Welcome to the nineteenth edition of CUHK in Focus.
I have recently visited the United States where I had the opportunity to visit leaders of several university partners, including Stanford University and The University of California, Berkeley, and will also be visiting The University of California, Davis. During these visits, I updated our partners on major strategic developments at CUHK and explored opportunities for future collaborations. Additionally, I attended the installation ceremony of Dr. Santa J. Ono as the 15th president of The University of Michigan. I had previously worked closely with Dr. Ono as members of the Steering Committee of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and we co-chaired the APRU Presidential Working Group on Pandemic Preparedness during his tenure as President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of British Columbia. I look forward to continuing CUHK’s association with Dr. Ono and exploring opportunities for further collaboration with The University of Michigan. Overall, the visit to the US has provided a valuable opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s story on the world stage and highlight CUHK’s role as a facilitator of cross-border collaborations between China and the world. I look forward to welcoming more international partners to Hong Kong throughout CUHK’s 60th anniversary celebrations this year, as we continue to strengthen our global networks and work towards fostering innovation and collaboration around the world.
Outstanding students to commend
It gives me much pride to see an amazing 116 undergraduate students from CUHK being awarded the Link University Scholarship 2022/23 in recognition of their exemplary achievements in studies and community services. This is the fifth consecutive year that more than half of the scholarship awardees have come from CUHK. We are genuinely grateful for the consistent support from Link for offering this meaningful scholarship to motivate students from underprivileged families to strive for academic excellence, broaden their horizons and contribute to the well-being of society. We are proud to have such remarkable individuals as part of our CUHK community and look forward to seeing their future successes.
Anniversary of Co-op@CUHK
CUHK’s flagship Co-operative Education Programme (Co-op@CUHK) recently celebrated its first anniversary at a special ceremony attended by the first cohort of Co-op students, members of the University and industry partners. CUHK is determined to support students’ career development by providing them with valuable placement opportunities through Co-op@CUHK. Despite the impacts of COVID-19, the programme has achieved remarkable results. The fact that our corporate partners spanning different sectors are able to identify promising and career-ready talents for their organisations through Co-op@CUHK also demonstrates the value of the programme in delivering a triple-win outcome for employers, students and the University. The encouraging results of the inaugural cohort will drive us to deepen our partnership with industry to nurture future-ready talents, while encouraging students to realise their full potential and ensure that they contribute back to society.
Six decades of trailblazing
CUHK’s diamond jubilee year coincides with the 60th anniversary celebrations of our founding faculties. Last week, over 200 distinguished guests gathered to commemorate CUHK Business School’s 60th anniversary celebrations. As the first business school in Asia, CUHK Business School has set the standard for business education in Hong Kong and the wider region. It has also pioneered innovative approaches in executive education, management training, and research-led insights that have driven the economies of Hong Kong, the nation, and beyond. The Business School boasts an impressive list of alumni, including some of Hong Kong’s most prominent policy leaders and entrepreneurs. We are confident that the Business School will continue to cultivate future generations of talented individuals who will make significant contributions to society.
Farewell and gratitude
This edition of CUHK in Focus features a special interview with Dr. Anthony Neoh, whose remarkable 29-year tenure as a member of the University Council ended on 1 March 2023. Dr. Neoh has made tremendous contributions to the development of CUHK as a Council member (1994-2023), the Vice-Chairman of the Council (1995-1997) and most recently, the University Treasurer (2017-2023) where he made numerous contributions to CUHK and played an important role in the establishment of the CUHK Medical Centre. Dr. Neoh is well known for his distinguished career in public service across Hong Kong and nationally. I am deeply thankful to Dr. Neoh for his dedication and personal friendship, and therefore highly recommend you read his interview where he reflects on his time on the Council. I would also like to express my profound gratitude to other outgoing Council members for their meritorious service to the University over the years.
I look forward to sharing more stories with you in our next edition.
Best wishes,
Professor Rocky S. Tuan
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong