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HKUST 2011-2012 Annual Report
Meanwhile, China has unrolled her blueprint for a
technological future. Our Mainland strategy is to
harness the collaborative opportunities this vision
provides. With our higher international profile, we are
attracting top Mainland students by the thousands and
sealing partnerships with more Mainland enterprises and
institutions. As the most international university in China,
we are well-positioned to be a bridge between the East
and the West.
We are humbled by the repeat honor of being Asia’s
number one university, an honor we do not chase but
will cherish for the validation and encouragement it offers
to the fulfillment of our mission. We are thankful for
the strong support from our stakeholders and a broad
cross-section of our community. At just 21 years old,
HKUST now has another source of support: a generation
of alumni who are making their mark in society and now
giving back to their alma mater. In March of this year,
our Alumni Endowment Fund was launched. This is a
milestone development in the history of the University.
Education is a long-term investment, but at HKUST we
are already seeing its early returns.
The University is going full throttle in preparing for the
advent of the 334 system. The Library Extension named
after our benefactor Dr Chow Yei Ching has opened its
doors, to the delight of students and staff. The Lee Shau
Kee Business Building and the building for the Institute for
Advanced Study will be ready for occupancy. Halls VIII and
IX will take in students in early 2013. The groundbreaking
ceremony for the future head-turning Cheng Yu Tung
Building is the first step towards giving us a state-of-the-
art edifice fit for the 21st century.
The key to our claim as a global research university is the
quality of our faculty. In this respect, the HKUST Named
Professorship Program has been given a big boost by
many generous donors. As if to validate their faith in our
faculty, this year our innovative professors have won five
coveted State Science and Technology Awards, the largest
number handed out by the State Council to any local
sister institution.
I also want to thank our Council Members for
championing the cause of the University, including
sponsoring an innovative idea called “Science-for-Lunch”
in which a series of lectures was presented over a gourmet
lunch by star HKUST professors who speak to a small, select
group of business leaders on their innovative research,
leaving both salivating over collaborative possibilities.
Overall, according to the Key Performance Indicators in
our Annual Operation Plan, we are on target this year to
achieving the goals we have set for ourselves. The credit
goes to our leaders, faculty, staff and students to whom
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude. It is team work
that did it.
The University thrives on the idea of continuous progress.
We have been relentless in our search for excellence and
partners in excellence. I thank the President for leading
a separate delegation to Europe and North America to
extend the range of our international interests. As I review
our plan and performance, I am optimistic that the years
to come will be even more productive and glorious.
Chairman, University Council
Dr the Hon Marvin K T Cheung
,
GBS, JP
