HKUST will be welcoming an additional 2,000 undergraduate students to the campus in Fall 2012 as we begin the 3-3-4 transition. At the end of November 2011, the President hosted a Forum to familiarize its faculty, staff and students with the initiatives to deal with this challenge. Over 300 attendees showed up to learn about the University's plans for the new four-year undergraduate curriculum, additions to campus facilities and services to take care of the double cohort.

"The transition offers us a tremendous opportunity to redesign our undergraduate education and to increase our scale and funding. All units of the University have been involved in long-term planning and development since 2005. This is a campus-wide endeavor, requiring a collaborative effort. We will need to work together, be patient and give a warm welcome to our new students, three-year and four-year alike," said President Tony F Chan at the University-wide Forum: Preparations for the 3-3-4 Transition.

Provost Prof Wei Shyy, Vice-President for Administration and Business Prof Yuk-shan Wong, Dean of Students Prof Kar-yan Tam, Associate Provost (Teaching and Learning) Dr David Mole and Senior Advisor to the President Dr Richard Armour gave presentations at the Forum, which showed the importance the University is attaching to the education reform as well as faculty, staff and student communication in relation to the reform.

Attendees were informed about the new curriculum, enrollment and admissions, student advising and counselling, campus life and residential experience, as well as out-of-class activities. Matters such as class scheduling, transportation, catering, medical and dental services under the new system were also covered.

The transition will be the culmination of a long period of planning for academic change, the enhancement of campus life and capital developments. HKUST is well prepared for the major reform in undergraduate education.