A wealth of Chinese contributions to human civilisation
CUHK awards four honorary degrees at 96th Congregation
12 March 2026
On a cool spring day, the Lee Hysan Concert Hall buzzed once more to the sound of conversation, acclamation and applause. The occasion was CUHK’s 96th Congregation on 3 March, held to garland four luminaries from Hong Kong and the Mainland. The guests gathered under the watchful gaze of Council Chairman Professor John Chai Yat-chiu and Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming.
First to be honoured was renowned businessman and former Legislative Councillor Tommy Cheung Yu-yan. After graduating with an MBA from Pepperdine University in the US, he took charge of his family’s Chinese restaurant business in Tsim Sha Tsui in 1984, attracting clientele from Hong Kong’s political and business circles. As Chairman of the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association, he has been a steadfast advocate for the industry, speaking out during crises such as the breakout of SARS and the COVID pandemic.
Mr Cheung continued this advocacy in the Legislative Council, to which he was elected in 2000, representing the catering functional constituency for a quarter of a century. One of the longest-serving members of the CUHK Council, he was also a major driver of reforms during his tenure, including the opening-up of membership to lay representatives, and ensuring that standards of academic strategy and financial management were adhered to. After retiring from LegCo late last year, he leaves behind a significant legacy, while continuing to serve as a member of the Executive Council. All this has motivated the University to award him an honorary doctorate of Laws.
The second luminary to be honoured was Dr Michael Hui Koon-man, an alumnus of United College. Even those only lightly familiar with Hong Kong movies will recognise Dr Hui and his titanic contributions to the local film industry, with films like Games Gamblers Play, The Private Eyes and Security Unlimited bringing laughter to generations, thanks to his trademark quick wit and slapstick humour.
That, however, barely scratches the surface of Dr Hui’s six-decade career; he has consistently continued to develop his craft and advocate for his fellow artists. In 2024, he moved audiences with his portrayal of a conservative Taoist priest in The Last Dance, which swept the box office and became Hong Kong’s highest-grossing Chinese-language film. Although in his 80s, he continues to be spry and witty, participating in a dialogue with Dean of Medicine Philip Chiu and oncology expert Tony Mok last September on the subject of life and death; the University’s honorary doctorate of social science recognises his ongoing work in uniting Hong Kong in laughter.
After that came an old acquaintance of the CUHK community, Professor Lau Siu-kai. A former chairperson of the Department of Sociology, Professor Lau taught at the University between 1975 and 2007. In those 32 years, he delved into the social problems that Hong Kong faces. Particularly fascinated by the city’s governance and social development, the professor has conducted numerous studies to gather data on socio-political issues. He has published various articles on the impact of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Hong Kong and advised both the local and Mainland governments on policy.
Professor Lau’s observations have given those governments valuable insight into the workings of local society, as well as giving locals insight into the workings of the Mainland Chinese government. As the prominent Advisor of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, he continues to commentate on political events in Hong Kong. As such, the University has awarded him a doctorate in social science honoris causa, recognising the deep societal impact his work has had.
The final intellectual honoured during the ceremony was Professor Sunney Xie Xiaoliang, a biophysical chemist acclaimed for his work on single-molecule science. He spent three decades of his academic life at Harvard University in the US before returning to China in 2018 to engage in further research at Peking University, his alma mater. He has continued his research in China, becoming director of the Changping Laboratory, renowned for its state-of-the-art research and development efforts, during the COVID pandemic. His team subsequently found an antibody for the virus that has so far proved capable of neutralising all COVID variants; buoyed by this success, they plan to tackle Alzheimer’s disease next.
Elected to the national Academies of Science in both China and the US, Professor Xie has received a litany of awards for his work and has been a constant champion of young, promising researchers eager to follow in his footsteps. His never-ending search for the truth has led to CUHK awarding him a doctorate of science, honoris causa.
Speaking on behalf of the four honourees, Professor Xie thanked the University for the honours. Drawing on his own experiences, he drew comparisons between his personal journey and that of Professor Lo, observing that they had both returned to China after recognising the momentum of scientific development in the country. To pursue his scientific dreams, however, the professor had left his family behind in the United States, and he was visibly moved as he spoke of its emotional toll. “When I returned to China, my children were still in college, and I was not sure if they would forgive me. But my son and daughter are here in the audience today, together with my wife. I thank them for coming such a long way.”
Professor Xie also noted the international roots of both CUHK and his current university, adding that the partnership between the two institutions had enabled both to weather the increasing headwinds facing academia. He stressed in his speech the role of universities in building bridges between a country’s culture and the world at large, saying: “Universities are of the utmost importance to the nation’s development. Let us nurture talents, remain open to collaborations and set our minds to solving the world’s most pressing problems.” By doing so, he added, China would continue to make a wealth of contributions to human civilisation.
By Chamois Chui
