The Installation of Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing as the 6th President of The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) was held today (18 May). At this historic moment, as the University prepares to launch its new title “Hong Kong Metropolitan University” in September 2021 upon the Legislative Council’s approval, Prof. Lam will lead the University to continue to build its reputation and achieve the next level of excellence.

The installation ceremony, held on campus, was officiated by OUHK Pro-chancellor Dr the Honourable Charles Lee Yeh-kwong and Council Chairman Michael Wong Yick-kam. During the ceremony, Mr Wong installed Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing as the President of the OUHK by presenting him with the Ordinance and the Common Seal of the University.

Addressing the audience in his welcoming remarks, Mr Wong pointed out that Prof. Lam emerged as the frontrunner on all fronts during the University’s lengthy and rigorous selection procedure, which began back in November 2019. He said, “Prof. Lam's combination of academic excellence, institutional experience, and clear and practical vision for the future, made him the best choice as the next President of the OUHK. We all are looking forward to working closely with Prof. Lam to begin a bright new chapter for this young and ambitious University, in not only Hong Kong, but also the Greater Bay Area.”

After receiving a bachelor’s and master's degree from The University of Hong Kong, Prof. Lam was awarded a scholarship to pursue doctoral studies in the UK. He returned to Hong Kong to take up a lecturing position at City Polytechnic of Hong Kong in 1988 and subsequently held positions in a number of universities. In 1994, he joined what is now the Department of Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and was later appointed Jeanie Hu Professor of Science and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry. In his years at CityU, he took the opportunity to develop, refine and showcase his considerable skills – in not only teaching and research, but also university administration.

After a long career in higher education, Prof. Lam has come to realize that the essence of life at a university must be at all times “quality” – in teaching, research and administration. To enhance “quality” in higher education, he believes that teachers should aspire at all times to seek feedback directly from students and other stakeholders and that to ensure continuous improvement, the University should prioritize communication with recent graduates to find out if the academic offerings have genuinely boosted their career preparation and options.

Looking ahead, Prof. Lam said, “As the President of the OUHK, I will ensure that we continue to enhance our capability to provide high-quality education to our students. I will endeavour to create more space and opportunities for faculty, staff and students to interact. Good communication leads to more effective leadership, which leads to more successful teaching and learning.”

“At the end of my time as President, I wish to hear from our students that their time at the OUHK has been useful and meaningful, and that they have become better people because of the education they received at this University,” added Prof. Lam. “That is what I am aiming for as the new President of the OUHK.”

All speeches are available at https://installationceremony.hkmu.edu.hk/.

About the OUHK:
Established by the Government in 1989, The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) has developed into a full-fledged university providing high quality and flexible university education at various levels to secondary school graduates and working adults. As a dynamic and innovative university, the OUHK currently offers programmes of different academic levels to about 10,000 full-time students and 9,000 part-time students. Our mission is to advance learning, knowledge and research that meet students’ learning aspirations and society's talent needs, focusing on practical and professional programmes.

OUHK comprises six Schools, i.e. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, School of Education and Languages, School of Nursing and Health Studies, School of Science and Technology, and Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE). LiPACE provides lifelong learning opportunities by offering full-time sub-degree programmes, community learning and professional programmes.

The Council of the OUHK has earlier approved the new title 'Hong Kong Metropolitan University' for the University. The process of amending the ordinance governing the University has been started and formal approval from the Legislative Council will be sought. The new title shows the unique position of the University in metropolitan Hong Kong. It also signifies the University’s path of transformation from a modest distance education institution to a full-fledged university and reflects its unique characteristics and strategic focuses.

OUHK website: www.hkmu.edu.hk
University Retitling website: https://retitling.hkmu.edu.hk