Welcome to the 80th edition of CUHK in Focus.
Over the past few weeks, the Hong Kong community has been filled with pride and excitement, as Dr Lai Ka-ying became the first payload specialist from our city to join the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission. This historic moment marks our nation’s trust in Hong Kong’s youth and scientific talents and our capability to advance our nation’s manned space engineering. Members of CUHK were deeply privileged to be part of the delegation invited to witness the launch on-site.
CUHK has long attached great importance to national aerospace research and technological developments. Our recent achievements include launching CUHK Sat-1, the world’s first satellite with a large AI model for advising on sustainable urban development; leading instrument development for the national Tianwen-3 Mars mission; and pioneering Hong Kong’s first agricultural research project in space. These efforts affirm our commitment to scientific research and innovation. Looking ahead, we shall continue to align our strategies with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, leveraging Hong Kong’s world-class research ecosystem and our integration with the Chinese Mainland to drive scientific breakthroughs and support our nation’s vision of becoming a global leader in technological innovation.
Promoting the “Study in Hong Kong” brand
I was delighted to be part of a delegation led by the University Grants Committee (UGC) and the Heads of Universities Committee (HUCOM) to attend the inaugural France-Hong Kong University Presidents’ Forum in Paris from 21 to 22 May, where I delivered an opening address in my capacity as the convenor of the HUCOM. The Forum brought together leaders from French institutions, our eight UGC-funded universities and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to deepen partnerships. During the Forum, the eight UGC-funded universities signed a Letter of Intent with France Universités, the event organiser and a national association that represents universities and public higher education institutions in France, to lay a solid foundation for deeper collaboration between higher institutions in both regions. We also visited several research and academic institutions in Paris to explore opportunities to deepen research collaboration and to advance the translation of impactful research outcomes.
Hong Kong’s higher education sector is committed to internationalisation and partnerships that enable the exchange of talent, ideas and culture. Currently, we have entered into 140 student exchange agreements with French institutions and engage in 130 research collaborations with the country annually. Building on our long-standing partnership, I look forward to turning our fruitful dialogue at the Forum into tangible actions that promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand and reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a global hub for research, innovation and talent exchange.
Celebrating achievements
Alongside these international developments, the University has also hosted important ceremonies to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our students and distinguished members of the wider community.
CUHK organised the 24th Honorary Fellowship Presentation Ceremony on 1 June to recognise the exceptional achievements of Mrs Joy Lo Cheung, Chairwoman of the Lo Kwee Seong Foundation; Mr Lau Kwok-fan, MH, JP, former Legislative Councillor and a distinguished CUHK alumnus; Professor Benjamin Wah Wan-sang, BBS, JP, globally renowned computer scientist and inaugural Provost of CUHK; and Senior Counsel Mr Benjamin Yu, SBS, SC, JP. Their contributions to their professions and to the community have earned them wide respect. CUHK has benefited greatly from their commitment and generosity. Congratulations to these four honorary fellows and wish them continued success in the years ahead.
I would also like to extend my congratulations to the Class of 2026 of CUHK-Shenzhen, who celebrated their graduation from the bachelor’s programme in mid-May. I was pleased to witness this important milestone of their personal growth as they embark on a new chapter. I look forward to seeing them apply their talent, support those in need and bring positive change to society.
A legacy of giving
Earlier this week, Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang from the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care of CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine delivered her inaugural lecture as the Kuok Group Professor of Global Public Health and Humanitarian Medicine. This memorable occasion was made possible by the generous support of Mr Beau Kuok, the eldest son of the renowned Malaysian-Chinese entrepreneur Mr Robert Kuok, Founder of the Kuok Group. As Chairman of the Kerry Group, Mr Beau Kuok builds upon the values of perseverance, loyalty, honesty and integrity championed by his father, and commits himself to extending the Group’s corporate culture to the wider community through charitable acts of the Kerry Group Kuok Foundation (Hong Kong) Limited. We are deeply grateful that the Kuok family’s generosity for CUHK includes the establishment of this endowed professorship, which enables Professor Chan to ride on her experiences in global humanitarian health intervention research and frontline emergency operations to advance research and practice that strengthen resilience, lower disaster risks and improve health for everyone in the face of global crises. Many congratulations to Professor Chan on this well-deserved honour and our sincere thanks to Mr Beau Kuok and the Kerry Group Kuok Foundation for their continued support for CUHK’s development.
I look forward to sharing more stories with you in our next edition.
Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
