Dr Li Ka-shing (left) receives a souvenir from President Prof. Tam Sheung-wai at the ceremony.

The Jockey Club Computer Laboratory inside the Island Learning Centre was opened by (from left) Council Chairman the Hon. Charles Lee, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club the Hon. Henry Tang, Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower Mr Raymond Young and President Prof. Tam Sheung-wai.

Lecture theatre

PC-cum-language laboratory

The Open University of Hong Kong officially opened the Island Learning Centre on 12 December last year at a commissioning ceremony attended by dignitaries of the central and Hong Kong SAR governments, as well as community leaders.

In his welcoming address, Council Chairman the Hon. Charles Lee hailed the new facility as a project that epitomized the concerted efforts of the government, the education sector and the community.

Partly funded by a $44 million donation from Li Ka Shing Foundation, the Centre also received a government grant of $50 million, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust pledged $15 million.

In recognition of the Li Ka Shing Foundation's generous donation -- the largest ever received by the University from an individual philanthropist -- the University re-named its Centre for Continuing and Community Education as the Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE). The official naming ceremony was attended by Prof. Wei Yu, Chinese Vice-Minister of Education and Dr Li Ka-shing, Chairman of Li Ka Shing Foundation. They were joined by Secretary for
Education and Manpower Mrs Fanny Law, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club the Hon. Henry Tang, OUHK Council Chairman the Hon. Charles Lee and Deputy Chairman Dr Philip Wu, and President Prof. Tam Sheung-wai.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Li said he was touched by the determination and willpower of OUHK students whom he met at the Congregation ceremony in 1999, and offered to help shortly after attending the ceremony.

'The next decade may be dominated by biotechnology and nanotechnology. The only thing that will keep us in step with the times is our eagerness to learn. The will to learn is a driving force in society, and knowledge is the light that leads the way. A society that values knowledge will naturally nurture top-class talents,' he said.

On the same occasion, the Jockey Club Computer Laboratory inside the Centre was opened. Unveiling a commemorative plaque, the Hon. Henry Tang said, 'The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has so far donated a total of $112 million to the University as a support to its endeavour to serve adult learners with better learning facilities. The University has attained significant growth over the years. We are proud to have been able to play a part in helping the worthy cause of the University to thrive.'

Prof. Tam said the Centre's establishment was an important milestone in the University's development. Not only does it relieve the University of the burden of hiring facilities elsewhere, it also provides adult learners with an ideal and improved learning environment at a convenient location. In addition, it allows the University sufficient room for expansion to cope with increasing demand from potential learners.

A well furnished centre with easy access for all

Location on the fourth floor of the Shun Tak Centre on Hong Kong Island, the 3,102 square-metre Island Learning Centre is within walking distance from the Sheung Wan MTR station. It comprises 14 tutorial rooms, a lecture theatre, a student lounge and a computer laboratory. It can accommodate about 850 students at one time and meet 22% of the OUHK's space needs for tutorials and lectures.

Fitted with advanced teaching and learning facilities, the entire Centre is connected by fibre optics to the OUHK's Ho Man Tin campus network backbone. The Jockey Club Computer Laboratory comprises three PC-cum-language laboratories as well as an open-access computer centre open daily from 9am to 9pm. A student lounge has been specially designed to allow students to browse websites and conduct group discussions.

All PCs in the Centre have been installed with the latest equipment such as Liquid Crystal Display monitors. They are ready for Internet access at a high speed of 100 megabits per second. Most of the PCs have also been installed with soundcards and CD-ROM drives.