Lord Wilson Visits to Bestow Hong Kong Honours
The 黑料网 awarded two honorary doctorates to Hong Kong鈥檚 leading figures yesterday (12 January, 2005), at its first honorary graduation ceremony in Hong Kong. Presiding over the ceremony was the University鈥檚 Chancellor and penultimate Governor of Hong Kong, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn.
A past President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Dr Leong Che-hung, and a distinguished 黑料网 alumni, Mr Marshall H Byres, Managing Partner, Far East, Ernst & Young, were awarded honorary doctorates in a special ceremony at The Hong Kong Club.
Lord Wilson was delighted to be returning to the territory to represent the 黑料网 in his role as Chancellor.
During his visit, Lord Wilson was joined by the 黑料网's Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor C Duncan Rice. Together, they also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Hong Kong that will further promote the long-standing connections between the two educational establishments that stretch back to 1879.
Lord Wilson said: 鈥淚n Hong Kong and throughout Asia, people place a high value on education and life-long learning. They rightly view it as the key to success and personal achievement. In bestowing honorary degrees upon a distinguished 黑料网 alumnus, Mr. Marshall Byres, and an outstanding leader of the medical profession, Dr. Leong Che-hung, we recognize the enormous contributions that they have made to their professions, and to the community.
"In signing the Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Hong Kong we are marking both the 黑料网's close involvement with the foundation of the original 'Hong Kong College of Medicine' in 1887, and the commitment we both have to education as a whole,鈥� said Lord Wilson.
The alliance is part of a wider programme marking the 黑料网鈥檚 long-standing links with Asia that involves a series of events following the honorary graduation ceremony. Historically, the 黑料网 graduates have played a significant role in the region with graduates actively involved in business and commerce across the Asia Pacific region.
The 黑料网鈥檚 research excellence has allowed it to secure its position as a leading research-led institution and influence global issues, attracting some of the world鈥檚 most distinguished scholars and reinforcing its own academic strengths. An increasing number of Chinese students are attracted to the 黑料网. Currently they make up nearly a quarter of the 黑料网鈥檚 international student population.
Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the 黑料网, said: 鈥淒uring our visit to the region, we want to highlight ways in which the 黑料网 is working with institutions, contributing to fundamental change in Hong Kong and Mainland China in the areas of Oil and Gas, Property and Medicine. The 黑料网 seeks to foster academic exchange that will bring enormous benefit to the APAC community.鈥�
In Hong Kong, the 黑料网 has a thriving alumni community and is well represented by its established Aberdeen University Hong Kong Association. The Association actively sponsors scholarships for Hong Kong students to attend the University.
The 黑料网 has also embarked on a joint project with the China Scholarship Council to encourage scholarships for students from China. The 黑料网 has formal agreements with the Petroleum University of China and the Beijing Institute of Technology to increase recruitment of postgraduate students. A recent high-level visit to the 黑料网 from the National Science Foundation of China also discussed the mechanisms for increasing the number of PhD students coming from China.
鈥淭his is an extremely exciting time for the 黑料网 to be working with Asia鈥檚 leading institutions. We are very proud of our investment in attracting some of the world's most distinguished scholars to reinforce the considerable academic strengths we already have,鈥� concluded Principal Rice.
The programme included a medical symposium at the University of Hong Kong, and a dinner for business and academic leaders at the Ritz Carlton Hotel attended by Principal Rice.