says Penny. His passion is what motivates him rather than material benefit.

Never Stop Learning from Others

Penny loves to watch Behind the Scenes (BTS), because that is how he learns from other producers. There is one BTS video that he admires the most — a Honda advertisement. What you can see from the YouTube video is an impressive advertisement showing car components flying one by one into their rightful place to demonstrate how the car is assembled.

Penny was fascinated to know how the production crew created the appearance of one continuous shot. He learnt that whenever a particular car component was misplaced, the crew needed to restart the whole shoot from the very beginning. This took a massive amount of time and Penny discovered that the process had to be repeated 620 times. This left him in awe of the crew.

     From production assistant to advertising director, Penny has experienced and overcome many obstacles.

“I admire their perseverance, devotion, and earnest approach. These attributes are particularly valuable in Hong Kong where the pace of life is very fast and it is all too easy for people to become distracted.”

What Can be Gained from the Production Process

Despite the inherent difficulties a production crew faces, Penny notes there are distinct benefits that come from being a crew member. “Though you have to endure a low starting salary, you can derive huge satisfaction from studying the nature of what you film. There are no boundaries or limitations,” Penny points out. “You can film anything you want and as a bonus, you might even meet your favourite idol on the set”.

Penny has produced different advertisements over the past ten years.

Words for Newbies in Commercial Industry

“Learn to work hard in a small company but learn to demean yourself in a big company,” says Penny. He suggests students not neglect the importance of working step by step. “Broaden your horizon and connect with the world. Watch commercials from all around the world and see things from different viewpoints. Hong Kong is small and there are many limitations.” Penny reminds students it is essential to step out of our comfort zone and think outside the box.

For students interested in this industry, Penny believes a solid language foundation is a must. Today, there are more and more opportunities to communicate with clients from around the world owing to globalization. Therefore, it is crucial for students to speak English and/or Mandarin fluently before they step into the media industry.

   Penny encourages students to step out of their comfort zone.

When students work at international companies such as Facebook or Google, English is important. Mandarin is also very important because Hong Kong is the bridge between China and foreign countries. Mastering at least one of these languages not only enables us to communicate with external markets, but also creates resonance and broadens the perspective of commercial industries.

Penny’s journey has never been easy, but there are a lot of things we can learn from him, especially those students who are interested in working in the media industry.

Authors: Wong Shin Tung, Chui Pui Man, Kwan Lok Yi, Tam Pui Yan, Sze Kwan Ching, Au Yeung Ho Yan (students from ORGC3046 Writing for Professional Communication 2021)

Edited by Dr. Michelle Huang

“Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.” – Thomas Fuller

If you meet Stephanie, you would be impressed by her daily appearance: a Chibi Maruko-chan hairstyle, a navy linen shirt, sweatpants and a pair of Stan Smiths. It may be hard to associate this person with her various titles. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at HKBU, leader of the BU Audience Research Lab; and Director of HKBU FactCheck Service. Stephanie’s appearance is well and truly matched by her passionate commitment to exploring practice in the field of communication.

  Stephanie in her daily look (photo taken in the CVA Building, HKBU)

Exploring Engagements: The School Days

Stephanie holds two BAs, one MPhil and one PhD, all from top institutions, but she has not always been “a nice ordinary girl”. She embarked on her academic journey from a two-year program at a community college in the United States.

“To transfer from a two-year program from a community college to a four-year program, a cGPA of 3.8 or above guarantees a better chance,” says Stephanie, “I assumed my responsibility for my future and studied really hard at that time.”

Stephanie then entered UCLA majoring in economics – the field favored by her family. Despite her obedience, Stephanie applied for a double-major in communication studies. “Communication has always interested me,” says Stephanie, “Thanks to my communication professor who encouraged me to chase my dream. I gave it a try.”

Stephanie eventually delved further into communication studies and obtained a MPhil from CUHK and a PhD from UW-Madison, yet her exploration was not limited to academic performance. She practiced taekwondo and participated in voluntary work at UCLA. During her time at CUHK, she even became a student hall tutor fully engaged in the vibrant university life.

Stephanie with her hall tutees at CUHK

Exploring Possibilities: Career at HKBU

During her study at UCLA and UW-Madison, Stephanie took up a variety of part-time jobs – librarian, computer lab manager, teaching assistant and research assistant. Her role as a research assistant at UW-Madison was to track subject reactions in psychology experiments with a communication focus.

This job equipped Stephanie with academic sensitivity and a passion for research. Initially she planned to become a financial law consultant, yet she accepted the offer of a communication scholar. “At that time, I realized the importance of multi-disciplinary development,” says Stephanie, “Despite pursuing an ultimate goal, one needs to be flexible.”

