Speeches

Dean Professor Wang, Colleagues, Students, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, we celebrate our achievements and recognise this important milestone at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

Throughout your time here, I hope that our programmes have equipped you with the professional skills and knowledge necessary for success and nurtured your critical thinking, communication skills, ethics and the 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 has helped you become well-rounded individuals ready to make a positive impact on our community.

For our University, the past year has seen exciting developments in many areas. To begin with, student recruitment has continued to thrive, reflecting the growing recognition of the unique value of an HKMU education. In the 2024–25 academic year, our full-time undergraduate enrolment exceeded 11,500 students, elevating us to fifth place among the nine JUPAS universities.

There has also been a consistent increase in the number of JUPAS applicants selecting HKMU programmes as their top three choices (what we call Band A choices) over the past three years. In 2025, Band A applications surged by 21% compared to that of the previous year. We also admitted 3.5 times more first-tier NCEE (Gaokao) students year on year, following our decision to admit only students with first-tier Gaokao scores (or what we call 一本線). These developments demonstrate HKMU's growing appeal to both local and non-local students and our reputation for academic excellence.

Globally, the University has made significant strides in the international rankings since 2023. Notably, HKMU advanced from the range of 701 to 750 in 2024 to 393 in 2026 in the rankings among Asian universities. Furthermore, we made our debut in the QS World University Rankings in 2026, achieving a position in the range of 781 to 790 among universities worldwide. This achievement marks HKMU as Hong Kong's first self-financing university and the first university of applied sciences to receive such recognition. Locally, we are also proud to report that among the nine ranked universities in Hong Kong, HKMU ranked sixth in employment outcomes and seventh in academic reputation, reflecting our growing impact and positive perception.

Our inclusion in the QS World University Rankings highlights our growing research profile, a key indicator in the rankings. The number of HKMU publications involving international collaboration rose significantly, increasing from 23% in 2020 to 45% in 2024. This growth has been matched by increased research funding. In the latest Research Grants Council Funding Exercise, HKMU secured over HK$33 million in grants, accounting for over 37% of the total allocation for all 15 self-financing institutions. We ranked first among all local self-financing institutions in terms of both grants awarded and the number of projects for the third consecutive year.

HKMU's research endeavours are dedicated to driving social and economic progress. This year, we saw a rise in the number of patents filed or granted, reflecting our commitment to innovation. And we achieved our first IP licensing agreement, for an innovative non-invasive prostate cancer screening technology, licensed to a UK company, paving the way for its commercialisation.

We have continued to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship at HKMU through initiatives such as the HKMU Startup Fund, aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial activity among our staff, students and alumni. This year, the first batch of five startups was selected to receive support from the Angel Fund, with each receiving up to HK$1 million in funding.

To keep pace with our ambitions, we are enhancing our campus facilities and infrastructure. In June, MU88 began its transformation into a modern student hostel with enhanced facilities. Meanwhile, renovation at MU Tower, our new facility for teaching and executive training, has progressed steadily, with two floors already in operation in September 2025. A new University Centre at Oi Man Plaza will offer teaching and learning space, shared offices for research staff and a student activities centre in 2026.

Also underway is the proposed new campus, located on the corner of Sheung Shing Street and Fat Kwong Street in Ho Man Tin. Positioned as “A Hub for Community Health and Wellness”, the new campus will provide a high-quality teaching and learning environment for students and faculty while fostering closer engagement with our community.

We welcome our students and our graduates back to HKMU to update your knowledge, to obtain other qualifications or just admire our facilities.

While we are moving full steam ahead with many initiatives and plans, 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 impact on our community.

Once again, congratulations to each one of you. I look forward to hearing about your future successes and contributions to our community, the nation and the world.

Thank you very much.