Cheung Kong Scholars at CityU promote collaboration with mainland

 

City University of Hong Kong (CityU)Distinguished guests attending the reception included Professor Pan Yonghua, Director-General of the Education, Science and Technology Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Professor Andrew Yao Chichih, Member of the Recruitment Advisory Board for the Cheung Kong Scholars Programme and professor of Tsinghua University; heads and representatives from CityU administrative units and academic departments. Professor Pan said in his speech that the fact so many CityU scholars were elected was a reflection on the high academic standards of the University. CityU held a reception to congratulate the University’s 12 academic staff that were elected as Cheung Kong Scholars on 16 September. The scholars from business, humanities and science and engineering fields contribute tangibly to CityU’s role in developing professionals and research in mainland China.

“With so many distinguished academics at CityU, I’m sure the University under the leadership of Professor Kuo will utilise its strengths to enhance collaboration between Hong Kong and the mainland,” said Professor Pan.

Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, pointed out in his speech that among the ten scholars from Hong Kong receiving the Cheung Kong Chair Professorship this year, four were from CityU. The University was proud of its achievement in having the largest share in the total number of local awardees. He added that the collaboration between CityU’s Cheung Kong Scholars and mainland universities and industry is integral to the existing close links between CityU and the mainland.  

Since 2001, 12 CityU scholars have been elected Cheung Kong Scholars to collaborate with leading mainland universities to develop talent and conduct research during their three-year term. The four recipients for 2008 are Professor Gary Feng Gang, Associate Provost (Academic Planning and Undergraduate Education) and Chair Professor of Mechatronic Engineering; Professor Lai Kin-keung, Chair Professor of Management Science; Professor Wei Kwok-kee, Dean of College of Business and Chair Professor of Information Systems; and Professor Leon J Zhao, Head and Chair Professor of Information Systems. The five academics appointed in 2007 are Chair Professor Chiang Kin-seng in the Department of Electronic Engineering; Dr Li Qiusheng, Associate Professor in the Department of Building and Construction; Chair Professor Zhang Longxi in the Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics; Professor Zhou Nan in the Department of Marketing; and Professor Jonathan Zhu Jianhua in the Department of Media and Communication. Chair Professor Chen Guanrong of the Department of Electronic Engineering and Chair Professor Yang Tong of the Department of Mathematics received the Professorship in 2006, while Chair Professor Jia Xiaohua, Department of Computer Science, earned his recognition in 2001.

Professor Feng said on behalf of the elected CityU scholars that to serve as Cheung Kong Scholars was both an honour and motivation to do better. He thanked the University for providing an environment that enabled academics to make full use of their research capabilities and potential.

The Cheung Kong Scholars Programme is one of the Ministry of Education’s major talent incubation programmes. With its mission focused on the recruitment of professors, appointment of chair professors and launch of the Cheung Kong Scholars Achievement Award, the programme has earned wide public acclaim and specific praise from academics and the higher education sector.