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Welcome to the 22nd edition of CUHK in Focus.
The full-scale resumption of travel with the mainland has allowed us to demonstrate to our stakeholders the value we are adding to national development. I was delighted to take part in a visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) late last month, during which some of CUHK’s satellites, including The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), the Shenzhen Research Institute and the recently officially opened CUHK Hong Kong—Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Research Institute (Futian), and other impactful cross-border collaborations were showcased to 18 major media heads and key opinion leaders from Hong Kong. I am delighted to provide our media friends with updates about the University’s latest mainland developments. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the local media for their continued interest in and support of CUHK’s education and research endeavours. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to engage with all sectors across our community and demonstrate how CUHK has been putting its strategic goals into action to bring positive impact on society. I look forward to these important opportunities to tell the CUHK story well, locally and beyond.
Deepening mainland partnerships
It was an honour to welcome a delegation from the Guangdong Government led by Mr Wang Xi, Vice-Governor of Guangdong Province, in late April. I had the opportunity to exchange views with Mr Wang and other representatives from Guangdong on fostering talent cultivation and the development of innovation and technology in Guangdong and Hong Kong. We also explored possibilities for future collaborations. The visit by government officials from Guangdong is another strong example of CUHK’s commitment to our mainland partnerships. Leveraging on CUHK’s strengths as a world-class research university, we aspire to build a strong talent pipeline and contribute to the development of the I&T ecosystem in the GBA.
We were excited to commence a new partnership with the China Resources Research Institute of Science and Technology (CRRIST) and Shenzhen Space Biotechnology Group (SBG) earlier this month. The tripartite agreement signed will see CUHK’s participation in a major national space programme that supports execution of experimental projects by CUHK investigators in space. With aerospace technology development being a national priority, CUHK’s participation in the country’s space science programme will not only enable our high-quality scientific projects to generate greater impact on national development, but it will also incentivise the nurture of innovative talents to help consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international I&T hub in the long run.
Friendship comes first
I was honoured to officiate at the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup Football Tournament between CUHK and The University of Hong Kong last Saturday. The inaugural VC’s Cup was held to commemorate the concerted efforts of HKU and CUHK to safeguard the well-being of the community in the long and hard battle against SARS in 2003. Since then, it has become an annual signature event that aims to deepen the friendship between the two universities. CUHK was proud to host this year’s match as one of our 60th anniversary celebratory events. It marked the first game played since the COVID outbreak. In the face of the global pandemic, HKU and CUHK have once again taken the lead in providing solutions to alleviate its negative impact on humans at the local, national and even global levels. Today, with the return of normality in our society, I am happy that our collective efforts have not gone to waste.
Congratulations to CUHK for their victory in this year’s VC’s Cup and kudos to all players for delivering such a spectacular game. Victory and defeat aside, the event was a precious occasion to enable colleagues from both universities to bring their spirit of pursuing excellence and commitment to teamwork to the football field and appreciate the value of healthy competition. It was a great pleasure to meet our friends from HKU on campus. I look forward to continuing our time-honoured collaboration on pushing the frontiers in research and innovation to help tackle global challenges for the benefits of mankind.
Excelling in the realm of innovation
The dedication of the CUHK community to innovation for social impact has once again gained global recognition. CUHK researchers from multiple disciplines have won a total of 26 awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2023, including six Gold Medals with Congratulation of the Jury, the most among all participating institutions from Hong Kong, and two special prizes, namely the Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association and the Prize of Saudi Arabian Delegation. These remarkable achievements at the world’s largest exhibition devoted exclusively to inventions are a testament to the genuine commitment of CUHK researchers to cutting-edge innovations that bring tangible benefits to the world. The University will continue its efforts to foster a robust ecosystem for interdisciplinary research and innovation.
Long Service Awards
Every year, we are struck by the loyalty and devotion of our staff community exemplified by the attendance of the large number of awardees at the Long Service Awards Presentation Ceremony held in honour of colleagues who have served CUHK for an amazing 15, 25 and 35 years. This year’s ceremony was held in late April, during which 290 long-serving colleagues from various Colleges, units and departments across the entire CUHK community were presented the awards that mark an important milestone in their career. I could not help but be deeply impressed that the combined years of service for those awarded adds up to an astonishing 5,425 years, thus predating even ancient dynasties! May I offer my heartiest congratulations and sincere appreciation to all awardees for their hard work and commitment over these decades. Your every act of dedication and diligence, big and small, has enabled CUHK to prosper, and become a place where great minds shine. Thank you very much for your ongoing contribution and I wish you more successes in the future.
In memory of two valued CUHK members
The CUHK community was saddened by the passing of two important members of our family – Dr Ju Ming and Dr David Sin Wai-kin.
CUHK was honoured to build a close connection with the renowned sculptor, Dr Ju Ming, in the 1980s. Dr Ju generously allowed us to erect one of the sculptures in his famous Taichi Series, the Gate of Wisdom, outside the University Library. The iconic sculpture has since become a landmark much loved by everyone who visits the main campus. In 2011, CUHK conferred upon Dr Ju an Honorary Doctorate in Literature in recognition of his significant contributions to art and the preservation of cultural heritage. Dr Ju’s lifelong support for CUHK will be long remembered. Please join me in extending our deepest condolences to his family.
Dr David Sin Wai-kin had long been a representative personage of Hong Kong’s commerce. Apart from being a hugely successful entrepreneur, Dr Sin had dedicated himself to promoting higher education in Hong Kong, especially in the field of Chinese culture and humanities. A former member of the University Council, Dr Sin had also made generous donations to support the cultural development of CUHK. In recognition of his contributions to higher education, Dr Sin was awarded the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa by CUHK in 1994. The CUHK community is indebted to Dr Sin for his dedication to the University’s mission and leaving behind a rich legacy of cultural preservation. We are deeply grieved by his passing and convey our heartfelt sympathies to his family.
Best wishes,
Professor Rocky S. Tuan
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
