HKU Portal User Guide

The HKU Portal is a campus portal based on the open source software uPortal of JA-SIG (Java Administration Special Interest Group) to enable convenient and effective communications among University members. The HKU Portal provides a single-sign-on entry to the e-mail and other university-wide network communications functions. At the same time, the portal provides a personalized interface to the computer applications for supporting e-learning, e-administration, online library services, and other services that are commonly used by students and staff members such as those for student services, health, IT facilities, leisure, etc. The HKU Portal also allows you to include your interested Internet information resources as part of your own tailored Campus Portal service. It is completely customizable in which you can choose what information to receive and how to display it. The HKU Portal was rolled out in January 2003.

A portal is a web system which provides the functions and features to authenticate and identify the users and provide them with an easy, intuitive, personalized and user-customizable web interface for accessing the information and services that are relevant to them. To the organization which set up the portal, it is a system that provides versatile functions for organizing different and multiple sources of information and services for dissemination to different users according to their specific privileges, needs and interests in an effective manner.

You can login the HKU Portal using your UID (User Identification) and PIN (Personal Identification Number).

A computer account is automatically created for all new students at the time of registration at HKU. For taught postgraduate students, they will collect their UID and PIN when they collect their student cards.

Please note that the PIN can be a combination of alpha-numeric characters. Since you can access your private information in the HKU Portal, you are advised to keep your PIN secure and safe from others.

HKU Portal delivers information to users according to relevancy and privilege. Thus, the information in HKU Portal are different for different user groups. The following chart summarizes the groups of information available to students, staff and departmental users.

	Student	Staff	Departmental Users
HKU Today	Yes	Yes	Yes
MyEmail	Yes	Yes	Yes
MyWebCT	Yes	Yes
MyLibrary	Yes	Yes
MyUIS		Yes
Student Connect	Yes
MyFaculty	Yes
MyDepartment		Yes	Yes
Services	Yes	Yes	Yes
MyFavourites	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sample screens	click here	click here	click here

Starting from August 2, 2003, the HKU Portal is accessible from the Internet. This development will bring much convenience to our staff and students who can now have direct access to the applications and services under the HKU Portal from any network service. Before this date, the HKU Portal was only accessible from the HKU campus network. These services include the University Information System, Student Connect and other departmental information accessible through the HKU Portal.

The procedures for login to the HKU Portal from the Internet are the same as those from inside the campus network. All users are required to login the HKU Portal using their HKU Portal UID and PIN. To ensure the security of access to the personal and restricted information, a second login is mandatory for accessing the University Information System and the Student Connect system from the Internet.

Below is a summary of applications and user types that require second login.

2nd login Requirement	Students	Staff	Departmental Users
Affected application	Student Connect	MyUIS	n/a
When access from HKU Campus	n/a	Optional (default is required)	n/a
When access from Internet	Mandatory	Mandatory	n/a

For example, for staff, you will see the following screen when you access MyUIS through the Internet:

For students, you will see the following screen when you access Student Connect through the Internet:

For security reasons, you are advised not to make connections to the HKU Portal from any public areas such as cyber-cafe's as the HKU Portal contains restricted information for University members only, and some of which are personal and secure in nature.

The HKU Portal is set up with a number of tabs by default. Each tab is a page that you see under the Portal and is divided into columns containing channels of information. Tabs can be added, deleted, renamed and rearranged to your satisfaction.

1. Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2. You will see the following page

3.    Click "New Tab" on the right.
4.    Follow the steps as shown to add a new tab.
5.    When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab that you want to delete.
3.    You will see the following page

4. Click "Delete this tab"
5. When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

a. Make this the default "Active Tab" (information of the tab will be displayed first when you log into HKU Portal)

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab that you wish to modify.
3.    Select the modification option by clicking the corresponding link.
4.    When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

Each tab can contain one or more columns to show different information channels. It is suggested to limit the number of columns to a maximum of three or the channels displayed will become difficult to see.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab that you want to add in a new column.
3.    Click the button "New Column" under the selected tab.
4.    You will see the following page

5. Set the width of the columns and the total width of all the columns under a tab should make up 100%. Then click "Submit".
6. When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab under which you wish to delete a column.
3.    Click the button "Select Column" under the selected tab.
4.    You will see the following page

5. Click the option "Delete this column" to delete the column.
6. When finished, click the button

and return to the Portal.

You can also "change the width of the columns" and "move the column to a different location" by the following steps

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab under which you wish to modify a column.
3.    Click the button "Select Column" under the selected tab.
4.    You will see the following page

5. Click the option "Change the width of the columns (column widths should total 100%)" and "Move this column to a different location" as you wish.
6. When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

Channels are set up by different departments, administrative offices and service centres to provide online one-stop services/information to the HKU Portal users. Users can choose to customize (i.e. add/delete/modify) the default channels available under their own Portal. In case you want to put a new channel under the HKU Portal for your department, you may contact Computer Centre at ithelp@hku.hk.

There are five control buttons located at the right top of each channel window with their functions shown as follows:


Function	Explanation	Symbol
Detach	Opens channel in a separate window without leaving the context of the portal.
Focus	Maximize the display of a channel in a portal tab.
Maximum	Channel appears within the predefined area in a portal tab.
Minimize	Channel appears as a title bar.
Remove	Removes the channel from the user's portal.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab that you wish to add a new channel.
3.    Click "New Channel" under the column that you wish to add the new channel.
4.    You will see the following page:

      i.       Select a category to browse (to select all the available options, select the option "Select All"), then click "go".
      ii.      Select a channel that you wish to add from the list.
      iii.     Click "Add" to add the selected channel.
6.    When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab under which you wish to delete the channel.
3.    Click the "Select Channel" button of the channel that you wish to delete.
4.    You will see the following page:

5. Click "Delete this channel".
6. When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

1.    Click the link "Preferences" at the top right hand corner.
2.    Click the tab under which you wish to move the channel.
3.    Click the "Select Channel" button of the channel that you wish to move.
4.    Click "Move this channel to a different location".
5.    You will see the following page:

6. Follow the instruction which you can "Select one of the highlighted locations below, or select a different tab on which to place this channel"
7. When finished, click the button

and return to the homepage of HKU Portal.

Some channels under HKU Portal show Groups of services in which you can select only those services that you are interested in, e.g. 'Services' and 'MyFavourites'. Users can select the Groups or services in a particular Group to be displayed by the following steps:

1. Click the icon "

" which can allow you to select/unselect the Groups or services under a Group.
2.    All the available options marked with ticks will be displayed. Un-tick the options that you do not want to display. Options marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory options that could not be unselected. Tick those options that you would like to add if you have unselected some of them.
3.    Click the "Confirm" button. The changes you have made will be showed.
4.    If you want to cancel the changes, click the "Cancel" button.

You can set personal bookmarks in your own Portal under the Tab "MyFavourites". A Channel "Bookmarks" has been set up inside the Tab for keeping your bookmarks.

The bookmarks can be kept under different folders. To add or delete folders, please do the following steps:

1. To add a folder, click the button

.
2. Enter the folder name, then click "Add". The created folder will be showed under the channel of "Bookmarks".
3. You can expand the levels of a particular folder by clicking the corresponding folder button that you wish the new one to be added under. Then put in a new folder name and click "Add".

1. To delete a folder, click the button

.
2. Tick the box adjacent to the folder that you wish to delete. Then click "Delete". The selected folder will then be removed from the channel of "Bookmarks".

1. To add a new bookmark, click the button

.
2. You can select the folder under which you wish the new bookmark to appear. If you do not choose any folder, the bookmark will be saved as a "New Top Level Bookmark" (the default option).
3. Enter the "Bookmark Title", "URL" and "Description". Then click "Add".

1. To delete a bookmark, click the button

.
2. Tick the box adjacent to the folder that you wish to delete. Then click "Delete". The selected bookmark will be deleted from the list of bookmarks.

You can reset your portal and replace it by the default system settings of the HKU Portal. By doing so, all the changes you have made on your portal, e.g. channels/tabs added or removed will be discarded. The steps to reset the system setting to default are as follows:

1.    Click the tab "MyFavourites".
2.    Click the service "Reset my HKU Portal to System Settings" under the Group "Portal Utilities".
3.    Click the "Confirm" button.
4.    You will see a message to inform you the completion of the reset. Then click "Close this window" button.
5.    Logout the current HKU Portal session by clicking the link "Logout" on the top right hand corner. Then login to HKU Portal again. You will see your Portal with the default HKU Portal setting.

