Welcome to the 75th edition of CUHK in Focus. As the new year dawns, we are delighted to bring you the first issue of the official monthly e-newsletter of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2026, presented in a brand new design and refreshed format. This signifies renewed energy and enhanced efforts in keeping our stakeholders informed of the latest developments of CUHK. From exciting happenings across our campus and captivating stories of our people to the future-shaping research that we pursue, we sincerely invite you to explore and be inspired by the vibrant diversity of the CUHK community.
The opening weeks of the new year always bring new aspirations. In 2025, CUHK wrote another chapter of its story of commitment and purpose. Building on the success of the previous five-year strategic plan, which concluded in the same year, we continued to let our values guide our path. It was a year in motion defined by transformative progress across all our endeavours. Four powerful words beginning with the letter “I” – INHERITANCE, INNOVATION, INTERNATIONALISATION and IMPACT – well captured the essence of our journey.
The year 2025 was a particularly meaningful one for me personally. I was humbled to assume office as the 9th Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, entrusted with the responsibility to chart a bold path forward for the University building on the rich legacy of excellence left by my predecessors. Having served in this capacity for a year now, I have strengthened my appreciation that our INHERITANCE is much more than history, but a solid foundation on which we strive to combine tradition with modernity and bring together China and the West. The grand opening of the Lo Kwee Seong Pavilion and Harold and Christina Lee Gallery at the CUHK Art Museum bears testimony to our commitment to preserving cultural heritage, continuously inspiring the community through world-class collections of Chinese art and treasures of the past. Meanwhile, we have been striving to bridge the East and West through various initiatives. As the initiating institution of the Belt and Road Alliance for Traditional Chinese Medicine, CUHK plays a leading role in fostering respect for traditional wisdom while facilitating cross-border dialogue and innovation. I am proud that our community has been able to inherit the collective wisdom and dedication that define the University, drawing strength from our roots for shaping the future.
As a research-intensive university, CUHK continues to push the frontiers of discovery through INNOVATION, sparking new ideas everywhere – within and beyond the walls of campus, to nurture future leaders and address real-world challenges with research breakthroughs. During the year, we were delighted by the recognition of the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou cluster as the world’s number one innovation cluster by the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Global Innovation Index. CUHK has played a vital role in this achievement through our commitment to government–academia–industry collaboration in building a world-class innovation ecosystem for our country. We once again topped the list of local universities with the highest number of annual patent filings, granted patents and intellectual property licensing income. We are particularly grateful for the support from our country and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which has enabled us to establish State Key Laboratories and participate in major government initiatives, including the InnoHK research clusters and the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme, translating research excellence into impactful real-world applications. We were also privileged to receive magnanimous donations from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in support of the establishment of four new Jockey Club STEM Labs that will generate scientific breakthroughs and innovations for the wider community.
To cultivate a rich innovation and entrepreneurship culture, our annual flagship events – CUHK Entrepreneur Day and CUHK Innovation Day – have provided valuable opportunities for students, scholars and alumni to showcase the cutting-edge innovations and fruitful outcomes of their entrepreneurial ventures. Our students also achieve outstanding results in major national and international innovation competitions, including the inaugural Hong Kong and Macao Regional Competition of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition 2025 and the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. Their achievements demonstrate how the spirit of ingenuity is being passed to the next generation, propelling Hong Kong and our country to new heights through groundbreaking research and innovation.
INTERNATIONALISATION remains our priority. We harness our distinctive edge to attract talent from around the world through our global admission schemes, staff recruitment campaigns and overseas exchange programmes. These brilliant minds have brought in new cultures and perspectives. Together with our local students and staff, they have cultivated a diverse academic environment in which each and every member of the CUHK community can thrive.
The past year also saw us making great strides in strengthening our global presence. We took a proactive approach to foster collaborations across geographical and disciplinary boundaries to position our city as a world-class campus. In May 2025, the University proudly hosted the 2025 Worldwide Universities Network Annual General Meeting and Presidents’ Forum, bringing together over 100 university leaders and scholars from six continents for dynamic discussions on global challenges and cross-border collaborations for greater societal impact. Equally important was our active participation in international academic events such as the Association of Pacific Rim Universities Presidents’ Meeting 2025, which gave us the opportunity to tell CUHK’s story on the global stage. With 2025 being another harvest year for CUHK in terms of our performance in world university rankings, we look forward to building connections with our partners from around the world to harness the power of cross-cultural exchange and exert greater impact on the world.
Meanwhile, our external outreach efforts have continued to flourish. Remarkable progress has advanced Chinese Mainland and international partnerships, student and staff exchanges, and our global academic networks. In addition, the University has been uniting societal efforts to drive sustainable developments. We were very honoured to receive the “Best Sustainability Initiative Award (Higher Education)” at the 10th EDUtech Asia Awards recently in recognition of our efforts. Initiatives range from expanding the solar energy network and inclusive museum spaces on campus and organising public lectures on sustainable development, to initiating village revitalisation projects on the Chinese Mainland and translating the United Nations net-zero guidelines for broader audiences. As co-host of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (Hong Kong Chapter), CUHK has shaped a sustainable future for generations to come at multiple levels.
Reflecting on such a rewarding year, I wish to say “thank you” to everyone who has joined our meaningful journey. As mentioned in the message shared with all colleagues on the Staff Appreciation Day, since assuming the role of Vice-Chancellor and President, I have witnessed how teamwork and mutual support drive transformative change. I deeply appreciate the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by the entire CUHK community. I eagerly look forward to embarking on 2026 together with all of you. The Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition, hosted by CUHK next month, highlights our city’s role as a global education hub, while the launch of the CUHK Strategic Plan 2026–2030 will chart our path for the coming five years. Together, let us embrace 2026 with vision, conviction and action, and make it another successful year for all.
I wish you a blessed and prosperous new year!
Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
