The report on the recent RGC site visit to HKUST praised the institution for having established a good research culture. The challenge is to nurture and establish an equally supportive culture for teaching while not losing the momentum that has been achieved in research.

Since at HKUST, as at every respected university, the way in which academic staff use their time is not dictated by central authority, the key to achieving this balance lies in modifying the system of incentives and recognition for professional activity. When academic staff understand that they will be judged as seriously on their teaching performance as on their publication records, and when they see that their contributions as teachers are recognized by their peers and the institution, they will respond by setting their priorities appropriately.

During the past year, there has been a significant change in the emphasis on teaching performance in reviews of academic staff. This has been discussed to some extent in the previous section. There is now widespread understanding among the academic staff that teaching performance is being carefully assessed when staff members are reviewed for professional advancement. Faculty members are not explicitly urged to spend less time on research and more on teaching related duties, and research performance remains an important consideration, but they have definitely got the message that marginalizing teaching in order to devote more time to research is not a strategy for success.

On the incentive side, there has been a concerted effort to raise the level of recognition accorded to teaching. In Genesis, the campus bulletin for staff and students, and in the HKUST Newsletter distributed externally, more coverage has been given to accomplishments in teaching and learning. Teaching and learning was selected as the theme for our exhibit in the major university external exhibition, and also served as a thematic focus for illustrations in the annual Calendar. A series of seminars and workshops on innovative teaching technology was organized by the new Center for Enhanced Learning Technology.

Awards for good teaching were expanded and given greater recognition. In addition to the annual Michael Gale medal for distinguished teaching, awarded by the University Council at Congregation, each School now gives awards to a group of its faculty for excellence in teaching on an annual or semester basis. A student-organized poll also identifies ten teachers regarded by students as outstanding. An annual recognition reception and press conference has been initiated at which these awardees are brought together and publicly acknowledged for their contributions.

We believe that these efforts, sustained over the years to come, can bring about the kind of balance between teaching and research priorities that will nurture a culture for teaching and leaning, while preserving the best aspects of a research culture on this campus. Ideally, this balance can bring about the kind of synergy between research and teaching that is often cited, but too seldom realized, as a major advantage of the research-oriented university