Address by Professor Paul LAM Kwan-sing, President
21 July 2025
Dean Professor Au, Colleagues, Students, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my honour to stand before you today to celebrate your achievements and mark this significant milestone at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
You have completed an important journey, one that has prepared you to step confidently into the world as capable leaders, competent professionals, and responsible citizens of our community.
Throughout your time here, I hope that our programmes have not only provided you with the professional skills and knowledge necessary for success but have also nurtured your critical thinking, communication skills, ethics and desire for lifelong learning. These qualities are essential as you enter a fast-changing world filled with new challenges and opportunities.
Beyond academic training, I hope the experience you gained outside the classroom—in service projects, entrepreneurial ventures and student societies—have helped you become well-rounded individuals ready to make a positive impact on society.
At the time of graduation, it is common for students to contemplate things that they wish they had done before leaving the university.
You may be thinking about:
But don't worry. Your graduation should inspire you to look to the future, embracing new initiatives and continuing your learning journey.
One of HKMU's greatest strengths is the breadth of academic programmes we offer, spanning psychology, creative arts, music, early childhood education, languages, nursing, physiotherapy, medical laboratory science, information technology, testing and certification, and a full spectrum of business disciplines.
Indeed, HKMU offers over 100 bachelor's degree programmes, the most in Hong Kong, not to mention other highly popular master's and doctoral programmes.
Your life after graduation will be a journey of continuous learning, unlearning and relearning, and upskilling and reskilling. I encourage you to explore beyond the specific field of your degree.
We welcome our graduates back to HKMU to update your knowledge, gain other qualifications, or just admire our new facilities.
The past few years have been truly remarkable for HKMU.
In 2024, we proudly became Hong Kong's first university of applied sciences, a recognition that reflects our dedication to combining academic knowledge with practical, real-world experience—an education that you have now successfully embraced.
I would also like to share with you that Hong Kong Metropolitan University made its debut in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings this year, securing a position in the range of 781 to 790 among approximately 1,500 universities worldwide ranked by QS. This marks a significant milestone for HKMU as Hong Kong's first self-financing university and first university of applied sciences to achieve this recognition.
Our achievement is further underscored by the fact that among the nine ranked institutions in Hong Kong, HKMU is ranked 6th in employment outcomes and 7th in academic reputation. This is a testament to the growing recognition of the calibre of our graduates by employers across different industries, as well as the positive perception of our institution within the global academic community.
Why is our rank of 781 to 790 commendable?
The reason is that HKMU is a self-financed university and does not have the deep pockets of other government-funded universities that can use the plentiful resources at their disposal to boost their research output and achieve a high ranking.
At HKMU, we spent over 90% of our budget on your education, providing quality teaching and learning, and student support and services.
With these constraints, HKMU is ranked 781 to 790 out of more than 25,000 universities around the world. I think my colleagues should all be proud of this accomplishment.
Having said that, achieving a high ranking was not and will not be our goal.
We remain committed to enhancing the employability of our graduates, strategically expanding our research endeavours, and continuing to foster impactful collaborations to create a positive societal impact.
Congratulations to each of you on this wonderful achievement. I look forward to hearing about your future successes and contributions to our world.
Thank you.
