EN210905-HKU-CAES-Annual-Report_2021-22-V03-0222

Our Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs) provision expanded to a portfolio of six courses. A total of 22 workshops were offered by nine teachers to 285 undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD students. The introduction of new courses was a key feature in CAES during the 2020-2021 academic year with the launch and/or piloting of three new SPOCs (i.e., Sentence Structure, Formality inWriting, and Critical Reading) aimed at more closely supporting key areas of academic literacy. CAES has continued to provide over 30 English courses for nine faculties across HKU. CAES1000 has delivered 130 classes to almost 2,400 students throughout the academic year. Our teaching team has also developed two new elective courses, namely Learning English through Audio-visual Books and Learning English through Podcasting. Other than the UGC-funded courses we have provided, we are strongly committed to projects in collaboration with other stakeholders. Our NGL programme was completed successfully in August 2021 despite the change of mode of delivery from face-to-face to virtual due to the current pandemic, global travel restrictions, and changing political circumstances on the ground in Myanmar. In summer 2021, 38 HKU NGL participants delivered online English language and communication lessons to 424 marginalized youths in more than seven locations across Thailand, Myanmar, andalong theThai-Burmaborder. CAESstaff are leading the Communication-intensive Courses (CiC) project, in collaboration with the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Common Core Office. Over one hundred communication-intensive courses are in various stages of the badging process. Our CiC Symposium was well attended by many HKU colleagues. Our provision of a range of academic literacy development courses at the postgraduate level has continued with great success. The curriculum review of our Masters programme in Applied Linguistics was most positive. Not only was our programme highly rated by our graduates/students, but many aspects were recognized and commended by the reviewpanel members. Student evaluations have continued to be highly satisfactory, despite the required adoption of the hybrid mode of delivery which is very challenging for both teachers and students. Three PhD students successfully completed their doctorate this academic year. The 2020-2021 academic year was one of change and transition for our journal, Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics (AJAL), with a new Associate and Assistant Editors and ten new manuscript reviewers joining the existing team of reviewers to respond to the increase in submissions. The latest consolidated issue of AJAL will be published online in September. A strategic plan has been developed and acted upon following consultations with ERIC, with particular attention to operations, technology, and sustainable development. With renewed energy and focus, AJAL continues to foster latest trends of scholarship, and innovations relating to the use, teaching and learning of English language in the region. Members of CAES had a productive year in terms of presentations and publications in their respective areas of interest. A newVirtual Teaching and Learning Grant from UGC has been secured to promote student partnership and faculty engagement. CAES has organized a series of seminars, invited talks and events for staff throughout the year. Our Professional Development programme for staff was designed to strengthen teaching skills and deepen subject knowledge. In our Centre, there are regular times across the semesters where teachers can share their practices with colleagues in various teacher learning communities.TheHongKongContinuingProfessional Development Hub (HKCPD Hub) continued to fulfil its goal in supporting and encouraging professional development among university English teachers across the eight UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. Despite the unprecedented year of the pandemic, a total of 14 events were organised in the 2020-2021 academic year to facilitate and foster participation of English Language Centre colleagues in learning, sharing, collaboration and contribution. A virtual international conference, held in January 2021, brought together experts, researchers and practitioners from 57 countries or regions around the world. CAES will continue to be a locally and internationally recognised centre for its teaching, engagement, innovation, and scholarship in English language education. I congratulate all our colleagues for all their hard work and commitment to ensure that CAES enjoyed a very fruitful year by accomplishing all our objectives. On a personal note, I would like to express my gratitude to colleagues in CAES and in the Faculty of Arts for their support and guidance in my first year at HKU. Dr. Alessandro Benati Director September 2021 INTRODUCTION 03 02