I am pleased to share with you the recent vibrant developments of the Faculty of Humanities. At the beginning of each calendar year, the Dean’s Office sets out an Executive Plan with contributions from the Associate and Assistant Deans. This comprehensive plan encompasses a wide range of initiatives aimed at recognizing and supporting excellence within the faculty, enhancing community connections, boosting international engagement, providing more support to teaching, increasing research productivity, improving stakeholder experience, managing human resources effectively, enhancing graduates' employability, and enhancing the student experience.
Some key recent highlights of our plan include the introduction of various Dean's Awards to acknowledge outstanding administrative services, research and knowledge transfer, writing retreats, international research collaboration, internships, and alumni achievements. Efforts are also being made to streamline elective courses and implement a flexible teaching schedule to provide more support to teaching. Meanwhile, new incentive schemes to support research grant applications aim to boost research productivity. To continue to build a better research infrastructure within FHM, we have fostered new research inquiries and promoted strategic focuses on Digital Humanities and Comparative Cultures of Care. A new large-scale research project called “The Sustainable Humanities” will be launched in late 2024 to directly respond to SDG engagements using robust humanities concepts and tools. Meanwhile, the Humanities Research Hub, opened in June 2023, has become an energetic space to host seminars, meetings, and academic exchange among staff, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate students.
In September 2024, FHM will welcome the integration of the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts, so that the Faculty will grow into having five academic departments, a language centre, and four research centres.
I am also pleased to report on the achievements in international engagement, which includes successful existing initiatives and new collaborations with prestigious universities (e.g. University College London, Beijing University, University of Lapland, etc.). These efforts have led to enhanced university reputation, access to new research networks and funding, diverse campus environment, joint programs and research initiatives, student exchange opportunities, and the introduction of new teaching methods.
With successful recruitment of a new batch of academic staff, including three new Chair Professors recruited in 2023 and 2024, FHM is ever more vibrant, supportive, and productive.
Warm regards,
Professor John Erni
Dean, Faculty of Humanities