One of the world’s fastest-growing universities, CityU enjoys a well-earned reputation as an innovative hub for research and professional education, addressing global issues, and empowering positive change.
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In October 2022, more than 180 CityU faculty members were listed in Stanford University’s updated database of the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists, reflecting our academics’ excellent standards and research performance.
Banquet themed “Fifteen Years Beyond Boundaries” was held on 4 May 2023 in honour of Professor Way Kuo's presidency and 15 years of dedicated service. The Council and CityU community thanked Professor Kuo for his selfless contributions, praising him as an outstanding, world-class academic leader and scholar who has led CityU wholeheartedly with perseverance.
Council Chairman Mr Lester Garson Huang; then President Professor Way Kuo; members of the Council and CityU management team propose a toast at Professor Kuo’s farewell gathering.
Celebrations took place in March 2023 to recognise the 29 CityU scholars included on Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list for 2022. The achievement put CityU at No. 50 worldwide, and No. 1 in Hong Kong and Asia by faculty size, in this ranking. Clarivate is a leading global provider of solutions to spur innovation.
An Inauguration Ceremony for the Fourth Steering Committee of the CityU Industrial and Business Leaders Circle was held on 31 March 2023. Established in 2016, the Leaders Circle seeks to strengthen University-industry collaboration and experience-sharing, as well as assist University development. A discussion on innovation and technology was also held.
Inauguration of the Fourth Steering Committee of the CityU Industrial and Business Leaders Circle.
CityU researchers won a total of 36 awards at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in April 2023, the highest number among local institutions for the third year in a row. Honours included one Special Prize, three Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 17 Gold Medals, nine Silver Medals and six Bronze Medals. Start-ups under HK Tech 300 were among the winning teams.
Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (front row, seventh left), together with CityU faculty and research participants at the 2023 International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.
The opening of CityU’s dairy farm in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, on 16 November 2022 marked another milestone in the University’s promotion of veterinary medicine, the concept of One Health, public health safeguards, and animal welfare. CityU Farm is an integral part of the University’s long-term project to transform Hong Kong into an innovative hub for research and training for veterinary medicine and life sciences. The farm is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and facilities, operating in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. It enables CityU’s Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine students to gain hands-on experience in animal husbandry and farm management skills.
(From left) Council Chairman Mr Lester Garson Huang; Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education, HKSAR Government; Pro-Chancellor Dr Chung Shui-ming; Mr Michael TH Lee, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club; and then President Professor Way Kuo at the opening ceremony for the University’s dairy farm.
Since its launch in 2021, this flagship CityU innovation and entrepreneurship programme has made great strides, with investment now totalling up to HK$600 million. As of May 2023, HK Tech 300 has cultivated more than 560 start-up teams, each receiving seed funding of HK$100,000; and provided up to HK$1 million in angel fund investment to more than 110 start-up companies. The dynamic initiative has also recently extended its reach to mainland China and Southeast Asia.
In an exciting move, CityU launched the first HK Tech 300 Southeast Asia Start-up Competition in Kuala Lumpur on 8 May 2023. The event brought together the region’s most promising start-ups to compete in the inaugural contest.
Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr Morshidi Sirat (fifth from left), Higher Education Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia, and partners kick off the HK Tech 300 Southeast Asia Start-up Competition.
To further promote entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and mainland China, CityU launched the first HK Tech 300 Start-up Competition nationwide in June 2022. Participating cities include Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Changsha, Qingdao and Suzhou, with projects called for in the fields of biotech and health, deep tech, fintech, information technology and artificial intelligence, and energy and green technology. The competition is targeted at CityU students, alumni and researchers, as well as members of the public wishing to use CityU intellectual property and technology to create start-ups.
Professor Freddy Boey Yin Chiang, an accomplished leader in higher education, an outstanding scholar, and an inventor, was installed on 18 May 2023 as the 5th President of CityU. In his address at the Ceremony, Professor Boey took the opportunity to encourage faculty members and students to become more learning-centric rather than teaching-centric, and stressed the importance of connecting and engaging with the community.
HK Tech Forum, a bold new CityU platform for examining strategies and approaches to major issues in science and technology, held six forums from July to December 2022 under the overall theme of “Empowering Society for a Better Future”. Hosted by the University’s Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, each forum drew together top global scholars, including Nobel Laureates and Turing Award winners. Topics focused on data science and AI, advanced matter and materials, and carbon neutrality and sustainable environment, among others. Serving as an apt pre-Forum launch activity, leading scientists exchanged views on chemistry of 2D materials trends at a three-day online conference co-organised by CityU and Nature Conferences in May 2022.
