English

Why do some companies succeed while others fail? The efficient use of resources in organizations and the harmonization and alignment of various interests broadly define the topic of “corporate governance.” To shed some light on conceptual as well as practical issues in this area, this course first covers some aspects of financial management, with a particular focus on valuation and value-based management. The course then discusses how the governance of a corporation can be set up in order to enhance the value creation in the company. The course utilizies theoretical, conceptual material as well as case studies.  

This course addresses the design and performance tuning of database applications, focusing on relational database applications implemented with relational database management systems. Topics covered include normalization theory (functional, multi-valued and join dependency, normal forms, decomposition and synthesis methods), entity relationship approach and SQL tuning (performance evaluation, execution plan verification, indexing, de-normalization, code level and transactions tuning). Additional selected topics include the technologies, design and performance tuning of non-relational database applications (for instance, network and hierarchical models and nested relational model for an historical perspective, as well as XML and NoSQL systems for a modern perspective). The course requires students to take prerequisites.

This course introduces the storyboard as a thinking tool, through which creative ideas are developed and given detail. Students learn to employ artistic tools like framing, camera movement, character movement and key visuals within the larger structure of the entire narrative. Topics include the role of the storyboard within the animation pipeline and its relevance to concept development, script development, animatics and production design. The course focuses on the aspects of animation production design that support the dramatic impact of the story. Further insight will be gained into the connection between visual development and storyboard through exercises and assignments on character design, environment and prop design.

Cryptology—the modern discipline that combines construction and evaluation of cryptographic mechanisms—is a highly interdisciplinary field, deeply rooted in mathematics, but with branches in electronic engineering, computer science, and software and systems engineering. The course introduces fundamental aspects of cryptology from a modern perspective, focusing on design and security aspects of cryptographic schemes used for secure two-party communication, and of their underlying primitives.

This course examines the role of the media in shaping the global and local societies, as well as the ways in which growing access to information fosters knowledge sharing and citizen participation in public affairs and creates social problems such as privacy infringement, misinformation, and polarization. It explores if the global media really changes the power structure of information flow, production, and dissemination or actually reinforces the imbalance. It questions whether media technologies amount to an individual’s emancipation or serve as another form of exploitation. It explores the role of the media in Hong Kong, China, and the rest of the world and how in a multipolar cultural world, how citizens contribute to the conversation on local and global issues. The course reflects on critical social values such as the freedom of expression, information, privacy, transparency, and investigate the impact of the social media, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.

This course gives students an overview of how financial markets and institutions work. The content includes introduction to the financial system, financial claims, financial intermediaries, banking, financial markets, equity market, bond market, investment, hedge fund, and private equity, and sustainability in finance. Students learn how to explain the roles, structure, and mechanism of the financial system, financial institutions, and financial markets. Students also learn how to explain the key concepts such as financial claims, financial intermediation, and financial markets. They gain a good understanding of the relevant theories on financial markets and institutions, and explain phenomena such as adverse selection and moral hazard. 

Students learn about the organization of the human genome, and how it affects the expression, preservation, and transmission of genetic traits. Students discover how modern genetic approaches, including whole genome sequencing, underpin advances in our understanding of gene function and human disease. Students also explore how current techniques drive genetic research and allow the characterization of genes, as well as their potential role in determining health outcomes. This includes an overview of basic bioinformatic methods, to navigate the public data resources that harbor genomic and functional data, an essential tool in the molecular and health sciences.

This course offers an introduction to conceptual and philosophical issues raised in modern economics. By employing core theories and discussions from the philosophy of science, political philosophy, and ethics, students ask questions about the nature, scientific status, and implicit value assumptions in economics. For example: What is science and rigor, and how does it relate to economics? Can there be laws of economics? What is utility, and how does it relate to well-being? What is the role of models in economics? What are the normative assumptions implicit in economic research? How are ethical issues related to economics, and can economists incorporate value judgements? Can economics be associated with wider social justice?

In this upper division course, students acquire skills and techniques to be effective as a film and media producer. The course covers creative producer's responsibilities, including working in various genres and formats, working with talent, creating a joint vision, pitching, managing a budget and shooting schedule, and developing a marketing and release strategy. This course is only open to third year students and above. 

The course introduces various types of chemical contaminants and their adverse effects on animals, humans and ecosystems, and environmental management strategies. It provides an overview of ecotoxicology principles, sources, chemical nature, fate of contaminants, and their interaction and impacts with the ecosystem, and the living organisms in the environment. It also relates ecotoxicology to risk assessment including assessment, monitoring, management and protection of the environment from toxicants. Students gain insights into the impacts of pollutants on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. They delve into sustainable environmental management strategies, including pollution prevention, remediation, and ecological risk assessments.