Highlights Of The Year
Winning the bid for the flagship Chinese Medicine Hospital
HKBU has been selected by the Government as the contractor for the service deed of Hong Kong's first Chinese Medicine Hospital (CMH). The new hospital will be located in Tseung Kwan O, and construction is expected to be completed in 2025, with service to commence in the second quarter of the year. Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court at HKBU, and Professor Sophia Chan, Secretary for Food and Health, officiated at the Chinese Medicine Hospital Commissioning Launch Ceremony on 28 June 2021.
With the establishment of the CMH, Chinese medicine healthcare service standards in Hong Kong will be raised substantially, and the new hospital will enable more comprehensive disease prevention strategies and treatments for the public.
Professor Alexander Wai inaugurated as HKBU's sixth President and Vice-Chancellor
On 10 June 2021, Professor Alexander Wai was inaugurated as the University's sixth President and Vice-Chancellor. The ceremony was presided over by Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court.
In his inaugural address, Professor Wai expressed his gratitude to the University's Council for placing its trust in him to steer HKBU to a new level of excellence. He pointed out that the resolution of the grand challenges facing the world today is underpinned by the relationship between the arts, humanities, health and sciences. To that end, HKBU is well poised to build on its unique strengths, merging the arts and the sciences to boost the advancement of humanity and promote the concept of wellness in a more profound way.
New Jockey Club Campus of Creativity receives largest single donation
HKBU received a HK$452 million donation from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for the development of the Jockey Club Campus of Creativity. It is the largest single donation ever received by the University. The University held a naming ceremony on 26 November 2020 in recognition of the support it has received from the Trust.
The new campus, which is due to be completed in 2024, will boast four blocks of residential colleges. The Jockey Club Creative Hub will also feature state-of-the-art facilities for music, film, television, video games and other creative disciplines.
Applauding talented young filmmakers at the Global University Film Awards
Hosted by HKBU's Academy of Film, the second Global University Film Awards showcased the excellence of international student cinema. The Awards, held from 4 to 6 November 2020, demonstrated its high international standing by attracting more than 2,500 entries from 104 countries and regions.
Celebrated professionals from the film and media industries graced the award presentation ceremony with their presence, and a total of 19 awards were announced. The Gold Award went to the entry from the Korea National University of Arts in South Korea.
HKBU awards honorary doctoral degrees
At the Commencement and Honorary Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony held on 16 November 2020, HKBU conferred honorary doctoral degrees on four distinguished persons. Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Professor Ng Ching-fai and Dr Harry Shum were awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa. Dr Raymond Wong was bestowed the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences, honoris causa.
HKBU confers Honorary University Fellowships
Seven distinguished persons were conferred the title of Honorary University Fellow on 30 September 2020 in recognition of their significant contributions to society and their staunch support of the University. This year's recipients included Mr Chan Koon-chung, Dr Eddie Ho, Mr Michael Hui, Dr Lee Shiu, Mr David Lee, and Mr Song Dong. In addition, Mr Kenneth Kwok, one of the previous year's recipients, joined the Ceremony.
Celebrating HKBU's 65 years of history at the Founders' Day Reception
HKBU held the Founders' Day Reception on 20 April 2021 to celebrate its 65 years of history. The event was officiated by the guest of honour Ms Winnie Tam Wan-chi, Senior Counsel of the Hong Kong Bar, together with Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court, and Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU.
HKBU confers the title of President Emeritus
HKBU conferred the title of President Emeritus on Professor Ng Ching-fai and Professor Roland T Chin at a ceremony on 15 December 2020 in recognition of their tremendous contributions to the University's development. Professor Ng joined the then Hong Kong Baptist College in 1985 as Head of the Department of Chemistry, and became the third President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU from 2001 to 2010. Professor Chin served as the University's fifth President and Vice-Chancellor and Chair Professor of Computer Science from 2015 to 2020.
Distinguished scholars honoured with endowed professorships
On 24 August 2020, the University conferred Endowed Professorship and Endowed Associate Professorship titles upon four distinguished scholars. They are (in alphabetical order of discipline): Professor Jia Wei, Cheung On Tak Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine; Dr Han Quanbin, Vincent V.C. Woo Endowed Associate Professor in Chinese Medicine; Professor Man Shu-sum, Dr Hung Yeung Pong Wah Endowed Professor in Film and Television; and Professor Johnny Poon, Dr Hung Hin Shiu Endowed Professor in Music.
Chang Kuei-hsin wins Dream of the Red Chamber Award
HKBU presented the first prize of the 8th Dream of the Red Chamber Award on 21 October 2020 to Malaysian Chinese novelist Mr Chang Kuei-hsin for his novel When the Wild Boars Cross the River.