W
ith less than a year
left
in my term as president, it is
too early to say goodbye, but if left to
the next Annual Report, too late for
my leave-taking. So I ask you for your
indulgence as I reach for thoughts and
feelings about the institution which I
have served for seven wonderful years.
Without doubt, being president of this
young and dynamic university has been
the high honor of my life. I have grown
not only to be fond of members of this
academic family, but also to have an
abiding affection for Hong Kong, the
world’s most energetic city of which this
university is a part. Now into my eighth
year on the job, I am only too aware
that a modern university is a complex
organization in which intellectual autonomy and collective aspirations co-exist. The university is the
sum total of its parts and more. What I particularly admire about this university is its ethos that welcomes
change and anticipates a better way of doing things. It has never been tentative in doing what it
believes in.
By all accounts, this university has exceeded all expectations. Despite our youth, we are now
customarily referred to as one of the top three local universities. In some quarters, including certain
circles on the Chinese Mainland and overseas, perceptions of this university are even more favorable.
The credit goes to our high-aiming and high-achieving colleagues. Globally, in my travels outside Hong
Kong, I was often surprised by the international recognition and regard given to individual members
of our faculty. I can recall with pride that on numerous occasions in separate continents, scholars of
international repute had come up to me to convey their approval and admiration of the work done by
our world renowned professors, such as Prof Ping Sheng, our nano scientist. Institutional reputation
rides on widening ripples of achievement. For a sitting president there is nothing headier than the day
when our joint EMBA program with the Kellogg School was ranked the number one program of its
kind in the world by the
Financial Times
. No leader can be immune to the euphoric feelings that come
with being the world’s number one.
And one of my proudest achievements is the establishment of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study,
dedicated to serving as a platform for our continued striving for excellence. With a stellar International
Advisory Board, nine Visiting Members, joint laboratories and research projects, and a constant
stream of distinguished speakers, the IAS is poised to make a significant difference in the University’s
international standing.
HKUST 2007-2008 Annual Report