Joining HKBU was a dream come true for Stephanie. “I have been passionate about media and advertising since I was young, and the three subsidiaries of the School of Communication and Film cover all I love,” she says. Stephanie considers the school as a first-rate platform to explore the communication industry – both theoretically and practically.

Stephanie started her career at HKBU as an assistant research professor in the Department of Journalism, where she taught courses and conducted research. “Whether staff or students, everyone here is friendly and willing to help when you need it,” says Stephanie. With the warmth she felt from the people there, her journey of exploration will never stop. She now has joined the Department of Communication Studies and has been ready for new challenges.

Stephanie teaches Data Analytics and Visualization for Corporate Communication. Her students can learn how to utilizebehavioral data to understand, manage, and communicate with both internal and external stakeholders. They will have hands-on experience using real world data and visualization tools to generate communication strategies in a corporate context. The course will also apply the insights of people analytics and digital media analytics to help students become fine communicators and critical analysts.

Stephanie with MA Journalism students at HKBU

Exploring the Truth: The HKBU FactCheck Service

One major research area of Stephanie’s is media psychology, which explores how different sources and messages may have a unique impact on the audience. Stephanie has persisted in this research interest since she occupied the role of research assistant at UCLA and now the director of HKBU FactCheck Service.

The FactCheck Service aims at revealing truth and raising public awareness of fake news through a scientific approach. It identifies suspicious information on Facebook, fact-checks the identified information, and publishes the results in videos, animation, and written reports on the website as well as its mobile App.

Stephanie believes the service can benefit society despite its limitations. “Digital and social media allow fake news to spread faster than ever, and now inaccurate information about COVID-19 is raging,” says Stephanie, “Our service could provide people with a channel to verify information.”

The idea was jointly proposed by Dean Huang Yu, Professor Raymond Li, and Stephanie. At first, the team only had three of them. Raymond was in charge of editorials including websites and social media accounts, while Stephanie was responsible for its promotion. Now the team has 20 members. “We welcome any student who wants to learn about fact-checking or to promote us,” says Stephanie, “It is a concrete experience that brings you what lectures cannot.”

Stephanie with the HKBU FactCheck Service team

Exploring University Life: Advice to Students

Stephanie encourages her students to actualize ideas through extra-curriculum practice. She asserts the importance of individual development and lifts barriers by lowering demands in her courses. “Students should have a plan and execute it, but attain acceptable grades through time management,” advises Stephanie, “The key is to identify priorities for themselves.”

However, one has to reach heights from a solid foundation. This, from Stephanie’s perspective, is language proficiency. “When you master languages, you read faster, think deeper, and express ideas more eloquently,” explained Stephanie, “This is the basis of professional communication.”

Stephanie with her international schoolmates in UW-Madison

Looking back over Stephanie’s path, it has been her lofty aspirations and fierce determination that have brought her these accomplishments. It is also the School of Communication and Film that has enabled her to march among giants and achieve excellence. Similarly, equipped with active practice and independent thinking, our students can hopefully expect an auspicious future.

Authors: ZHANG Mohan Patrick, LENG Rujing Grace, CHEN Yiyang Emilia, CHEN Yutian Niki, JIANG Wenli Sophia, XIAO Yang Alice 張默涵，冷如璟，陳依揚，陳雨恬，蔣雯麗，肖揚 (Students from ORGC3046 Writing for Professional Communication 2021)

Edited by Dr. Michelle HUANG 黃澤萍

In the past exciting semester (AY2020-21), a group of PRAD students from the ORGC3046 Writing for Professional Communication course had a great opportunity to participate in a service-learning project, writing four feature stories for a booklet published by Family Value Foundation of Hong Kong (FVFHK), a local non-profit charitable organization founded in 2007 which proactively promotes the importance of family values for the wellbeing of every individual in our local community.

With the guidance of the course instructor Dr. Michelle HUANG and the help of Family Blessing Missionary Organization（風雨同路人）, each group of students conducted interviews with four interviewees who grew up in divorced families. Based on the interviews, the students applied the skills learned from the course to writing up four feature stories, aiming to raise the reader’s awareness about the essential role of parents in every child’s growth path and to encourage the reader to care for those children who grow up in broken families.

The booklet was published before Father’s Day in June this year. In the end of the project, all the students were invited to the book launch event held on 12 June. 16 local and overseas honored guests participated in the event. They were counselors, paternity educators, and parent-child education experts. During the book launch event, our students shared their journey of writing these four feature articles to all the participants.

