Welcome to the 76th edition of CUHK in Focus.
Springtime symbolises renewal and growth. For CUHK, the first two months of the year have been a season to celebrate new partnerships. We have been gearing up for the 2026 Asia Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition, to be held from 23 to 27 February as part of the “Study in Hong Kong Week”. CUHK is honoured to be the lead host of this prestigious event again after a 13-year gap. As one of the three most prominent international higher education conferences worldwide, the APAIE attracts university leaders, policy-makers and industry professionals from across the Asia Pacific and beyond. This year, we are expecting 2,700 delegates coming from about 70 countries and regions. They will ride on this event to expand their professional networks and explore interdisciplinary and cross-border collaborations.
In recent years, international student mobility has shifted from traditional destinations like the US, the UK and Canada towards the Asia-Pacific and Europe. Hosting APAIE 2026 aligns perfectly with the HKSAR Government’s blueprint to position our city as an international education hub. It offers an ideal platform to showcase the strengths and achievements of our city’s tertiary education sector to our global partners. Supported by all other UGC-funded universities, CUHK looks forward to delivering an impactful event that strengthens the “Study in Hong Kong” brand and solidifies the role of our city as an international hub for higher education.
Exchanges with international leaders
While APAIE 2026 is set to enhance our engagement with global partners, CUHK, as a comprehensive research university, continues forging ties with distinguished academics and leaders from around the world to inspire our community. We were privileged to host Sir Paul Nurse, the renowned geneticist and cell biologist and 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, to deliver a public lecture on “What is Life?” on campus last month. It was profoundly meaningful that Sir Paul chose CUHK as his first university to visit after reassuming the presidency of the Royal Society. This occasion represented the recognition by our international partners of CUHK as a bridge for scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange between the East and West. We were delighted to welcome Sir Paul back as a proud member of the University since the conferment of an Honorary Doctorate of Science upon him in 2024. Throughout my own academic journey, I have learnt from many great leaders and prominent scientists, with Sir Paul amongst my inspirers. In fact, he presided over my 2011 Royal Society fellowship induction ceremony. During his thought-provoking lecture, CUHK members were fortunate to connect with Sir Paul and be enlightened by his original perspectives on the essence of life. We are deeply grateful to Sir Paul once again for motivating us with his passion for science and allowing us to have a glimpse of the beauty of science.
In commemoration of its 20th anniversary, CUHK’s Faculty of Law supported the Law Society of Hong Kong in hosting its Diversity and Inclusion Symposium. This event featured the Right Honourable Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat, the first female Chief Justice of Malaysia, Dr the Honourable Elsie Leung Oi-sie, the first female Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR Government of the People’s Republic of China, and Ms Melissa Pang, the first female President of the Law Society of Hong Kong. They shared insights on advancing justice, driving innovation in legal systems and fostering women’s leadership. The University community is grateful for this opportunity to learn from these exceptional leaders, whose contributions span judicial service, public leadership and professional stewardship, advancing legal development in Asia. This collaboration with the Law Society demonstrates our joint commitment to inspiring our next generation and engaging members of the public to champion diversity and inclusion as a shared responsibility among us.
With the generous support from the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, the Department of Fine Arts and Institute of Chinese Studies of CUHK presented the Chinese Art History Lecture Series 2026, during which the world-renowned scholar of Chinese art and archaeology and recipient of the 2022 Tang Prize in Sinology, Professor Dame Jessica Rawson, was invited to take the audience on a journey through millennia of history and guide them to explore ancient Chinese artefacts and the intriguing stories behind them. I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Professor Dame Jessica Rawson for gracing us with her presence as Distinguished Visiting Professor, and for inspiring CUHK members with her wisdom and passion for Chinese heritage. This lecture series well exemplifies the mission of CUHK to combine tradition with modernity and bring together China and the West.
Promoting marine knowledge
Last month also marked another important occasion for the University to strengthen collaboration with partners in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. With the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and the Political Department of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and sponsorship from the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government and the Swire Trust, CUHK successfully held the final of the 15th National Marine Knowledge Competition – Hong Kong Contest on campus. Over the past four months since the Contest commenced in September 2025, approximately 20,000 Hong Kong citizens participated in the online quiz, including primary school pupils. Over 400 students from 20 tertiary institutions across disciplines competed in the tertiary category. This response highlights Hong Kong youth’s passion for marine conservation.
Congratulations to the top three contestants, including one from CUHK, on their exceptional performance in the competition. They will represent Hong Kong in the national final this May, competing against elite contestants from across the country for the coveted opportunity to join national polar scientific expeditions.
The vast expanse of the ocean offers abundant research and innovation opportunities for various fields of study. Our nation is currently vigorously supporting marine exploration initiatives. CUHK is committed to fulfilling its social responsibility by fostering government-industry-academia collaboration, advancing marine education and research to support the development of the national economy. The success of the first regional contest of the National Marine Knowledge Competition in Hong Kong helped promote the dissemination of marine knowledge, cultivate marine talent and strengthen our city’s position to support China’s maritime ambitions.
Connecting with community partners
While taking pride in our commitment to talent cultivation, we acknowledge the staunch support of community partners has been essential to expanding our impact and driving meaningful change. We are deeply grateful to our donors for their tremendous generosity in establishing endowed professorships, which enable scholars at CUHK to advance cutting-edge research of enduring significance in the 21st century.
Recently, with the generous support of longstanding supporters of the University, two CUHK faculty members have been endowed with named professorships in recognition of their distinguished scholarship. I would like to express my warmest congratulations to Professor Robert Li, Director of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Faculty of Business Administration, and Professor Patrick Yung from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, on their recent inauguration as Fung King Hey Memorial Professor in Tourism Management and S.H. Ho Professorship in Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, respectively. These well-deserved honours are a testament to their dedication to their fields. My sincere gratitude goes to the donors who have kindly established these prestigious professorships, Mr Tony Fung Wing-cheung, owner and controller of Aquis Group and son of the late Mr Fung King Hey, and Dr Ho Tzu Leung, Director of the S.H. Ho Foundation Limited and son of the late Dr Ho Sin Hang. Their benevolence and abiding interest in the development of CUHK have been key to strengthening the University’s transformative education and research in furthering its mission as a civic institution.
Strategic Planning Workshop
With the University’s new five‑year blueprint scheduled for launch this year, a Strategic Planning Workshop was held in mid‑January to present a consolidated summary of the key highlights emerging from the Strategic Planning exercise. I am grateful for the support of all Council Members and representatives from Colleges, Faculties and Professional and Administrative Units, as well as alumni and student representatives, across CUHK, who attended the Workshop and shared views on these strategic priorities so that the Plan can guide the University in navigating the challenges of a fast‑changing world and strengthen CUHK’s position. Their enthusiastic participation has ensured that the CUHK Strategic Plan 2026–2030 is a university-wide endeavour, grounded in open dialogue and inclusive collaboration. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all colleagues on the Steering Committee who oversee the holistic planning process and members of the seven Sub-groups who focus on the key strategic themes of the Plan. It is my great privilege to work alongside the CUHK community to co-create a promising future for the University and for all. We will carefully consider all comments collected at the Workshop and take them as invaluable input for finalising the Plan. I look forward to the launch of the Plan, which will be the fruit of our collaborative groundwork, meticulous planning and shared commitment to excellence.
With the Year of the Horse just around the corner, I wish all of you good health, happiness and abundance. May the vitality and strength of the Horse inspire you to open new doors to successes. Kung Hei Fat Choy!
Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
