Sharing of Scholarship Recipients - CHUNG Wing Kiu

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the donors and committee members of the HKBU Alumni Gratitude Scholarship. Your support has eased my financial stress regarding tuition fees, allowing me to step out of my comfort zone and focus on meaningful learning experiences.

This semester, I joined an extended study program at Beijing Normal Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU). The scholarship covered part of my living and travel expenses, including a study trip to Gansu Province organised by HKBU, where we explored the Silk Road and ancient Chinese cultures. We visited historical sites such as the Mogao Caves and the Jiayuguan Pass, which deepened my appreciation for China's rich heritage.

Through this program, I experienced life at a mainland university and interacted with local students. I took courses such as “Human Resources Management in China,” which provided insights beyond what I had learned in Hong Kong. The cross-cultural exposure deepened my understanding of different learning and working environments. Plus, I built lasting friendships with classmates from different provinces, broadening my social network.

Despite these gains, challenges remain. I noticed that BNBU instructors generally lack awareness of special educational needs (SEN). Compared to HKBU, the support for SEN students is noticeably limited, for example, no special examination arrangements are available. This made me realise that study abroad opportunities are not equally accessible to all HKBU students. I hope that HKBU and BNBU will strengthen communication and develop better arrangements, such as flexible assessment policies and clearer guidelines for SEN support, so that more SEN students from HKBU can benefit from overseas programmes in the future.

This experience has shaped my career goal to work in cross-border human resources or policy advisory roles, with a focus on inclusive education and talent mobility. I now plan to pursue further studies in this area and advocate for better SEN support in exchange programmes. The scholarship not only funded my journey but also gave me the courage to speak up for equitable opportunities. Thank you for believing in me.