“Such a learning opportunity helped us learning how to conduct interviews on sensitive topics, e.g., skills to handle the interviewees’ emotions when they are sharing unpleasant childhood memories, and seeking permission from the interviewees about photo shooting and using their names in the feature story”, said one of the students. “In addition to writing skills, we’ve also learned the importance of good parenting and tips on how to handle family conflicts and avoid hurting children.”

This writing project provided the students with opportunities to obtain hand-on experience in writing feature articles as a reporter in a real-life context. They engaged in the whole process including preparing appropriate interview questions, conducting interviews, photo shooting, video recording, writing up and editing the articles.

(Reporter: Kimmy Kwan ORGC3046)

After three months of joint effort, a group of six PRA students, Jeannie Chen, Grace Leng, Joyce Yim, Otila Cheng, Kimmy Kwan and Arai Zhenis, presented their communication strategies for an NGO HandsOn Hong Kong in the final event of Sustainable Communications Programme organized by the Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors (APACD) on 30 April 2021.

The APACD Sustainable Communications Programme not only provides opportunities for students to get hand-on experience in communication industry, but also benefits social enterprises and NGOs with communication support. In this programme, the team worked together virtually with the guidance of senior mentors from HSBC and Prudential to support HandsOn, a registered Hong Kong charity that connects local NGOs with volunteer manpower they need and has a mission of empowering everyone in Hong Kong to volunteer.

Through comprehensive planning and preparation, the team successfully launched an online campaign “Dare to be the change” on Instagram throughout April, aiming to raise university students’ awareness about the importance of volunteering and enhance the social media engagement of HandsOn. In the finale presentation, the students shared their achievements of the creative campaign: 5.5% follower growth rate, 8.9% increase for engagement per follower, 7000+ impressions, and 6500+ reach on HandsOn’s Instagram account.

One of the experienced APACD mentors, Kok Kuen Poon commented: “The students showed a very good understanding of HandsOn HK’s communication problems by clarifying and understanding the client brief. Their client management skills including communication, expectation management, results delivery were outstanding” (see the full comments by Mr. K.K. Poon below).

The students reflected that the amazing opportunity allowed them to gain far more than they expected. They greatly appreciated the guidance and assistance of mentors all along, from which they not only learned many practical skills but also obtained rewarding experience of conducting a real campaign. (Reporter: Grace Leng)

– Full Comments from the ACAPD mentor Mr. Kok Kuen Poon:

“Overall, the students have impressed me with an excellent package of professional communication, client and project management skills, can-do attitude, and strong resilience. 

“The team, thrown together to work virtually because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, has consistently demonstrated superb teamwork, performing effectively across borders and European and Asian time zones. 

“From the outset, they have adapted very well to dynamic situations. When the client changed the brief part way through the project to focus on Serve-a-thon, the students quickly refocused on the client’s new needs, and urgently updated their proposed communication strategy and tactical plan for client approval. 

“The students showed a very good understanding of HandsOn HK’s communication problems by clarifying and understanding the client brief. Their client management skills including communication, expectation management, results delivery were outstanding.  

“Despite not being professionally trained project managers, the team has shown strong capability to set objectives properly, manage time efficiently, and deliver exceptional results for the client time and time again. 

“I am amazed by the students’ creativity. They have a talent for cooking up big creative ideas, and then producing smaller, visually stunning tactics that are managed perfectly to simmer away over the duration of the project. Very impressive! Content production and message development was very high quality too.

“It is a fantastic achievement that HandsOn HK rewarded the students with the right to create content for, and manage its Instagram account. The team showed technical mastery managing the client’s account, and cleverly used Instagram’s features to benefit the client’s communications.   

“The students consistently handled feedback from the client, mentors and mentee-leads maturely and responded in a positive way.  

“I am impressed by the team’s ability to adopt multiple communication technologies to work together because we were not able to meet in person owing to Covid-19 restrictions. The team’s performance was excellent and very professional. They were highly resilient, flexible, and communicated effectively across European and Asian time zones, with a borderless mindset. It is amazing they personified the perfect remote, virtual team while adapting to working in extraordinary and odd global circumstances. The team’s success is all the more sweet given they have built a very close bond and working relationship despite having never met before. This communication project is a terrific example of how the power of technology can enable everyone to work together regardless of where we are in the world.”

– More about APACD Sustainable Communications Programme:

Event launch ceremony back in January

https://apacd.com/apacd-local-hk-university-students-kick-off-program-to-support-ngos-2021-communications-needs/

Finale event

https://apacd.com/third-hk-scp-students-present-creative-comms-programmes-for-local-ngos/