Hon Suet
Senior lecturer, Physical Education Unit
25-year award
14 May 2025
An alumna of CUHK’s inaugural graduation class of Sports Science and Physical Education, Dr Hon Suet returned to her alma mater after overseas studies. Since then, she has mentored more than 5,000 CUHK students by sharing her expertise in athletics, badminton, cycling, fitness and yoga.
At CUHK, first-year undergraduates are required to take physical education classes, a long-standing tradition that often prompts people to wonder why students at university level still need lessons in sports. “Some even challenge the tradition outright,” Dr Hon says with a chuckle. With six CUHK Exemplary Teaching Awards under her belt, she has well-proven ways of convincing students about the significance of physical activity during her engaging 13-week courses.
To ignite interest, she has designed and introduced creative and interactive courses, including yoga, which is particularly popular among students, and cycling around Tolo Harbour and Ma On Shan.
Students with special physical needs can avail themselves of specialised equipment and tailor-made teaching approaches provided by the Physical Education Unit. Dr Hon recalls a group of students with physical disabilities who, prior to their CUHK admission, seldom had opportunities to participate in sports. Through basketball lessons, they had the first taste of team sports and developed lasting friendships. Some of them still gather regularly for a time of workout and fellowship after graduation.
Dr Hon’s impact extends well beyond the classroom. Some students have brought their children to campus long after graduation to share with her how they have motivated their children to exercise. “Those were the moments when I could feel the significance of my work,” she says.
As an undergraduate, Dr Hon was on the University’s badminton team; after rejoining her alma mater as a teacher, she started coaching the University’s athletics, cross-country and badminton teams. Throughout her coaching career, she has guided batch after batch of competitors in various tournaments, achieving impressive results. Earlier this year, she coached both the men’s and women’s athletics teams, and also women’s badminton, steering them into clinching championship titles at the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong games. When the students’ years of hard work are rewarded on the podium, it is as fulfilling for her as it is for them, she says, “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve at the Physical Education Unit and CUHK for the past 25 years.”
Though medals may be bestowed on only a few contestants, Dr Hon believes that sports serve as both a remedy and a form of life training. She remembers a student who had battled mood disorders and insomnia for a long time. By the course’s end, the student was expressing gratitude, attributing her improved sleep and emotional health to Dr Hon’s yoga classes.
“Exercise is medicine,” Dr Hon says. She rues the lack of widespread appreciation for sports culture in Hong Kong. Through CUHK’s physical education curriculum, she aims to reshape students’ perceptions of physical activities, guiding them to find a sport that resonates with them. Her aspiration is for students to embrace physical activity as a lifelong habit—one that fosters both health and well-being in their lives.
By Jessica Chu
Photos by Steven Yan and courtesy of Hon Suet
