The Higher Diploma Programmes Inauguration Ceremony and Orientation 2008 of the School was held on 13 September at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. More than 1,000 guests, students, parents and staff attended the event.

SCS Student Association organised the Orientation Camp 2008 at Hong Kong Baptist Assembly on 6 – 8 September. This provided a good opportunity for new students from various Higher Diploma programmes to meet and know each other. Director Dr Victor Lee and Associate Director Dr Chan Shui Kin visited the students at the camp. They shared their learning experience with the students. They also participated in the team games and shared students' fun. The students said that the Orientation Camp improved their communication and understanding among each other and helped them adapt quickly to the school life.

A 2008 graduate of Higher Diploma Programme in Commercial Design of SCS, Yuen Siu Ting Vanessa, beat 6,000 contestants in Hong Kong and was crowned Hong Kong champion in the "Design Your Dream Baguette" online design competition held by FENDI, an international designer label. She represented Hong Kong to go on an exchange tour on 24 – 29 September in Italy, where she visited FENDI's headquarters, "Palazzo FENDI", in Rome, attended the Milan fashion show and met with the world-class designers of FENDI and winners of other regions.

Ten students of different Higher Diploma programmes won the Distinguished Award in the SCS Chinese Writing Competition held in April. They were presented with award certificates at the Higher Diploma Programmes Inauguration Ceremony on 13 September. Thirty-five other students won the Honourable Mention.

The School successfully organised an Academic Staff Development on 29 August on CUHK campus. Two professors from the Centre for Learning Enhancement and Research (CLEAR) of CUHK were invited as guest speakers to conduct talks to about 50 SCS full-time teaching staff.

Three students of the Higher Diploma Programme in Business Studies received the CUHK International Summer School (ISS) Scholarships 2008. They gained a valuable learning experience during summer from 2 July to 4 August 2008.

Nineteen students from Advanced Professional Diploma Programme in Music Performance (Piano) and Advanced Diploma Programme in The Art of Piano Teaching and Performance attended the 10th International Music Festival organised by Fryderyk Chopin University of Music on 13 – 27 July in Poland. The theme of this year was "From Chopin to – origin and inspiration". Fryderyk Chopin University of Music is the oldest music academy in Poland and is also one of the most prestigious music academies in Europe.

SCS students have beaten 67 teams from nine higher education institutions to win four major awards at a business innovation competition.

Graduates Lau Wing Kuen and Lin Chi Ho from Higher Diploma Programme in Digital Animation and Creative Media (DACM) in April won the Silver and Merit prizes respectively in the Open category in the 'Slogan and Trailer Competition for Promotion for the Use of Serving Chopsticks and Spoons Campaign'. This competition was organised by the Hong Kong Medical Association, and co-organised by the Department of Health and two local Federations of Parent-Teacher Association; it had the Open and Student categories. Both prize recipients have made contributions to the promotion of the culture of good hygiene in food and eating, by utilising their knowledge learnt from class, together with their boundless creativity.

In March, the Student Counselling and Development Services Division organised the 'Beijing Easter Trip', of which the School paid for over half of the total expenses. This activity had drawn over 100 Higher Diploma students to apply for and go through the interviews. After a rigorous selection process, 30 of them were selected to join this trip. Under the guidance of two SCS Student Counsellors, the students visited the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China and other historic spots in Beijing.

'Giving is better than receiving'. SCS always encourages and supports our students to care for the society and to help those in need. This summer, SCS and Hong Kong Ma On Shan Friends Association jointly organised a very meaningful volunteer service, named 'Happy English in LeChang City'. This activity took seven days, from 6 to 13 July, in which SCS's two Student Counsellors, together with the Chairperson and executives of Hong Kong Ma On Shan Friends Association, led five of our Higher Diploma programme students to visit a small village, called 'Five Town' (五山鎮), in LeChang City in northern Guangdong Province. During this visit, our students played the role of 'student teachers', teaching English to 120 local primary school pupils in this mountainous village.

A new top-up undergraduate degree programme in Business (Marketing) will be offered in conjunction with Griffith University.

In May, SCS signed an articulation agreement with the University of Leeds, UK. By virtue of this, graduates of Higher Diploma in Applied Translation Studies (HD ATS), with outstanding academic performance, may articulate directly to Master's programmes of the University of Leeds in the UK.

A SCS lecture series designed to break down disciplinary boundaries has broadened the intellectual horizons of senior secondary students.

More than 130 school counsellors and representatives from Parent-Teacher Associations shared tips on how to help students cope with stress at a seminar organised by SCS at its Central Learning Centre on 11 April.

Yeung Li Yee, a Year 3 student of the Higher Diploma Programme in Business Studies, was awarded a gold medal in the Hong Kong Young Ambassador Scheme 2008/09 in recognition of her contribution in promoting Hong Kong tourism. The scheme, which was jointly organised by the Tourism Commission and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, aimed to provide secondary school and university students with an opportunity to contribute to tourism development.

More than 200 people attended an education fair organised by SCS to learn more about studying in Japan.

Chairman and members of Advisory Board of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK with members of the Institutional Review Panel from the Joint Quality Review Committee (JQRC).

In 2002, SCS launched its first full-time Higher Diploma (HD) programmes, to provide secondary school leavers with a good variety of top quality programmes. To support the Government's promotion of the development of local creative industries, the School started to offer HD Programme in Commercial Design in 2004 and then HD Programme in Fashion Design and Product Development in 2006, both of which have aimed at helping nurture new talents for local commercial design and fashion industries.

Since its inception in 2006, the Higher Diploma Programme in Commercial Design Graduation Exhibition of our School has become an annual event eagerly expected by students, family members, professionals and people curious about art and design in Hong Kong. This year it was held on 18-20 July 2008 at the Hong Kong City Hall. The Exhibition 2008 displayed the work of 85 graduates of Higher Diploma Programme in Commercial Design; it showcased the efforts and achievements of all these young creative minds.

SCS held its Open Day on 19 July at its Mongkok Learning Centre, offering a package of interesting activities, including eight talks by our Higher Diploma programme instructors, student performances, Higher Diploma Programme in Digital Animation and Creative Media Graduation Show 2008, Higher Diploma Programme in Fashion Design and Product Development Exhibition, with some of our teaching facilities on display such as hotel training room and Fashion Design Studios. All these activities successfully attracted many students, parents and other members of the general public to attend. We also felt very honoured to have former Commissioner of Police Mr Dick Lee Ming Kwai, GBS as our special guest; he kindly shared his experiences and thoughts on the topic 'Personal Development and Lifelong Learning' at a talk. Apart from all this, we held information seminars about our Higher Diploma programmes, where many interested students and parents raised questions and sought information about our programmes and admission requirements.