Four outstanding teachers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have been selected as winners of the Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA) 2006-07 in recognition of their contributions to raising the quality of teaching at CityU.

The TEA winners this year are: Ms Teresa Dong Qin, Teaching Fellow in the Department of Marketing; Dr Claudian Kwok Siu-kit, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and Finance; Dr Olivia Leung Shek-ling, Assistant Professor in the Department of Accountancy; and Professor Lo Tit-wing in the Department of Applied Social Studies.

The four awardees were chosen from 26 candidates nominated by students or programme committees for their exceptional performance in motivating students and promoting effective learning through innovative teaching methods. They have also pioneered the implementation of Outcomes Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL), a key project at the University that aims to raise teaching and learning quality, in their courses.

TEA was launched by CityU's Quality Assurance Committee in 1993 and it is the first of its kind among Hong Kong's tertiary institutions. The awards uphold the importance of professional education through the recognition of outstanding teachers and positively reflect on the University's commitment to enhancing the quality of education in Hong Kong and the region.

Professor Paul Lam Kwan-sing, Acting Vice-President (Undergraduate Education) of CityU and Chairman of the TEA Selection Panel, said he was impressed with the winners' dedication to motivating students to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

"They have made effective learning the core of their teaching, and their commitment to excellence has helped nurture an environment conducive to the students' personal growth and reflective learning," Professor Lam said.

To encourage further development in outcomes-based methods, each winner will be given an OBTL grant worth $150,000, in addition to the $15,000 award this year.

In addition to CityU academics and student representatives, the Selection Panel included two external members, Professor David Pace, Professor of History, Indiana University, US, and Professor Jeremy McNeil, Helen Battle Visiting Professor, University of Western Ontario, Canada. The selection was based on a number of criteria, including a commitment to implementing OBTL; a high level of competency in motivating and facilitating student learning; a constructive contribution to the University’s teaching culture/performance; up-to-date knowledge and expertise in the subject area to students; and an interest in the improvement of teaching and the development of teaching innovations.

The TEA 2006-07 winners will receive their awards at the Congregation in November this year, and their names will be engraved on a TEA Plaque at the entrance of the University's Academic Building.