By Travis Walters
The Savannah College of Art and Design announced on Feb. 17 that it will open a Hong Kong campus in the Fall of 2010. The campus will be located in the North Kowloon Magistracy Building (NKMB), which was awarded to SCAD by the Advisory Committee on the Revitalization of Historic Buildings of the Hong Kong Development Bureau. SCAD will be conserving the historic building without further investment by the Hong Kong government.
SCAD-Hong Kong will allow undergraduate students to earn Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in animation, interactive design and game development, broadcast design and motion graphics, visual effects, advertising design, photography, graphic design and illustration. A minor in sound design will also be available. Graduate students will be able to earn degrees in interactive design and game development, photography and graphic design. It will follow the same four-year American style system as the other SCAD campuses, all credit is transferable between campuses. Tuition for SCAD-Hong Kong will be the same as that of SCAD-Savannah and SCAD-Atlanta.
“We are honored that the Hong Kong Development Bureau has chosen SCAD over more than 100 other applicants for this opportunity,” SCAD President and co-founder Paula S. Wallace said in a prepared statement. “SCAD will be the first U.S. university to establish a degree-granting campus in Hong Kong, and we believe SCAD-Hong Kong will become the preeminent site for the study of digital media in Asia.”
SCAD has an enrollment of more than 9,000 students, more than 500 full and part-time faculty, and more than 1,500 full- and part-time staff across its campuses. The student body comes from all 50 states and over 90 countries. Approximately 10 percent of the student body is international students, with China being the third largest international student population. SCAD already has many noted Chinese artists and designers on faculty, and students travel to China as part of the off campus programs offered by the university.
In September 2008, SCAD President Paula Wallace named Hong Kong native Jackie Chan an honorary professor of performing arts for “a lifetime of excellence in the cinematic arts and for nurturing others to pursue their own artistic dreams.” Chan was the first person to receive an honorary professorship from the university. At that time the university said that, “to further expand its global reach and mission, the university is exploring the possibility of establishing a campus in Hong Kong.”
Now that the campus is a reality, Chan said in a prepared statement, “SCAD is one of the best art and design universities in the world, and is expert in historic conservation. SCAD is particularly strong at renovating and managing historic buildings, as we will see when the NKMB becomes SCAD’s Hong Kong campus. As an honorary professor of the university, I’m sure the building will be preserved to the highest standards, and all faculty members and students will make the best possible use of it. I’m sure Hong Kong people will be very pleased because Hong Kong will become a leader in creativity in Asia. Welcome to Hong Kong, SCAD!”
Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, is home to about 7 million people according to the latest census report. The city grew by more than 200,000 people in the past five years. By comparison, New York City holds a population of over 8.2 million. Hong Kong is one of two special administrative regions in the People’s Republic of China, and is officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). The government is largely autonomous and maintains its own currency, political and legal systems. It depends on China for defense and foreign affairs. SCAD was one of six organizations recommended to receive historic buildings. The Advisory Committee’s recommendation is scheduled for final approval Feb. 24 by the Secretary for Development of the Hong Kong SAR.
Rendering by the Savannah College of Art and Design
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: February 18, 2009
The quotes from SCAD President Paula Wallace and Jackie Chan were taken from a press release.
