Founder and Director of Centaline Group Mr Shih Wing-ching and CityU alumna and renowned stock market commentator Ms Agnes Wu Mang-ching shared views on the current market situation at a forum on 28 November 2013. Organised by the Alumni Relations Office, the inspiring forum entitled “Investment Wisdom in a Turbulent Economy” attracted more than 90 participants. View the photo gallery and University report.

Professor Roderick Wong Sue-cheun, Vice-President (Development and External Relations) (second from right) and Ms Kathy Chan, Associate Vice-President (Alumni Relations) (first from right) express their appreciation to two guest speakers, Mr Shih Wing-ching (Center), Ms Agnes Wu (second from left) and the facilitator, Mr Andy Wong (first from left).

Thoughtful questions from the enthusiastic audience.

Despite the extremely cold -5 degrees Celsius weather in Vancouver, a few stalwart CityU alumni made their way downtown for a Christmas gathering at the Shabusen on 7 December 2013. Special thanks to Alumni Ambassador Ms Ellen Cheng Yin-ming for arranging the gathering and providing alumni based around the city with a fun occasion to exchange news and strengthen their networks. It was such a success that they are now thinking of holding a Chinese New Year party to receive the Year of the Horse together. More details will be uploaded to the website of Alumni Relations Office.

Alumni Ambassador in Vancouver Ellen Cheng (second from right) organises a gathering to celebrate a snowy Christmas.

Close to 100 Alumni Ambassadors participated in the “Alumni Ambassador Day – The Path to Happiness: Caring by Serving” held on 14 December 2013 at CityU campus.

The special occasion, marking the 10th anniversary of the Alumni Ambassador Scheme (AAS), featured four veteran ambassadors and respected community leaders who shared their secrets of achieving fulfilling and enjoyable volunteer experiences.

The distinguished speakers were the Convenor of the Board of Advisors for AAS Mr Brave Chan, recipient of the Certificate of Commendation by Secretary for Home Affairs; CityU Council Member and Court Member Ms Dilys Chau, recipient of the CityU Distinguished Alumni Award 2011; bilingual stand-up comedian Mr Vivek Mahbubani, appointed as 2013 Hong Kong Spirit Ambassador; and Honorary Fellow of CityU Mr Francis Ngai, founder and CEO of Social Ventures Hong Kong.

Following the interactive forum, Associate Vice-President (Alumni Relations) Ms Kathy Chan, who pioneered the AAS, reflected on how the Scheme evolved and continued to flourish over the past 10 years. She expressed her thanks to the 2,000 Alumni Ambassadors who have been devoting their time and expertise to serve their Alma Mater.

Convocation Vice-Chairman Mr William Khoo also shared his memorable experiences of serving the University before joining Kathy, Brave, Dilys and other AAS Board of Advisors members Mr Billy Au, Ms Annie Chiang, Mr Geng Chunya and Mr Nelson Yip to officially launch the 10th Anniversary celebrations.

Participants then watched a video showcasing a collection of pictures taking them on journey through a decade of the Scheme’s development. Attending Alumni Ambassadors who have served since the Scheme’s launch were accorded special recognition, while some 30 newly-joined Class Liaison Ambassadors pledged to support the University by maintaining class links.

Veteran Alumni Ambassadors (From left) Mr Vivek Mahbubani, Mr Brave Chan, Ms Dilys Chau and Mr Francis Ngai share how volunteering can be a rewarding experience.

Alumni Ambassadors who have been serving since the launch of the Scheme in 2003 are recognised in this special occasion.

The Annual General Meeting of the CityU Convocation was held on 17 December 2013. The Standing Committee of the CityU Convocation would like to thank members for joining the event. During the meeting, the Convocation Chairman Miss Karmen Chan gave an overview of the achievements of Convocation over the past year and enhanced members’ understanding of the Convocation. She also conveyed her warmest congratulation to the members of the Fourth Standing Committee. To retrieve the special moments, please view the online photo gallery.

Convocation members gather at the AGM to learn about the Convocation accomplishments of 2013.

Convocation is dedicated to nurturing a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship amongst the University, its alumni and the community. In December, Chairman Miss Karmen Chan attended the meeting of Community Relations Committee in which members devise strategies to cultivate a socially responsible culture and to promote the development of the University in the community. Furthermore, as a member of the Selection Panel of Teaching Excellence Awards, Karmen actively participated in a series of interviews and the selection process is getting fully underway.

Convocation Chairman Miss Karmen Chan actively participates in various University endeavors.

As a Supporting Organisation, Convocation invited fellow alumni to attend the NU SKIN master forum featuring keynote speaker Professor Joseph Nye, Jr. on 9 December. Renowned for his theory of soft power, Professor Nye is a political scientist and former Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. We hope alumni would get inspiration from this top global thinker on mastering the theory that leading to success.

Professor Joseph Nye, Jr. illustrates how his concept is able to influence the behavior of others to get the outcomes they want.

On behalf of the Convocation, Vice-Chairman Mr William Khoo joined the CityU Alumni Forum – “Investment Wisdom in a Turbulent Economy” on 28 November. In this forum featuring two prominent speakers Mr Shih Wing-ching (施永青先生) and alumnus Ms Agnes Wu Mang-ching (胡孟青女士) who are notable for their professional sectors of real estate and stock markets respectively. Alumni participants enjoyed a fun-filled evening and learned good tips on investment strategies. The forum was organised by the Alumni Relations Office (ARO) and supported by the Convocation as event partner. William enjoyed the interaction with fellow alumni and guest speakers while taking the opportunity to promote the Convocation. Please view the photo gallery here.

On another occasion, William was delighted to attend the Alumni Ambassador Day organised by the ARO on 14 December. As a devoted alumnus and also Vice-Chairman of the Convocation, he was invited to share his memorable experiences as alumni ambassador on stage with the audience. He also joined the stage parties in the launching ceremony for the 10th Anniversary of Alumni Ambassador Scheme. Please view the photo gallery here.

On behalf of the Convocation, Vice-Chairman Mr William Khoo presents lucky draw prize to the winner.

Convocation Vice-Chairman Mr William Khoo (third from left) joins other stage parties in the launching ceremony of the 10th Anniversary of Alumni Ambassador Scheme.

Thank you for your support

The tenure of the Third Standing Committee of CityU Convocation is drawing to a close at the end of 2013. On behalf of the Standing Committee members, I would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support over the past two years.

It has been our honour to serve the alma mater from 2012 to 2013. Since its establishment in 2007, the Convocation has been growing steadily with the support of University members, especially fellow alumni who actively participated at Convocation projects and offered us valuable feedback.

We hope you would extend your ongoing support to the Fourth Standing Committee which will serve the Convocation from 1 January 2014 onwards.

Wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Best regards,

Karmen Chan
Chairman of the Convocation