Unlocked NewsletterAugust 2010 - August 2011

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE AN FYP?

SURVIVAL TIPS FOR NEWCOMMERS

INTERVIEWS WITH YEAR 2 STUDENTS

ABOUT AAEPC10

Contents

03 About AAEPC

04 Interesting StoryWhat does it take to create a Final Year Project?

Who Cares?What does it take to create a Final Year Project?

05 10 Survival Tips

06 Interviews withyear 2 students

Events of AAEPCAugust 2010 - 2011 Contacts:

Division of Language Studies of CCCU

Address:G5710, Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Telephone: (852) 3442 9729Fax: (852) 3442 0378Email: ls_msg@cityu.edu.hk2

Stella

Danny

Jessica

Hello! I’m Stella, the edi-tor and design planner of this newsletter. I’m glad that this task gives me a chance to expose to Cre-ative Industry, which re-ally enchance my knowl-edge about it.

I’m Danny and I’m re-sponsible for the feature article and designing this newsletter. I’ve got to thank Jessica and Stella for giving a lot of great concepts and ideas that help me with this job.

Aloha, everyone! I’m Jessica who is a year 1 student from AAEPC. My responsibilities in this editorial publication are a reporter and photog-rapher. This job is really challenging but I have great fun working with Danny and Stella.

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Living in an international city like Hong Kong, bilingual communication acts as a very important ability to be more competitive. Associate of Arts in English for Professional Communi-cation (AAEPC) is a course which of-fers a chance for students to be skilled communicators in the use of English for professional communication.

It is a programme which aims to equip students with a compacted foundation in English Language studies and a practical orientation in order to fulfill the language requirements for further study or work. After a two-year enriching learning, the graduates would enhance their abilities in different aspects.

First of all, the graduates would de-velop a high level of English language skills. Also, the course would also boost up the students in producing a range of media in English, including the use of information and communi-cation technologies for academic and professionally-related purposes.

The last but not least, the students would gain an ability to identify and explore critical problems, gather rel-evant information, carry out and pre-sent basic research under guidance, and propose solutions to problems both individually and as part of a team.

In order to achieve the expected

outcomes, the AAEPC programme provides students with great experience throughout the two-year curriculum by doing a year-long final year project (FYP) and a summer study tour which integrated into various courses. By doing the FYP, students are given a direct exposure to the workplace.

To gain more information about the programme, please visit:http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ls/epc/

TEXT BY STELLA MAK

EPC is one of the most demanding programmes which requires hardwork and enthusiasm from our students. In the end, they will realise the development of some very valuable skills.

About AAEPC

Ms Maria FungDeputy Programme Leader of AAEPC

- By Maria Fung

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1 One of the participants was raising questions to the guest speakers.2 A group photo with all the guest speakers of the discussion forum.3 Mr Lo Kai Chung shared the difficulties faced by ethnic minorities.4 Ms Emily Lau suggested ways to help the ethnic minorities.

5 As an ethnic minority, Sarah explained her experience of being discriminated by the locals.6 Mr Lo Kai Chung presented the certificate of reward to Ms Lau.7 Our group with the team members.

In 2006, according to the Census and Statistics Department, the num-ber of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong was estimated at 342,198, which con-stitutes 5% of the total population.

Many of these ethnic minorities, espe-cially those from South Asia, are be-ing discriminated by the public. They need help from the government and the Hong Kong residents.

‘Bring Diversity to Your Life’ is an event that was held to raise the aware-ness of the problems faced by ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.

The forum was held on 2 March by a group of students from the Associ-ate of Arts in English for Professional Communication (AAEPC).

They invited different parties from different fields, including Legislative Councillor Emily Lau, Dr Chu from Equal Opportunities Commission, Ethnic Minority member Sarah etc. to share with the audience what they have experienced on the difficulties the ethnic minorities are facing now and how we can solve them.

‘Some of them (the ethnic minorities) are being discriminated only because of their cultural difference or appear-ance, yet many of them being discrim-inated for no reason.’ Mr Ho, one of the members in the team, said.

‘We want to draw our audience’s at-tention to this issue and join our pow-er together to fight for the benefit for them.’ He added.

