CUHK’s ninth Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming envisions CUHK becoming a beacon for international talent, drawing top students and scholars from around the world (photo: LCT)
Planting seeds of positive change for the future
New Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Lo’s global vision for a university that stands the test of time
Renowned clinician-scientist Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, who sparked a medical revolution with his research breakthroughs in non-invasive prenatal testing and diagnosis, became CUHK’s ninth Vice-Chancellor and President on 8 January. His appointment caps a career spanning nearly three decades of teaching and research at the University.
Hong Kong born and raised Professor Lo is keen to further strengthen CUHK’s reputation as a forward-looking, comprehensive research university with a global vision. Driven by his deep emotional attachment to Hong Kong, the place where he grew up, Professor Lo returned to join CUHK in 1997 after pursuing further studies in the UK at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford during the 1980s to 1990s. He emphasises that the University will continue attaching equal importance to humanities and sciences as it nurtures multifaceted scholars with high ethical standards.
During his five-year tenure, the University’s new chief is determined to enhance local research capabilities as he transforms CUHK into a magnet for top international talent. He also plans to delve deeper into cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, including related moral and ethical issues.
The new Vice-Chancellor shares with CUHK in Focus his eagerness to plant seeds of change that could bear fruit for decades to come as he cultivates a University to stand the test of time.
You had a bright future ahead after graduating from prestigious universities in the UK during the 1980s to 1990s. What prompted you to return to Hong Kong? In retrospect, how do you feel about that decision?
My wife and I were born and raised in Hong Kong, it is where both of our parents live. Hong Kong has a special place in my heart. We had always planned to come back after completing our studies, and 1997 presented the perfect opportunity. Reflecting upon my journey in academia, it was the right decision as all my most significant scientific discoveries were made here at CUHK.
What would you consider the most impressive quality of CUHK?
It is the beautiful campus and the humanistic spirit that strike me the most. One of the reasons I chose to join CUHK back then was its natural beauty, plus the appeal of its multicultural learning atmosphere.
CUHK is a friendly environment where some of the greatest minds are nurtured. Being able to collaborate with colleagues and students from various disciplines over the past two decades has allowed my creativity to spark. It has led to my research breakthroughs – non-invasive prenatal testing and cell-free DNA analysis for early cancer detection. Members of the CUHK community work closely with each other. I still can recall the days when my colleagues and I joined hands to safeguard the health of Hong Kong citizens during the 2003 SARS outbreak.
I have devoted the past 27 years to teaching and research at CUHK, mostly based at the Prince of Wales Hospital, the teaching hospital of the Faculty of Medicine. As the founding Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, I have played a part in many significant moments at the University. I have also witnessed the inauguration of new buildings and colleges on campus, including S. H. Ho College of which I am the Founding Fellow. The College is built on the concept of “home”, the same way as I see CUHK as my “second home”.
Why did you aspire to become the next Vice-Chancellor of CUHK?
For over 20 years, my focus has been on teaching, promoting research and providing clinical services. I have accumulated invaluable skills and knowledge, and hope to create an ecosystem where younger scholars and students can benefit. I believe this is the right time to leverage that experience in a new way.
What would you like to say to students, staff and alumni at this time?
I am very honoured to serve as the ninth Vice-Chancellor. CUHK is a comprehensive research university which produces world-leading research across all disciplines, excelling in Asia and globally. Building on these foundations, I aim to further enhance the university’s research and innovation capabilities, and lead CUHK to new heights. I will also deploy resources to promote balanced development in the sciences and humanities, so as to uphold the University’s vision and stay true to its humanistic spirit. I am also dedicated to cultivating generations of well-rounded CUHK individuals for the country and Hong Kong.
As CUHK’s five-year strategic plan for 2021-2025 (“CUHK 2025”) draws to a close, could you share your thoughts on the next five-year plan?
I will soon establish working groups to help devise a new five-year strategic blueprint. The teams will explore how to enhance student experience, promote alumni engagement, foster research and innovation development, and strive for sustainable development of CUHK Medical Centre. I will also pay close attention to how the university should respond to the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It may be a useful assistant in genomics research, for analysing radiographs and other applications. Yet, we must remain vigilant towards ethical, intellectual property and professional responsibility issues which may arise from the use of this technology.
A personal priority is to strengthen the university’s unique college system, through which CUHK promotes holistic learning through its college system. I learned from my experience in graduate colleges at Oxford and Cambridge that the collegiate learning environment is crucial for master’s and doctoral students, too. I will therefore explore the possibility of making this approach work at CUHK. I envision CUHK as a beacon for international talent, drawing top students and scholars from around the world.
How do your multiple roles as a doctor, scientist and entrepreneur influence your leadership style and the future development plans of CUHK?
I am confident my experience in scientific research and entrepreneurship can contribute to CUHK’s development in supporting the country’s drive to establish Hong Kong as an international hub for innovation and technology. During my tenure as the Chairman of CUHK’s Patent Committee, I gained insights into the transformation and realisation of research and development outcomes. In my new role as Vice-Chancellor, I will identify and address potential challenges to knowledge transfer at CUHK and come up with strategies to create meaningful societal outcomes.
Do you have any plans to retain and attract local and international talent?
As the global competition for talent intensifies, we should be more proactive about retaining outstanding individuals to advance their careers at CUHK. I aim to attract more global students and scholars to foster a more diverse academic community. Meanwhile, our exceptional students and scholarship recipients who are active in international university networks will serve as ambassadors spreading CUHK’s good name to the world.
There are numerous ranking agencies out there. What do university rankings mean to you?
Each agency applies its own set of criteria to evaluate the diverse strengths and disciplines of institutions. We can make use of university rankings as reference indicators to seek improvement and strive for betterment. Impressive ranking results encourage us to do better, drawing in more outstanding students, staff, and sponsors. Yet, we have to bear in mind that rankings are only one measure of success. We should not lose sight of others.
How will you strike a balance between administrative, teaching and research responsibilities while serving as a Vice-Chancellor?
I will prioritise my new role as Vice-Chancellor. Since I have nurtured capable colleagues who can take on research responsibilities independently, I can allocate less time to research tasks while maintaining collaboration with my team at the Hong Kong Science Park.
Some have expressed concern that, as a doctor and scientist, you might favour scientific research and innovation when it comes to CUHK resources. What do you say to these people?
Though I am a pathologist by affiliation, during my 18 years as Associate Dean (Research) at the Faculty of Medicine, I never showed favouritism to that area when allocating resources. Fairness and equality have always been virtues I hold high, and this will not change in my new role. CUHK is an integrated university that amalgamates humanities with sciences, and both are equally important in my view.
What kind of legacy would you like to create as a Vice-Chancellor?
I would hope to be remembered as someone who was fair and just, who balanced the developmental needs of different subjects and who nurtured the continued growth of a diverse student and academic community. In my time as Vice-Chancellor, I’d also like to sow seeds that might sprout into fruits that bring positive change to the world. Perhaps in decades to come people may see world-changing innovations from CUHK that grew from the very seeds I planted.
By Gillian Cheng and Jessica Chu
