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Last Modified: 9 December 2002

The first intake to the Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Occupational Health and Safety) and Master of Applied Science (Safety Management) programme in Hong Kong was in 1996. The first graduates from the Graduate Diploma of Applied Science (Occupational Health and Safety) in Hong Kong were in March 1998. The first graduates from the Master of Applied Science (Safety Management) who have studied in Hong Kong were in May 1999. Since the programme commenced in Hong Kong there is and has been over 200 students commence the programme.
 

The University of Western Sydney (UWS), at its Hawkesbury Campus, has more than 100 years of experience in providing quality tertiary education. UWS Hawkesbury Campus, which was founded in 1891 as an agricultural college, achieved worldwide recognition for education in agriculture and rural development and food technology. Today, as a member of the University of Western Sydney is a leading centre for education and prepares students for successful careers in a diverse range of areas.

As the new University with a proud history, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), are resolutely committed to fulfilling their distinctive mission of providing application-oriented education in support of the community's need for skilled and professional manpower. The Industrial Centre of PolyU has a long history of offering professional safety training courses for the training of safety personnel. The first safety programme at Endorsement Certificate level was launched in 1979 and currently it is offered under PolyU's Post-experience Scheme.

In recent years rapid changes in occupational safety and health practice have occurred in Hong Kong. These changes have led to an increased demand from government and industry for people with a high level of expertise to work in occupational safety and health in a full time capacity. For economic reasons, there has developed a growing demand for occupational safety and health professionals who have competencies in areas of safety management as well as the ability to deal effectively with a wide range of people in different disciplines. The programme will meet that demand by producing graduates with a breadth and depth of occupational safety, health and environmental safety knowledge and skills.

Managers of industry are now well aware of the cost of occupational safety losses and the cost effectiveness of the occupational health and safety professional. Persons qualified with a postgraduate qualification in this occupational health and safety can well expect to be absorbed into a wide range of business and industries that need their knowledge and skills. It is anticipated that the future demands will be high in any public or private sector organisation.

The strategy to be used is consistent with overseas developments and the Faculty's general philosophy of problem based learning. In the main, problems will be identified within the students' workplace and will be of practical immediate use to their employers. If applicable learning contracts will be negotiated in which the students will identify the issues that they explore.
The students will be required to examine the issues from the dimensions outlined in the above aims. Issues that may be examined include:

• Risk management and a systems safety perspective on various organisations (student's employers, if practical).

• The development of objectives, policies and programmes for the more effective occupational safety management or strategic problems within industry.

• Specific detailed analysis of any occupational safety issue.