The best view resolution of the HKU Portal is 1024x768. To increase or decrease the resolution of your display may cause some of the information unable to display or difficult to see.

To use the HKU Portal, you must use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 or 5.5, with Java and JavaScript enabled (go to "Tools"--"Internet Options"--"Advanced" and tick the option "JIT compiler for virtual machine enabled" under "Microsoft VM"). Netscape Navigator does not support the features (e.g. inline frames) required by HKU Portal.

You are identified by your unique UID (User Identification) and PIN (Personal Identification Number) when you login to the HKU Portal. Since you can access many information in the HKU Portal with your PIN, you are advised to keep your PIN secure and safe from leaking to any other person. You must not disclose your PIN to anyone and you are advised to change your PIN regularly. If you suspect that someone knows your PIN, you should change your PIN immediately by clicking here.

2. Verify the validity of the HKU Portal web site before entering your HKU Portal UID and PIN

Before login, you are advised to verify the identity of this website by clicking the "Security Lock" at the lower part of the browser. The HKU Portal possesses a digital certificate to authenticate its identity. You must not enter your HKU Portal UID / PIN in any website which you suspect to be a fake website, or if the "Security Lock" icon cannot be found, or information in the certificate is invalid.

1. Double click the "Security Lock" icon at the lower part of the browser (enable status bar if it cannot be seen), a certificate information page will pop-up:

Location of Security Lock

Enable Status Bar if necessary

2. In the "General" tab, verify the certificate information is displayed with:
Issued to: hkuportal.hku.hk
Issued by: Equifax Secure Certificate Authority
Valid from "Date" to "Date" (Check if this certificate is within a valid date)

3. In the "Details" tab, check the certificate information page and verify the following information:

Subject : CN = hkuportal.hku.hk OU = Domain Control Validated - QuickSSL Premium(R) OU = See www.geotrust.com/resources/cps (c)07 OU = GT86311881 O = hkuportal.hku.hk C = HK	Issuer : OU = Equifax Secure Certificate Authority O = Equifax C = US

Remember to disable your auto-complete function on your browser as this will make your HKU Portal UID & PIN automatically available to anyone having access to your system. To turn this function off in MS Internet Explorer browser, click the Tools menu, click "Internet Options", click the "Content" tab, and click the "AutoComplete" button. Then uncheck the box "User names and passwords on forms" and click "OK".

An automatic "time-out" will be activated to disconnect your HKU Portal session 4 hours after you login to prevent unauthorized access.

However, the most secure way to protect your personal and confidential information in the HKU Portal, e.g. your personal profile and staff financial information under the University Information System, is to logout and close ALL browsers every time when you have finished using the HKU Portal or before you leave your PC unattended.

Access to the HKU Portal will be suspended if successive login failures are recorded. The account will be automatically re-activated after a certain time. In addition, you be alerted with an email titled "Your access to HKU Portal has been suspended". For security sake, users are advised to change their PIN immediately in case your account has been suspended due to this reason. To change your PIN, please refer to FAQ here.

To protect your personal information including personnel and financial data from the University databases, a second login is mandatory when you access MyUIS and Student Connect from the Internet. You will be prompted to enter your UIS or Student Connect password accordingly.

For staff who access MyUIS inside the HKU campus, they will be prompted for the second login by default for better security protection. However, they may choose to access MyUIS without the second login in 'Portal Utilities' under 'MyFavorites'. For detail, you may refer to FAQ here.

It is important that you LOGOUT and CLOSE all browsers every time after using the HKU Portal to ensure that you end each HKU Portal session securely. Do not leave a HKU Portal session unattended at any time. If you do not logout, others can access to your information using the same computer you used or even change or delete your personal or confidential information under the active Portal session left behind.

Install and update virus detection software regularly to ensure your PC is having the latest protection. Do not open any suspicious or unknown emails and attachments to reduce the vulnerability to computer viruses.

If you have any problems or suggestions in using the HKU Portal, please send your comments to our electronic Helpdesk at ithelp@hku.hk or call our Helpdesk at 28592480.

Since refinements and adjustments are anticipated especially in this initial phase of the HKU Portal, your feedback will help us to improve this new service. The Computer Centre will keep on working to improve the campus-wide HKU Portal services.