Ms Chung, another group member from the group, mentioned that her group have faced a number of diffi-culties creating the FYP (Final Year Project). They had a stand-up comedy show which was also related to the is-sue and Mr Vivek Mahbubani was their guest speaker but money was what bothers them most.

‘They told us that the comedy show costs HK $25,000 and we were incred-ulous,’ said Ms Chung. ‘We can’t afford it for sure, so we told them our pur-pose and we are only students. After the negotiation, they offered a much less price, HK $2,500 for the show.’

TEXT BY DANNY IPWho cares?They told us that the comedy show costs HK$25,000 and we were incredulous.

Feature Article

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10 Survival TipsMaintain good communication withyour group mates, host and supervisor

Practice visual communication skills

Always maintain a healthy lifestyle

More involvement in every activity

Mark down what you have ob-served

Help each other(including other groups)

Be responsible

Try to breakthrough

Good time management

Quit your part-time job

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Not only did they come across with the financial problem, but they also faced problems which were beyond their expec-tations.

‘The host asked for something that is out of our capabilities and requirements.’ An-other group member said, ‘and our work-load gradually increased. So always make sure everything is black and white.’

‘We’ve learnt so much from these events, from workload distribution to really or-ganising the events. We’re sure that those skills are essential for our career.’

TEXT BY DANNY IP

10 Survival Tips

They told us that the comedy show costs HK$25,000 and we were incredulous.

- By Ms Spring Chung

FYP Poster

Group photo

Lydia Leung

Interview with Lydia

Q1: Why did you choose to study in AAEPC?

L: Since I initially studied art stream in secondary

school, I have no interest in studying business but I have

interest in learning more about English and English

has become a great trend now.

Q4: What are your plans after studying the pro-

gramme?

L: I want to be a flight atten-dant first after graduation.

Maybe after several years, I would like to work in the

PR’s industry since I am also interested in this area.

Q2: What is your favourite course in AAEPC?

L: Digital Document De-sign. This course is inter-

esting and useful, especially when doing the final year

project (FYP). We can apply the skills we have learnt in

poster, business card as well as leaflet designing.

Q5: Are there any unfor-gettable moments in your

college life?

L: Originally I got a very best friend when studying

the programme. However, this very best friend ignored

me after doing the FYP and this is really very cruel

to me. I wonder how come friendship can be so fragile.

L: Lydia Leung(AAEPC Year 2 Student)

Q3: What have you gained or learned in AAEPC?

L: Doing the FYP enables me the chance to experi-

ence how to work in a real workplace. What’s more, it

definitely increases my con-fidence in speaking English.

An In-depth Look

What’s Up: 2010 - 2011

AAEPC Graduatio

n ceremony

15 November 2010

AAEPC Orientatio

n Day

31 August 2010

Bring Diversity t

o Your Life

2 March 2011

2010August

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TEXT BY JESSICA LEE

Interviews

FYP Exhibition Board

Interview with Ken

Group photo

Ken Kong

Q1: Why did you choose to study in AAEPC? K: It’s because I have inter-est in studying English and would like to have further studies. That’s why I chose to study this programme.

Q4: What are your plans after studying the pro-gramme?

K: I plan to have further studies in social science since I am afraid that I am not capable of competing with others who are major in PR. That’s why I would like to take another path.

Q2: What is your favourite course in AAEPC?

K: Digital Document De-sign. It is very challenging and we can learn a lot of practical computer skills from it that helps us to ful-fill the FYP’ task.

Q5: Are there any unfor-gettable moments in your college life?

K: Dividing groups for the FYP is the most unforgetta-ble moment since the com-petition between each group is intense. I think that what we should compete with are the outsiders instead of the fellow schoolmates in AAEPC.

K: Ken Kong(AAEPC Year 2 Student)

Q3: What have you gained or learned in AAEPC?

K: AAEPC is a programme that has wide coverage of different areas, such as PR, business communication, computer skills, etc. Nearly everything in it is helpful which can equip me for fu-ture working.

An In-depth Look

Bring Diversity t

o Your Life

2 March 2011

Creative Speak

er Event

7 March 2011

FYP Exhibition

14 - 16 April 2

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TEXT BY JESSICA LEE

Interviews

Every Single Seed Grows a Tree.