Published on 09 April 2019
Thousands of international students are changing their lives after gaining qualifications from the University of Sunderland.
Currently there are more than 6,000 students in different countries across the world studying for a UoS qualification.
The figures are revealed as the University’s new Vice Chancellor, Sir David Bell, makes his first visit to the institution’s Hong Kong campus.
Sir David said: “The University rightly prides itself on being a global institution. As well as students from over 100 countries studying in Sunderland and London, we have a strong presence overseas.
“Our Hong Kong campus has over 600 students studying there. We offer a wide variety of programmes, usually to people in work who want to enhance their job prospects. Our location in the business district puts us in an excellent position to respond to the changing needs and demands of both employers and employees.
“I am also meeting some of our transnational education partners in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Through these relationships, and many others, over 6,000 students worldwide are studying for Sunderland qualifications. Add in over a 1,000 students who are independent distance learners with us and you get a sense of the scale of our operation internationally.
“Making all of this happen requires dedicated staff, both in the UK and elsewhere. Fortunately, we are very well-served in that respect.”
Two years ago the University’s international footprint took a big step forward when it launched the Hong Kong campus.
Officially opened on March 2, 2017, the campus helped break the mould in terms of international student opportunities.
Based in the heart of Central, Hong Kong, the campus enables students to attain a globally recognised degree from a UK university.
Students who are based in the Asia campus are encouraged to take that important step in broadening their own international footprint.
The learners can opt to study a semester or two in the UK – at either the university’s London Campus or in the North East – gaining vital networking opportunities and future career contacts.
The campus offers a variety of courses for students from Bachelors’ degrees with honours to top up degrees and post-graduate programmes.
No stranger to Asia, the University has had long-standing success for the past 20 years, having partnered with HKU Space and Hong Kong College of Technology.
For more information on The University of Sunderland in Hong Kong, click here
Case study.
Name: Sham Kin Tat Kinder
Campus: University of Sunderland Hong Kong
Programme: MSc Data Science
Job: System Analyst, China Life Insurance Ltd
Winner of: ‘Best New Innovation 2019’ at the 2019 MPF Awards
Sham helped develop a customer service robot for China Life called “Jarvis”. Jarvis can answer questions, queries about fund prices, and take photos with customers. He also uses speech-to-text to identify whether the client speaks Mandarin.
So, Sham, how did you feel when found out you had won the Award?
I’m happy because I spent more than a year researching and improving the speed of the response.
What inspired you in your work?
This is a special opportunity. At the end of 2016, I moved from the infrastructure team to the innovation team for special reasons. The first project was the Pepper robot - the original name of Jarvis. At that time, I felt that the robot's response was not ideal, I improved it and changed it.
Did the programme you studied at Sunderland HK contribute to your success and winning the award?
Yes, for example, the data I collected can be used for analysis and making improvements.
Why did you choose University of Sunderland in HK?
Because I am very interested in machine learning, when I saw the advertisement on Facebook, I asked and then signed up.
What advice would you give to other students?
Don't be afraid to fail. If you don't try, you will never know the result.
Hong Kong is the world's most densely populated city. But did you know:
1. The name 'Hong Kong' is Cantonese for 'fragrance harbour'.
2. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and several other smaller islands.
3. The Hong Kong's Peak Tram became the first rail tram in Asia in 1888. About 11,000 people ride the tram every day translating into 4 million people annually.
4. The main languages (official) spoken in Hong Kong are Chinese Cantonese and English.
5. Unlike what many people think, about three quarters of Hong Kong's landmass is rural. It consists of 24 parks, woodlands, reservoirs, hills and a coastline. These beautiful parks are easily accessible from the city.
6. Hong Kong is one of the richest cities in the world. It has more Rolls Royce’s per person than any other city in the world.
7. Did you know that the father of fiber optics, the glass cables that have so significantly changed how we communicate is called Professor Charles Kao from Hong Kong? The professor is also a winner of the Physics Nobel Prize in 2009.
8. HK has more skyscrapers than any other city in the world. A skyscraper is any building with more than 14 storeys. It has twice as many as its nearest rival - the New York City.
9. Poon Choi, Chinese New Year's Dish that has 10 different ingredients that are served into one pot is the most popular dish in HK's restaurants.
10. Since the Opium War of 1842 to July 1st, 1997, Hong Kong was under British Rule. Today, it is a special administration region of China.