School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

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University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP)

School of Life Sciences (and its former counterpart, Department of Biology) of The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been in partnership with Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong in sending students to go on a 2-week overseas trip to participate in conservation projects through the University Students Sponsorship Programme in Wildlife Conservation for over 15 years.  Over the past years, more than 50 of our students have benefitted from this programme.

We are now launching our next round of application and a special info session has been arranged to be held in CUHK for our students.

OPCFHK-USSP-CUHK Info Session

Date: Sep 10, 2025 (Wed)
Time: 18:30-20:30
Venue: CYTLT1A

Please refer to the 2025-26 page for details.

For enquiries, please contact May at kwanmeiyam@cuhk.edu.hk (SLS, CUHK) or Eric at eric.lm.tang@oceanpark.com.hk (OPCFHK).

USSP 2025-26

OPCFHK is delighted to announce that the University Student Sponsorship Programme 2025-2026 (USSP2526) is ready for student recruitment! This year, OPCFHK connected a total of 9 projects on wildlife conservation, research, and community engagement around the Asian countries and regions, including China, Nepal, Philippines and Malaysia (Project list in attachment).

Programme Highlight

  •   Up to HKD$10,000 sponsorship to student
  •   Participate in frontline wildlife conservation works out of HK for 10 – 14 days
  •   Meet and network with local community and fellow university students and experts between Hong Kong and overseas

Programme contents

  •   Pre-trip assignments: Budget plan, itinerary plan, proposal for community education project
  •   Tasks during trip: Social media post content and photo taking
  •   Post-trip assignments: Learning experiences sharing, community education project, infographic design, summary report, financial report etc.
  •   Documentary production

Important Dates

  1. Application Deadline: Sep 21, 23:59 (Sun), 2025
  2. Interview: Oct 4 & 5, 2025 (Sat & Sun)
  3. Result Release: Oct 10, 2025 (Fri)
  4. Student Orientation: Oct 18, 2025 (Sat) 9:30 – 12:30
Info Deck Poster Project List Application Form
USSP 2024-25

University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) 2024-25

 

OPCFHK is delighted to announce that the University Student Sponsorship Programme 2024-2025 (USSP2425) is ready for student recruitment!  This year, OPCFHK connected a total of 10 projects on wildlife conservation, research, and community engagement around the Asian countries and regions, including China, Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Malaysia.

Programme Highlight

  • Up to HKD$10,000 sponsorship to student
  • Participate in wildlife conservation out of HK for 10-14 days
  • Experience frontline conservation and research works
  • Meet and network with local community and fellow university students and experts between Hong Kong and overseas

Programme contents

  • Pre-trip assignments: Budget plan, itinerary plan, proposal for community education project
  • Tasks during trip: social media post content writing and photo taking
  • Post-trip assignments: learning experiences sharing, infographic design, summary report, financial report etc…
  • Documentary production

Important Dates

  1. Application Deadline: October 13, 2024 23:59 (Sun)
  2. Interview: October 26 & 27, 2024 (Sat & Sun)
  3. Result Release: October 31, 2024 (Wed)
  4. Student Orientation: November 9, 2024 (Sat) 14:30-16:30
Info Deck Application Form (details of the projects can be found here)
USSP 2023-24

University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) 2023-24

Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong (OPCFHK) launched its University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) in 2005, and our CUHK students have been benefitting from this programme since 2007.  The programme was halted due to the pandemic and we are happy to hear that it’s going to resume again in 2023-24. 

Application to join the programme (10-14 days’ trip to China/Indonesia/Malaysia/Philippines/Sri Lanka/Vietnam/others in Jan 2024 or May-Jun 2024) is NOW open.  Subsidy for each successful candidate could be up to HKD10,000.  A briefing session about the programme will be held in CUHK on the coming Wednesday:

OPCFHK-USSP-CUHK 2023-24 Briefing Session (DON’T MISS THIS)

Date: Oct 18, 2023 (Wed)
Time: 18:30-19:30
Venue: YIALT2

Content:

  • Introduction of USSP
  • Project showcase
  • Tips to win the seat

DO COME AND JOIN US!  See you!

To register, click HERE. For enquiries, please contact May from School of Life Sciences at kwanmeiyam@cuhk.edu.hk.

Message from Selina So, Senior Community Education Officer, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong.

