Interview with Ms Antonia Yeung
Associate Vice-President (Development and Campus Services)
Following the developments of the University and the growing needs from HSUHK’s students, staff and other stakeholders for campus services, Ms Antonia Yeung takes on the role of Associate Vice-President (Development and Campus Services) with joy and conviction.
“My role is really interesting. While it is common for organisations to view the developments and management of hardware and software as two different issues, HSUHK is visionary to combine them into one.” A veteran in higher education, she expects that her previous experience in communication with university stakeholders and communities can be conducive to her new role at HSUHK, advancing the holistic experience of HSUHK’s different stakeholders.
Regarding HSUHK as a young university yet experienced education institution, Antonia hopes to initiate different projects on campus and liaise with the HSUHK’s community with energy and persistence, in sync
with the University’s ‘Leap to Lead’ spirit. “It is difficult to have face-to-face meetings now considering the pandemic; this makes it all the more important for me to seize any opportunities to communicate with students, staff, or friends and supporters of HSUHK via different channels and activities, leaving no stones unturned in responding to their needs.”
Despite being new to the University and expecting a steep learning curve ahead, Antonia would like to thank the support from colleagues and various units, which allows her to hit the ground running within a short period of time. “My portfolio encompasses the development and services on campus, hence a thorough understanding of the needs and priorities of the University community is of paramount importance. I am sure I could contribute to further the development of the University with the staunch support from colleagues.”
The drastic change of the social environment in recent years has brought challenges to the University sector at large. Thanks to her past working experience, Antonia has acquired a perspective in handling different opinions. “My first job ever was as a producer in the Chinese section of a multi-ethnic radio station in Montreal, Canada. Colleagues came from all over the world and we all had different values and cultural backgrounds. This working environment helped nurture my appreciation for inclusion and respect for diverse cultures. The influence is far-reaching for me.” She was also inspired by the different roles she took later in her career journey, in which she had the opportunity to handle diverse suggestions and opinions, often with strong emotions. “I have come to realise that diverse views can often be mediated through a willingness to listen. These experiences have given me a lot of energy to meet future challenges that follow.”
Despite a busy work life, Antonia has a passion for learning. She is a Certified NLP Practitioner and Coach, a certified professional mediator, and a Certified Behavioural Consultant and Advanced Behavioural Analyst. “These areas of study are all related to personal development, personality and communication. I believe that if we want to cultivate an interest in our life and in our career, or even specifically pursue a career we are passionate about, the first step to take is to understand ourselves, and there is a way to do so.” She believes that through a curated learning pathway, not only was she able to know about herself better and appreciate others more, it also helped her to develop a means to promote common ground while respecting individual differences, and to share this spirit with others more systematically. “I value sharing, which enables individual knowledge and experience to become a collective resource for the people around us, so that together, we can make a difference. I look forward to sharing with the HSUHK community, and contributing to HSUHK by facilitating collaborations between members of the University to support its developments.”
