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OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN TEAM TEACHING

President's Award for
Outstanding Performance in Team Teaching

The team of
Teaching and Research Division,
School of Chinese Medicine

Dr. Liu Jing, Chinese Medicine Museum Coordinator
Professor Chen Hubiao, Professor
Professor Zhao Zhongzhen, Associate Dean / Chair Professor in Chinese Medicine (Team Leader)
Dr. Guo Ping, Senior Lecturer
(from left)

As traditional Chinese medicine has earned worldwide recognition and undergone rapid globalisation, four colleagues at the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) have worked together to equip their students with sufficient knowledge and skills in traditional Chinese medicinal authentication to guarantee the safety and efficacy of the medicines.

The team is closely and effectively involved in teaching courses and supporting activities for the programme of the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) in Chinese Medicine (CM). This Programme is currently the only one of its kind in Hong Kong and one to which the SCM gives priority. Team members are responsible for 14 courses in this Programme.

To ensure students acquire the essential knowledge about CM authentication, the team has organised a diverse array of training venues, platforms and opportunities. These include field trips to explore medicinal resources and internships at botanical gardens and CM universities, hospitals and industries in Mainland China. Some of the results of the field investigations have been used as educational information provided to the public in a weekly online column. These educational and publicity initiatives have attracted positive feedback from the public as well as SCM students.

The team devotes particular attention and effort to compiling monographs on CM identification which have contributed significantly to reducing adulterated CM materials in the Hong Kong herbal market and set a benchmark for the international herbal market, where the safety of CM has drawn concern. The monographs include the four-volume Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, a comprehensive overview of the chemistry, pharmacology and clinical application of 800 medicinal plants from around the world. In 2010 this text was awarded China’s top prize for outstanding scientific publications.

In collaboration with staff members of the Library, the team launched a Chinese Medicine Digital Project, a novel means to promote the popularisation and internationalisation of CM. Through the Project’s four online platforms, students can test their understanding of their subject knowledge with ease, anytime and anywhere. Given the huge amount of data involved, these platforms could have in no way been accomplished by one team member. The project has gained more than three million views since its launch several years ago. The project was honoured by the American Library Association Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects in 2012.

The team’s work includes the establishment of a Chinese Medicine Specimen Centre which provides a site for educational exhibitions open to students and the public. In addition, the team’s Research Centre for Standardisation of Chinese Medicines promotes the internationalisation of Hong Kong’s CM industry. It also provides future academic possibilities for students seeking a master’s or doctor’s degree in the field of the team’s research focus.

In light of the team’s hugely impressive record of achievement, coupled with the team members’ inspiring enthusiasm and devotion to helping and supporting each other, the Selection Committee unreservedly recommends them for the President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Team Teaching.