Dear fellow students,

We are Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong. We are excited to introduce you
with the University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) after 3 years’ pandemic time!
USSP Established in 2004, funded by OPCFHK, the USSP sent students from different
universities to various destinations and provided the opportunities to them to take part in
the scientific research projects. Students will gain valuable experiences of working alongside
conservation professionals which gave them insight to take up careers in conservation
through real-life encounters.

You can also become one of our USSPers. If you wish to know more about the programme,
you are welcomed to join us the briefing session. Details are in the poster. See you there!

Best Regards,
Selina So
Senior Community Education Officer

Poster Introduction Session Poster Application Form (details of the projects can be found here)
USSP 2019-20

University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) in Wildlife Conservation 2019-2020

Do you want to join a research team to do wildlife conservation work in Asia for 10-14 days?  Do you want to meet and network with local conservationist and fellow university students?  If your answer is yes to the above, please join our information session to find out more what you can get from the programme. 

Information Session in CU (Don’t miss this!)

Date: Sep 10, 2019 (Tue)
Time: 18:30
Venue: SCL2

Content:

  • Introduction of USSP
  • Student trip sharings
  • Project show case (and requirements)

DO COME AND JOIN US!  See you!

To register, click HERE.  For enquiries, please contact May from School of Life Sciences at kwanmeiyam@cuhk.edu.hk.

Poster - Programme Highlights Poster - Info Session Student Information Pack USSP 1920 Application Form-CUHK
USSP 2018-19

University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) in Wildlife Conservation 2018-2019

Poster Poster - Info Session Student Information Pack Application Form
Student Sharings

University Student Sponsorship Programme (USSP) in Wildlife Conservation

School of Life Sciences (and its former counterpart, Department of Biology) of The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been in partnership with Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong in sending students to go on a 2-week overseas trip to participate in conservation projects through the University Students Sponsorship Programme in Wildlife Conservation for over 10 years.

We are now launching our next round of application.  Please refer to the 2019-20 page for details.

Sharings from past participants (2018-19)

Participants CHAN Ying Tung Shadow (BIOL, CUHK),
CHENG Lok Yiu Rachel (BIOL, CUHK)
Animal Species Multiple species of cetaceans
Location Luzon and Visayas Island, The Philippines
Date 19 May to 1 June 2019
Principal Investigator Dr. Marie OBUSAN, Natural Sciences Research Institute (NSRI)
Research Focus Cetacean Health and Stranding Response Program: a One Health Initiative in the Philippines
Students’ Work
  • Population survey of cetaceans
  • Sample processing of stranded cetaceans

 

Participants KONG Ka Wing Christy (ENSC, CUHK),
LAI Yat Yi Iris (ENSC, CUHK),
FUNG Yan Lok Louis (ESSC, CUHK),
CHONG Hoi Dik Heidi (HKBU)
Animal Species Dugong
Location Palawan, Philippines
Date 24 May to 6 June 2019
Principal Investigator Mr. Reynante RAMILO, Community Centred Conservation (C3)
Research Focus Community-Driven Monitoring and Conservation of Palawan’s Threatened Dugongs
Students’ Work
  • Land-based survey for dugong
  • Monitoring of dugong eco-tourism
  • Monitoring of feeding tracks of dugongs and sea grass bed
  • Assist local community education work to raise awareness on dugong conservation

 

Participants FUNG Hei Lam Heidi (BIOL, CUHK),
LEUNG Ho Yin Alexander (ENSC, CUHK)
Animal Species Giant panda
Location China
Date 16 to 23 May 2019
Principal Investigator Dr. LI Binbin, Duke Kunshan University
Research Focus Study on sustainable grazing and management policy of giant panda’s habitat
Students’ Work
  • Survey of grazing communities and animals in giant panda habitat
  • Infrared-triggered camera trap setup to investigate wildlife inhabited in the area

 

Participants WONG Long Ching Elvis (BIOL, CUHK),
FONG Tsz Ting Leroy (HKBU),
MA Kwan Po Michael,
WONG Ka Yee Kitty (HKU)
Animal Species Snow leopard
Location Qinghai, China
Date 18 May to 2 June 2019
Principal Investigator Dr. CHENG Chen, Peking University Centre for Nature and Society
Research Focus Identification of key protection area for snow leopards in Sanjiangyuan under climate change
Students’ Work
  • Population survey of mammals with infrared-triggered camera
  • Interviews with local communities
  • Bird survey and vegetation converage survey