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The HKSI and the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to support full-time elite athletes in dual academics and sports development.

The MOU was signed by Prof Simon Ho Shun-man, President of HSUHK and Dr Trisha Leahy BBS, Chief Executive of the HKSI, witnessed by Prof Hui Yer-van, Vice-President (Academic and Research) of HSUHK and Mr Ron Lee, Director of Community Relations and Marketing of the HKSI.

In his address, Prof Ho mentioned that HSUHK will join hands with HKSI to contribute to the sports community in Hong Kong. “Through the flexible learning arrangement, elite athletes are enabled to keep striving for sports excellence while pursuing academic knowledge and dreams, as well as unleashing their potentials simultaneously,” he added.

At the ceremony, Dr Leahy said “The collaboration provides more alternatives for elite athletes to better prepare for their future career by continuing study in the pursuit of sports excellence.” She also thanked HSUHK for sharing the same vision with the HKSI on whole-person development and looked forward to an even more integrated collaboration with the University in the future.

Under the MOU, the HKSI may nominate full-time scholarship athletes to enroll in the undergraduate programmes of HSUHK. The University will provide flexibility in course delivery in order to better accommodate athletes’ training and competition schedule. Mentorship programmes, study consultation and career counselling will also be provided to student athletes.

Retired Hong Kong cycling elite athlete Marco Kwok Ho-ting is currently studying the Master programme of Science in Entrepreneurial Management at HSUHK. He welcomed the cooperation between HSUHK and the HKSI and believed that the arrangement could not only help athletes to make a balance between academics and elite sports training, but also allowed them to better equip themselves with comprehensive knowledge which would help broaden their career prospect.

Targeting to attract more sports talents to devote themselves in full-time training, the HKSI has established Elite Athlete-friendly School Network in 2014 and Partnership School Programme in 2015. HSUHK is the ninth university engaged in MOU with the HKSI for supporting athletes on their dual career pathways in their sporting life.