Then President Professor Way Kuo (fifth from right) and CityU members together with conference speakers at the opening ceremony for the virtual Nature Conferences - Chemistry of 2D Materials in May 2022.
CityU has recently undertaken an array of major building projects demonstrating the University’s long-term vision and commitment to providing students with a world-class education, supporting cutting-edge research and innovation, and promoting internationalisation.
The Jockey Club One Health Tower at the CityU Kowloon Tong campus will be equipped with first-class facilities to promote multidisciplinary collaboration that can enhance the health of humans, animals and the environment under the One Health paradigm.
Artist’s impression of Jockey Club One Health Tower.
The University’s new campus in Dongguan is another significant addition to CityU’s expanding presence in the Greater Bay Area, providing a hub for education, research, and technology transfer.
Illustration of the striking Central Library being built at CityU Dongguan campus.
The Student Hostel at Whitehead, Ma On Shan, will offer high-quality accommodation and learning spaces, green facilities, and other amenities where students from around the world can explore their aspirations and potential together.
Architectural design image of the Student Hostel project at Whitehead.
CityU International Centre is set to provide a comfortable, cosmopolitan environment where students can mingle, learn and study. Facilities include offices, meeting rooms, a multi-functional area, communal spaces and other ancillary facilities.
Illustration of the CityU International Centre.
Professor Hu Jinlian (left), Department of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Laboratory of Wearable Materials for Healthcare, and Professor Zhu Yuntian (right), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, have been elected Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors in recognition of their tangible impact on the economic development and welfare of society.
Dr Li Haoliang, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, was named one of the world’s Top 50 Chinese Young Scholars in AI+X for his outstanding academic performance, impact and potential in AI research.
Professor Luk Kwai-man, Chair Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, received the 14th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award from the Chinese Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to and championing of China’s 5G antenna technology as the international standard.
Professor Joe Qin, Dean and Chair Professor, School of Data Science and Director of the Hong Kong Institute for Data Science, became the first academic in Greater China to receive the 2022 IEEE CSS Transition to Practice Award, presented by the IEEE Control Systems Society. Earlier in 2022, he was also recognised when he won the 2022 CAST Computing in Chemical Engineering Award, organised by the Computing & Systems Technology Division (CAST) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Dr Sun Hongyi, Associate Professor, Department of Systems Engineering, received a first-class award from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Alliance of China for his unique V teaching model, designed to stimulate creativity and innovation. The V Model is also featured in his textbook, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation.
Professor Michael Tse, Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Chair Professor, Electrical Engineering, has become the first academic in China to be awarded the IEEE CASS Charles A. Desoer Technical Achievement Award, the most prestigious accolade for circuits and systems researchers in the field of electrical engineering.
Dr Xiao Qiao, Assistant Professor, School of Data Science, received the 2022 Amazon Research Award for Applied Machine Learning for his research proposal “Predicting Successful Scientific Collaborations”. Dr Qiao was the only recipient from an Asian university among the 26 awardees from 24 universities in seven countries or regions in the 2022 spring cycle.
Professor Xie Min, Chair Professor, Department of Systems Engineering and School of Data Science, has been elected to the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in the Technical and Environmental Sciences class.
The Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA) for 2022/23 have been presented to seven faculty members at CityU in recognition of innovative approaches to educating their students. The winners are Professor Kenneth Lo of the Department of Chemistry, Dr Tsui Lik-hang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese and History, and the Veterinary Clinical Skills Team led by Dr Rebecca Parkes, Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS).
(From left) Then President Professor Way Kuo; Dr John Maeda; University Pro-Chancellor Dr Chung Shui-ming; Council Chairman Mr Lester Garson Huang; and Council Treasurer Mr Charles Chin.
CityU conferred 2022 Honorary Doctorates on Professor Evelyn L. Hu (joined online) and Dr John Maeda in recognition of their significant contributions to education and social well-being.
CityU conferred 2022 Honorary Doctorates on Professor Evelyn L. Hu (joined online) and Dr John Maeda in recognition of their significant contributions to education and social well-being.
(From left) Then President Professor Way Kuo; Dr Brian Li; Dr Sunny Chai; University Pro-Chancellor Dr Chung Shui-ming; Mrs Indra Banga; Dr Gary Cheng; Council Chairman Mr Lester Garson Huang; and Council Treasurer Mr Charles Chin.
