Universities and Civic Responsibility

Abstract

Over 500 students and staff of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University volunteered to participate in an Anti-SARS Project during the SARS crisis in 2003. The Project, which was developed spontaneously through the concerted efforts of the university and the community, included hotlines for SARS patients, medical personnel, and children; community health education programme; friendly calls to elderly people living alone; collecting cards of appreciation for medical personnel; providing consultation and training in crisis management for teachers and parents; and conducting research to understand the coping strategies adopted by vulnerable groups during the SARS crisis. This multifaceted, inter-disciplinary effort did not only contribute to the alleviation of community stress but also enhanced the participants' sense of civic responsibility and their professional competence as human service professionals. This paper examines the impact of the experience on those students and staff involved and its implications for professional education.