A special orientation day held by Student Development Services (SDS) at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) on 25 August introduced CityU’s inclusive environment to undergraduate freshmen with Special Educational Needs (SEN) as they embark on their new academic journey.

CityU values the diversity of its student population and is committed to providing a learning environment conducive to the success of all its students, including those with SEN, as well as spreading the message of inclusion, harmony and caring on campus.

During the orientation, SEN Support Service Team and Inclusion Ambassadors introduced the Inclusion Ambassador Programme and support services, such as special examination arrangements, individual academic assistance services, assistive technology support, counselling services, speech therapy services, scholarships and bursaries, among others.

Another highlight was the group sharing session in which Inclusion Ambassadors, students and graduates with SEN shared stories about university life. During a campus tour, freshmen learned about CityU’s barrier-free learning environment, which aims to enhance opportunities for SEN students to take full advantage of CityU’s academic courses, campus activities and facilities.

 

Lau Pak-hei, a Year 4 Psychology student who has dystonic cerebral palsy, described life at CityU as colourful and encouraged freshmen to take the initiative to meet new friends. “I was shy at first, but gradually I found that the atmosphere at CityU was more empathetic than other environments I had experienced. During group projects, I’ve met some good friends, some of whom are from other countries. We study, eat and go to the gym together, I also cook and watch football games with my flatmates in the dormitory.”

He added, “Receiving love and care from those around me has made me more empathetic. As a senior or a friend, I encourage freshmen to break through their own limitations, explore their personal interests and pursue their dreams.”

Yang Letian who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy will be studying Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering in the Department of Systems Engineering in the new academic year. “I will actively participate in different activities, including the orientation camp organised by the department. I hope to broaden my social life and enrich my university life,” he said.

Chen Yongen, an Inclusion Ambassador and a Year 2 student, said: “Inclusion Ambassadors are all CityU students. Through a series of training workshops, we get to know more about different types of SEN and develop the skills to assist SEN students effectively. We wish to promote an inclusive campus culture with a person-centred attitude.”

SDS regularly organises activities such as sessions geared towards experiencing visual impairment and sign language courses as a means to spread the message of inclusion and help students with SEN broaden their social networks.

The “Call for Inclusive Activity Proposals” is now in progress, CityU students are welcome to design inclusive activities and submit their proposals to SDS by 6 October. For more details, please visit here.