Welcome to the 42^nd edition of CUHK in Focus.

Firstly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the many members of the CUHK community who have contacted me to offer their support over the past two weeks. You would all be aware that two weeks ago I had an accident while attending the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit in Kuala Lumpur. I sustained a fall and was hospitalised for several days, and was unable to attend the Summit in person. I have now returned to Hong Kong and Professor Alan Chan has been Acting Vice-Chancellor during my recovery. While I will be following medical advice, I very much look forward to returning to full duty as soon as possible.  

Latest ranking results

CUHK secured the 10^th position in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2024 announced a fortnight ago. This is the 7^th consecutive year that CUHK has been ranked among Asia’s top 10. Our ranking result reaffirms the important role we play in spearheading quality education and high-impact research in the region, and represents the collective effort of the entire CUHK community, for which I owe an immense debt of gratitude. The University will assuredly build on this momentum and further enhance our teaching and research excellence to achieve greater heights in the future.

In recognition of outstanding professors

I would like to congratulate Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, on being honoured as Shun Hing Education and Charity Fund Professor of Robotic Surgery for his pioneering spirit and dedication in advancing novel endoscopic technologies and robotics for the treatment of early upper gastrointestinal cancers. In his inaugural lecture, Professor Chiu shared his life journey, from the training and inspiration he received from Chinese art to his mastery of surgery, robotics and translational research. I am sure the audience was inspired by his lecture which encapsulated the extraordinary journey of Professor Chiu as a clinician-scientist distinguished by his unwavering commitment and passion, as well as his vision for the future of robotic surgery. Congratulations to Professor Chiu on receiving the endowed professorship in recognition of his seminal contributions to the advancement of medical science.

The inauguration ceremony of Professor Allen Chan Kwan-chee, Professor of Chemical Pathology, Chief of Service for Chemical Pathology at the Prince of Wales Hospital, and Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Medicine, as Tony Mok Shu Kam Professor in Medicine took place earlier this month. CUHK is proud to build a close connection with the donor of this endowed professorship, the Ge Li & Ning Zhao Family Foundation, through our esteemed colleague, Professor Tony Mok Shu-kam of the Department of Clinical Oncology, in a number of his successful lung cancer research collaborations with the founders of the Foundation, Dr Ge Li and Dr Ning Zhao. We are grateful for the magnanimous donation made by the Foundation for establishing the “Tony Mok Shu Kam Professorship in Medicine”. Not only does it serve as a prestigious recognition of Professor Mok’s contributions to oncology research, but also as a great example of the Foundation’s dedication to making tangible impact and improving lives, a noble cause that resonates with the mission of CUHK as a civic institution. Congratulations to Professor Chan on receiving this well-deserved honour for his staunch commitment to transformative medical research.

New Dean of Engineering

I would also like to congratulate Professor Tsang Hon-ki, Wei Lun Professor of Electronic Engineering, on his recent appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. Since joining CUHK in 1993, Professor Tsang has assumed a number of key roles in the Faculty, including Associate Dean (Research) and Chairman of the Department of Electronic Engineering. I am confident that Professor Tsang, with his visionary outlook and outstanding leadership skills, will guide the Faculty to scale new heights and further consolidate its position as a world-class hub of engineering research to make significant contributions to Hong Kong and the nation.