CityU Honorary Fellowships were conferred on Mrs Indra Banga and alumni Dr Sunny Chai, BBS, JP, Dr Gary Cheng and Dr Brian Li in recognition of their contributions to the development of and service to the University and the community.
Professor Alain Aspect, Senior Fellow at CityU’s Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics. Professor Aspect was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from CityU in 2018.
Distinguished donors and academics attend the Named Chair Professorships inauguration ceremony.
The inauguration ceremony for Named Chair Professorships at CityU was held on 11 October 2022 to honour the distinguished scholars and pay tribute to donors. More than 20 Named Chair Professorships and Professorships have been established at the University in recent years. The Named Chair Professorships cover a broad array of disciplines, ranging from architecture, biomedical sciences, energy and environment to business, e-learning and veterinary medicine, among others.
CityU’s “United, We Soar” fundraising campaign achieves its target well ahead of schedule.
Support from CityU members and the wider community has poured in for the University’s large-scale capital campaign, “United, We Soar”, enabling the fundraising target to be achieved 18 months ahead of the original schedule of the end of 2023. More than HK$2.5 billion has been raised to support CityU in four key areas: strategic initiatives, education and research, student development, and campus development. A Thanksgiving Dinner was organised by CityU Foundation on 24 November 2022 to thank its members, friends of the University, and community leaders.
The following CityU alumni were recognised in the HKSAR Government’s Honours and Justices of the Peace List 2022 for their contributions to society:
(in alphabetical order of surnames)
Dr Chan Ka-kui
MA Arbitration and Dispute Resolution – Gold Bauhinia Star
Mr Christopher Cheung
EMBA – Gold Bauhinia Star
The Honourable Horace Cheung
PCLL & LLB – Silver Bauhinia Star
Mr Simon Ip
MA Arbitration and Dispute Resolution – Bronze Bauhinia Star
Mr Keith Lam
BA (Hons) Quantitative Analysis for Business – Hong Kong Immigration Service Medal for Meritorious Service
Dr Lee George Lam
PCLL – Justice of the Peace
Dr Eric Lau
PhD Management & BA (Hons) Business Studies – Medal of Honour
Ms Grace Lau
BSc (Hons) Creative Media – Medal of Honour
Ms Joyce Ma
MA Public Policy and Management – Medal of Honour
Ms Jessica Man
BA (Hons) Public Primary Education – Medal of Honour
Mr Simon Peh
HD Public and Social Administration – Gold Bauhinia Star
Mr Ivan Tam
MA Arbitration and Dispute Resolution – Medal of Honour
Mr Eric Tsai
MA Public Policy and Management – Bronze Bauhinia Star
Mr Yeung Ming-tai
LLM Chinese and Comparative Law – Medal of Honour
Mr Yu Chung-leung
MA International Accounting – Chief Executive’s Commendation for Community Service
Mr Kelvin Chan, graduate of the School of Creative Media, won Best New Director at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards for his first feature film, Hand Rolled Cigarette (手捲煙).
School of Creative Media alumni Ms Lillian Fu (front row, third left) and Mr Tommy Ng (front row, second left) both received honours for their respective digital short movies at the 24th DigiCon6 Asia Awards contest in Japan. Ms Fu won the ASIA Gold Prize for her entry My Dear Son while Mr Ng received the ASIA That’s Entertainment Prize for Everywhere.
Ms Phoebe Hui, graduate of the School of Creative Media, was named Artist of the Year (Media Arts) at the 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
BBA Quantitative Analysis, EMBA and Juris Doctor graduate Mr Henry Ko was named among Forbes China’s “Global 100 Outstanding Chinese” in 2022.
Diploma in Social Work alumnus Professor Kwok Siu-ming (centre), Professor and Academic Director of the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, received a visit from Nigeria’s then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in September 2022. The meeting took place during a Nigerian delegation’s trip to Calgary regarding a collaborative project to enhance the governance structure and capacity of the African nation’s oil and gas industry.
BBA (Hons) Marketing graduate Mr Ray Lau won Best New Director Award and Best Original Screenplay Award at the 59th Golden Horse Awards for his first feature film, The Sunny Side of the Street (白日青春 ).
Dr Jacky Ng, Engineering Doctorate (Systems Engineering and Engineering Management) graduate, was re-elected Chairperson of the Internet Society Hong Kong Chapter.
