Picture 1: OUHK Council Member Dr the Honourable Samson Tam Wai-ho (right) and alumni and voluntary workshop tutor Mr Jacky Yau ( left) presented the champion trophy to alumni donor Mr Chan kin-hing and his family members.

Building blocks have been the childhood toys for many. Have you ever imagined that you can help in the construction of the OUHK New College while playing with building blocks?

The OUHK has recently embarked on the construction of the New College at a  a site on Chung Hau Street granted by the Government. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. On 25 March 2012, the Alumni Affairs Office of the University’s Public Affairs Unit organized an 'I'm a Robotic Engineer' workshop to raise funds for the New College Project at which participants were asked to make robots out of building blocks.

The 'I'm a Robotic Engineer'workshop was especially meaningful for the OUHK, as more than a hundred alumni, students, their family members and friends showed up to support the development of the University. Mr Jacky Yau, an alumnus of the OUHK and founder of the Robot Institute of Hong Kong, volunteered to facilitate the workshop. He taught the participants on how to use bricks and parts to create their robots and programme them to perform tasks. Participants had a chance to play the role of ‘robot engineers. The exercise tested the participants’ intellectual abilities, encouraged active learning and called for team spirit and creativity.

Using creativity to achieve a new milestone

To add fun to the workshop, competitions were held that day, at which the participants were required to create their unique robots within a specified period of time, and to programme them to walk. The competitions, symbolizing a new milestone for the OUHK, required carefully planning of the routes and calculation of the speed of the robots. The participants showed keen interest and excitement ran high.

Prize presentation was held after competitions. Full-time students of the Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration won the championship in the Adult Group category, while alumni donor Mr Chan Kin-hing, with his family members, and the AD&FDPOHL Leung Sing Tak School came first in the  Family Group and Group of School/Organization categories respectively. The Alumni Affairs Office invited Dr Samson Tam Wai-ho, OUHK Council member as well as Legislative Council member (Information Technology), to present the awards. Dr Tam said he supported the New College Project as it helps more learners fulfil their aspirations for higher education.

If you want to make a contribution to the development of the Open University of Hong Kong, please login www.ouhk.edu.hk/newcollege  and learn more about the New College project.  For enquiries, please call 2768 6381 (Alumni Affairs Office) or write to alumni@ouhk.edu.hk.