CityU’s CIO receives IT award for innovative initiatives

Dr Andy Chun Hon-wai, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), has received the Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders award for initiating innovative development in information technology at the University.

The award programme, organised by the International Data Group (IDG) in the US, spotlights 100 technology and business leaders from a broad range of organisations who have displayed exceptional leadership, effectively managed IT strategies, established creative work environments and implemented innovative approaches to business problems.

Dr Chun was recognised for his role in driving innovation and providing IT leadership in transforming the University to achieve its unique “Discover & Innovate @ CityU” vision, creating a technology-rich environment for faculty and students.

CityU has made numerous advances in the use of IT to support teaching, learning, research and administration. Recently, the University has been promoting “flipped classroom” as an innovative student-centric teaching and learning approach in response to its emphasis on the Discovery-enriched Curriculum (DEC).

A flipped classroom is a form of blended learning which encompasses the use of technology to leverage active/project-based learning, so that teachers can spend more time interacting with students instead of lecturing.

To facilitate this mode of teaching and learning, CityU has created several DEC Computing Labs that provide a highly flexible environment for empowering students to discover and innovate. These classrooms have reconfigurable furniture that allows for a collaboration-friendly environment. They are equipped with video facilities for academic staff to record their lectures before or during classes as well as several “video booths” that allow students to prepare and record their presentations, helping them to improve their presentation skills.

“This award really belongs to the collective effort and dedication of the entire CityU community. It is recognition of CityU’s unique and innovative culture that uses technology to provide the best education possible for our students. The award reconfirms CityU’s continued leadership in the higher education space. Being recognised by global ICT peers is truly a great honour,” Dr Chun said.

Over the past few years, Dr Chun has received numerous awards. In 2012, he was selected by his peers as the Hong Kong CIO of the Year for medium enterprises. In 2011, he was selected as one of the 2010 Top 5 CIOs in Greater China in the annual Top China CIO Awards organised by leading IT professional associations in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

“The Premier 100 awards programme showcases the exceptional work of a dedicated group of senior IT leaders who are driving forward huge changes in their organisations,” said Mr Scot Finnie, editor in chief of Computerworld. “Every day, these exemplary business leaders make strategic technology decisions that track to their organisations’ top priorities.”

A panel of Computerworld editors evaluated all the nominees and identified the 2013 winners to join a group of 1,400 Premier 100 honorees going back to 2000.

The awards ceremony was held during Computerworld’s annual Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference on 3 to 5 March in Tucson, Arizona, where more than 325 influential senior IT managers shared best practices.