Press Release

A journalist's HK$50 million donation for journalism

Wednesday, 07 Oct 2020

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has received a HK$50 million donation from a veteran printed and broadcast journalist, and dedicated journalism teacher Mr Raymond R Wong, SBS, who made the gift in loving memory of his late wife.

The donation, the biggest single gift HKBU's School of Communication has ever received, will be used for establishing the Dorothy Shen Wong Memorial Fund. The Fund will focus on three key areas of journalism education: teaching of media ethics, professional fellowship for practising journalists, and scholarships for journalism students.

The Fund will be used to set up the first-ever Endowed Professorship in Media Ethics in Hong Kong, the first-ever Professional Journalism Fellowship at HKBU, and a number of scholarships to help students of the School of Communication to acquire global exposure. It will also support the School to organise signature events such as international summits, distinguished lecture series, master classes and training workshops.

Speaking at the donation agreement signing ceremony today, Mr Raymond R Wong said: "The Department of Communication, now School of Communication, will always have a special place in my heart as I met Dorothy there in 1970, almost 50 years to the day. I will always cherish those fond memories of those early days."

Also speaking at the ceremony, Professor Roland Chin, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, said: "Mr Raymond Wong is first and foremost a devoted husband. We are humbled and privileged that he chooses HKBU as the home for the Memorial Fund he set up in loving memory of his wife.

"The endowed professorship, the journalism fellowship, and the journalism scholarships installed under this Memorial Fund will forever be the wellspring of inspiration for journalism teachers, practitioners, and students. The impact will be for the whole of Hong Kong, not just for our university. For this, we are grateful to Mr Raymond Wong, an icon of journalism, a legendary journalism educator, a loving and caring teacher."

In his remarks, Professor Huang Yu, Associate Vice-President (Mainland) and Dean of Communication, said: "This largest-ever donation during such a difficult time of COVID-19 outbreak is truly an enormous source of encouragement to the School of Communication. We will continue to nurture more talented professionals for the media field in Hong Kong and beyond."

At the ceremony, a memento was presented to Mr Wong by Dr Clement Chen, GBS, Chairman of the Council and the Court, and President Chin on behalf of the University.

The ceremony was witnessed by HKBU Alumni who are also students of Mr Wong from the 70s and 90s, his personal assistant as well as other HKBU representatives.

The Dorothy Shen Wong Memorial Fund will be used to support various strategic initiatives of the School including:

– The establishment of the Raymond R. Wong Endowed Professorship in Media Ethics, the appointees of which will lead the advancement of the knowledge and the practice in journalistic ethics;

– The establishment of the HKBU Professional Journalism Fellowship, which will offer practising journalists an opportunity to further study in non-journalism programmes at HKBU for a maximum of two semesters to broaden their perspectives;

– The establishment of three scholarships, namely the Dorothy Shen Wong Overseas Study Scholarship, the Mr. & Mrs. Sun Van-gee Admission Scholarship and the Mr. & Mrs. Wong Sik-pun Scholarship for Outstanding Students;

– Signature events such as international/regional summits, distinguished lecture series, master classes and training workshops, which will bring together news media professionals, academics, students and the public to address current issues in local journalism with special attention to media ethics.

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