Fung Kam Keung could not get into a university because of a disappointing DSE result. His failing grade in Chinese History upset him in particular. His teacher comforted him and suggested that since he had passed both his Chinese and English language exams, he should enrol in an associate degree to keep his university dream alive. Fung took that advice and enrolled in a HKU SPACE associate degree in computer science, where he scored a high GPA of 3.8 the following year and successfully got into The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Although still a student, his career was already riding high. "I've worked as a broadband service salesman during the summer vacation since my Form 6 year. In one year, when I was already a university student, I earned over HK$300,000 in just three months!" He continued, "Later, my performance prompted a very senior executive to meet me. That was when he realised that I was a university student."

One of his colleagues inspired him to develop an app called iSafe. This app allows users to set a pair of passcodes that safeguard information on their mobile phones; others will have limited access to information if they are given one of the two passcodes." I put my new app in the app store, and in one month I earned more than HK$600,000! It sells especially well in Japan and Germany."

Law Hiu Fung was a member of Hong Kong's rowing team; for his prowess, he won a Hong Kong Sports Stars Award in 2003. However, after the Beijing Olympics, Law began to think about his career — how long could he remain an athlete? After some research, he decided to enrol in HKU SPACE, and in two years successfully completed his Certificate in Recreation and Sports Management and his Advanced Diploma in Recreation and Sports Management. According to Law, going back to school was an amazing experience. "Those are well-rounded courses," he said. "They taught me the sports system, development and infrastructure of Hong Kong and other countries, how to manage and lead a sports team, and how to apply for subsidies." Besides gaining knowledge, Law said, he also broadened his social circle, which brought changes to his personality. However, he believed his greatest achievement was that after taking all those courses, he now finally understands the reasons behind his coach's "unreasonable demands" all those years ago!

Before his retirement, Benny Cheung served as Assistant Divisional Officer in Fire Services; now, he is the Chairman of Hong Kong Joint Council for People with Disabilities, and the winner of four gold medals at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. On 9 September 1983, Typhoon Ellen hit Hong Kong, and then-Probationary Station Officer Cheung joined the Mount Davis rescue team and gave his all to help save people. Unfortunately, during the rescue operation, his left leg was crushed by fallen rocks and had to be amputated. A young man in his twenties, Cheung was naturally depressed by his injury, but he opted to look on the bright side, keeping fit through various sports, including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair table tennis, swimming, and canoeing. When he first encountered fencing, he fell in love with it. Later, Cheung enrolled in the Master of Arts in Recreation and Sports Management, a programme jointly offered by HKU SPACE and Australia's Victoria University. "Swimming and fencing are physical activities, but what the course taught me was the theory behind it, using data to analyse the effectiveness of each movement," said Cheung. "It not only broadened my horizons, but also fostered my logical thinking." The course also taught him how to handle things systematically, which has been a big help in his public service.

At 24, snooker player Ng On Yee enrolled in HKU SPACE's Advanced Diploma in Accounting. "After becoming a professional athlete, I went to many events that made me reflect on my inadequacy of knowledge in many fields," she said. "So, I decided to take up studying again." Although the accounting course did not improve her snooker skill, it widened her horizons, which was exactly why she took the course. "This time around," she said, "studying feels very different, because it's my own choice." Although the course reduced her time for training on the tables, she found it beneficial because it enabled her to return with a refreshed mind and an increased appreciation for her sport.

After obtaining an Advanced Diploma in Fitness and Exercise Studies, Stone Tsang went on to acquire his Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Work Based Learning Studies (Fitness and Exercise) from HKU SPACE. "I enjoy sports, but I thought I didn't have enough knowledge of it," he said. "That's why I selected this course when I decided to further my studies."

As a nature-lover, Tsang has been disappointed to see Hong Kong's lush green trails being paved with concrete. "When citizens voiced their objections to the concrete paths, the government said that concrete trails were safer for kids, seniors and regular users. The truth is, the original, muddy trails are best for our health," said Tsang. "I learned from my HKU SPACE course that hiking or running on muddy paths strengthens our core muscles better than concrete paths. In addition, because I'm frequently involved in mountain rescue missions, I know that a lot of accidents and injuries in parks aren't caused by undeveloped environments. Rather, many are caused by insufficient preparation or a lack of safety awareness on the part of the hikers. The solution to preventing these accidents lies not in paving more paths, but in educating the public."