This year's first Talk of the Metropolis was held on 17 March with Mr Franklin Lam Fan-keung, founder of HKGolden50, as the guest speaker. In the talk, he gave an insightful analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing Hong Kong and shared his views on the city's future development.
The second talk followed on 25 April, in which Ir Aaron Bok Kwok-ming, the immediate past president of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, was invited to speak on the evolution of urban development and engineering construction in Hong Kong. He shared his insights on the future development of the engineering industry and how to build Hong Kong into a happy, smart and green city.
In the third talk on 29 June, Ir Dr Ted Suen Yiu-tak, Executive Director for Digital Mobility at NEOM Saudi Arabia, explored the role of digital technology in revolutionising the future of mobility, with a spotlight on NEOM as an anchor use case.
President Prof. Paul Lam held a Town Hall Meeting on 30 March with the theme 'Why we can't just leave the university as it is'. The meeting invited staff, students and alumni to exchange views on several focus areas of the University's developments, including fostering applied research, the acquisition of student accommodation to enrich students' campus life, and the pay and benefits review for staff.
The University and the Auxiliary Medical Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 2 April to promote diversified development, upward mobility and the service mindset of young people through a series of activities, including medical and health training, service-learning programmes, volunteer work and career planning. Mr Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security of the HKSAR, was invited to join the ceremony as the Guest of Honour and witness the signing with Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong.
Three undergraduate programmes offered by the School of Science and Technology (S&T) were granted full accreditation for five years by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, allowing students to attain relevant professional qualifications upon graduation. This is also proof of the University's strengths in offering highstandard programmes. Among them, the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Building Services Engineering and Sustainable Development and the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Civil and Environmental Engineering programmes were newly accredited, while the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Electronic and Computer Engineering was reaccredited.
At the opening reception of the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Troupe, its founder, Dr Ina Ho Chan Un-chan, announced a donation to support the University in establishing the Ina Ho Cantonese Opera Research Centre. Through the translation of libretti, exchange activities and academic research, the centre aims to promote education and appreciation of Cantonese opera for local and overseas communities.
Dr Juan Carlos Astudillo Placencia, assistant professor at the School of Science and Technology, collaborated with researchers from other universities to conduct an innovation project, Eco-Tiles for Enhancing Marine Biodiversity, which then won a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury and a Special Prize at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, as well as a Gold Medal at the 2023 Asia International Innovation Invention Exhibition.
Throughout the years, the University has accepted invitations from various government departments, such as the Customs and Excise Department, Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department, to provide tailormade training programmes to enhance the professional knowledge and skills of their staff. Recently, the School of Education and Languages has designed a postgraduate certificate programme in training management and development for the training officers of the Correctional Services Department (CSD). The three-month programme covers courses like curriculum planning and development, advanced teaching methodologies and techniques, and digital technologies applications in learning and teaching.
The University welcomes the new appointments of Prof. Chetwyn Chan Che-hin, Vice-President (Research and Development) and Peter T C Lee Chair Professor of Psychology of the Education University of Hong Kong, Ir Alice Chow Kin-tak, Arup Fellow and a member of Arup's East Asia Board, and Mr Danny Wong Sing-lam, Chairman of Perfect Groups. The three new members have been appointed on 20 June for a term of three years, while current members Mr Alan Cheung Yick-lun, Mr Peter Yan King-shun and Dr Homer Tso Wei-kwok have been reappointed for another three years.
Moreover, the University would like to express its gratitude to outgoing members Dr Albert Chau Wai-lap, Ms Diana Chen Ningning and Miss Yvonne Choi Ying-pik for their valuable service over the past years.
