OUHK sets aside more than HKD 20 million for a one-off special relief fund

OUHK sets aside more than HKD 20 million for a one-off special relief fund to subsidize all students studying at the University in 2020/21 academic year.

The Open University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong economy has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to support the students to go through this difficult time and ease their financial burden, The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) announces to set aside more than HKD 20 million as a one-off special relief fund to subsidize all students studying at the University in 2020/21 academic year.

OUHK fully understands that the pandemic lasting for months has brought unprecedented impact on the global and Hong Kong’s economy as well as financial hardship for its students and their families. In view of this, the University has used its general donation fund and internal resources, together with the 10 percent of monthly salary donation pledged by President Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong, Provost Prof. Reggie Kwan Ching-ping, Vice President (Resources and Development) Prof. Lui Yu-hon and Vice President (Students and Support) Prof. Tong Chong-sze in earlier time, to set up a relief fund to provide a one-off subsidy to students in need as a token of support at this difficult time.

The subsidy scheme will be applied to all students studying at the University in 2020/21 academic Year. The University will announce the details of the subsidy to its students in due course. Various financial assistance schemes are also available at the OUHK for students encountering financial difficulties.

As a result of the social unrest in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic starting from early 2020, in addition to the above one-off special relief fund, the University has put in additional resources of HKD 22 million to launch various initiatives to ensure the OU community to stay safe and healthy, enhance quality of online teaching to facilitate students’ continuous learning, and support students’ living expenses and study needs.

About the OUHK:
Established by the Government in 1989, The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) has developed into a full-fledged university providing high quality and flexible university education at various levels to secondary school graduates and working adults. As a dynamic and innovative university, the OUHK currently offers over 200 programmes of different academic levels to about 10,000 full-time students and 9,000 part-time students. Our mission is to advance learning, knowledge and research that meet students’ learning aspirations and society’s talent needs, focusing on practical and professional programmes.

OUHK comprises six Schools, i.e. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, School of Education and Languages, School of Nursing and Health Studies, School of Science and Technology, and Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE). LiPACE provides lifelong learning opportunities by offering full-time sub-degree programmes, community learning and professional programmes.