Welcome to the 73rd edition of CUHK in Focus.
In support of the development of low-altitude airspace as a new form of productivity for our country, CUHK has recently established a strategic partnership with the Greater Bay Area Low Altitude Economy Alliance (LAEA) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. This partnership combines CUHK’s research excellence with LAEA’s industry network to inject new impetus into the growth of Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy, further consolidating our city’s leading position in innovation and technology.
The low-altitude economy holds great potential and strategic importance for our country, presenting a wide array of application scenarios, including rescues, surveys and delivery of goods and passengers. CUHK has an impressive track record in pioneering research on drone technologies, encompassing ground, underwater, and aerial monitoring, space science, satellite applications, and other ground-based operational systems. On the educational front, the University has been introducing multifaceted academic programmes, such as the Aerospace Science and Earth Informatics & X Double Major Programme jointly with CUHK-Shenzhen, as well as the Master’s Programme in Aviation Management to be launched by the Business School next year. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the LAEA, leveraging our respective strengths and resources to promote exchange between academia and industry, advance collaborative research and development in low-altitude engineering, and establish a sustainable platform for nurturing talent locally and nationally. We look forward to joining forces with different sectors to position the GBA as a global leader and demonstration zone for the development of low-altitude economy, thereby contributing to national progress in the long run.
Deep-rooted ties with Tsinghua
It was a great pleasure to officiate at the opening ceremony of a special exhibition “A Century of Wisdom in Action: The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Tsinghua University”, proudly presented by the CUHK Library in collaboration with the Tsinghua University History Museum and Tsinghua University Archives. The exhibition highlights how CUHK and Tsinghua have worked together to nurture exceptional scholars and promote academic excellence and innovation. Our enduring partnership dates back to the early days of CUHK, even before the establishment of a formal academic exchange agreement. Some of the founding leaders of CUHK had a special bond with Tsinghua. For instance, Professor Ch’ien Mu, one of the founders of New Asia College, taught at Tsinghua in the 1930s, while Dr Choh-ming Li, our founding Vice-Chancellor, taught at the Southwest Associated University, a renowned institution collectively formed by Tsinghua University, Peking University and Nankai University during the Resistance War, and widely known as a legend in the history of China’s higher education.
Since the formal collaborative agreement was signed forty years ago, CUHK and Tsinghua have been working closely together across multiple domains. Apart from establishing joint programmes and research units, world-renowned scholars including Professor Yang Chen-ning, Professor Yau Shing-tung, and Professor Andrew Yao Chi-chih have held key positions at both institutions. The inauguration of the Zhizhen School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences at CUHK this year, with Professor Yau Shing-tung serving as the Founding Director, draws inspiration from Tsinghua’s Qiuzhen College to cultivate mathematical talent in Hong Kong.
The thoughtfully curated exhibition houses a selection of over a hundred valuable artefacts and historical photographs contributed by both universities, inviting members of CUHK and Tsinghua, as well as the wider public, to reflect on our shared history. It offers visitors a retrospective view of our extensive partnership spanning education, research, faculty and student exchanges, as well as cultural initiatives. Importantly, it sets the stage for future generations of students and academics to remain inspired by our mutual commitment to excellence. I sincerely invite you to come to the CUHK Library to experience this exhibition, on display until April 2026, to discover how the close connection between the two universities has continuously nurtured talent and achieved remarkable scientific and academic accomplishments for our country and the world.
Recognition of outstanding students
My sincere congratulations go to the eight distinguished students recognised at the presentation ceremony of the CUHK Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships for Excellence 2024–2025. Established in 2021, the Scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding first-year students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievements and commendable leadership and extra-curricular involvement. It was a pleasure to present the certificates of acknowledgement to our awardees. The Scholarship not only recognises their impressive accomplishments but also underscores the enormous potential they hold to shape the future. I hope all awardees will make the most of the valuable learning opportunities at CUHK to grow as future leaders who are committed to greater social responsibility. May the Scholarship inspire them to strive for future breakthroughs on their journey of personal growth.
As we step into November, we are welcoming a season for year-end reflection and thankfulness. This is especially true for the Class of 2025, whose conferment of a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree was joyfully celebrated at the 95th Congregation. Congratulations to all graduates on attaining this remarkable achievement. Their degrees represent a well-deserved recognition of their diligence, persistence and intellectual curiosity. I hope all of our new graduates will embrace this moment with gratitude and use it as an opportunity to renew their commitment to a world facing profound uncertainties and unprecedented challenges. I urge them to always carry with them the spirit of CUHK as they move forward. I wish them every success in their lifelong journey of meaningful impact.
I look forward to sharing more stories with you in our next edition.
Best wishes,
Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
