Back in 2019, the University rolled out a five-year Strategic Plan comprising five areas of priorities. Now, halfway through the planning cycle, a review has been conducted to take stock of the activities carried out so far. At the same time, some new initiatives are on the way, laying the groundwork for the next strategic plan. Such initiatives have been conceived in light of the spirit encapsulated by the University's new title of 'Hong Kong Metropolitan University' — a commitment to offering quality education that meets society's evolving talent needs as well as providing students with recognized academic qualifications in this ever-changing social environment — so that all HKMU graduates can get off to a good start in a career of their own choice and contribute to a better society. On 1 April, President Prof. Paul Lam presented the University's latest plans to staff members and listened to their feedback.
While research is central to the building of academic strengths, resources are limited. To maximize impact, the University has identified nine strategic research areas under the different Schools and created a Research Impact Fund from its own Quality Enhancement Measures (QEM) scheme to support the research. Meanwhile, it is also reviewing its overall research policy and the setup of its research infrastructure.
As far as research education is concerned, the University is attracting a growing body of high-calibre research students by introducing competitive stipends supported by the Research Grants Council's Faculty Development Scheme and internal funding. Anticipating a surge in projects involving knowledge transfer, such as collaborations with industries and consultancy services, the University is in the process of setting up a company to facilitate research commercialization,
patent management, start-up investment and product licensing.
