Once and Always Faculty Experts — Professors Emeriti offer profound contributions post-retirement

After dedicating the prime of their lives to HKUST, Professors Emeriti remain an active and valued part of the University community.  Since 2022, a group of devoted former faculty has come together to establish the HKUST Retired Professor Association (RPA), with the hope of continuing to contribute to the University in meaningful ways.

RPA members exchanged views on HKUST’s latest developments and offered constructive feedback at their AGM at the Clear Water Bay Campus on July 7. Members also elected a new Executive Committee and engaged in a fruitful dialogue with members of the University’s senior management team.

Post-retirement Contributions

Reflecting on the establishment of the RPA, Prof. Donald Choy CHANG, Chair Professor Emeritus of the Division of Life Science, said the association was created to provide a platform for retired teaching staff to continue contributing to the University community.

Prof. Chang, the inaugural RPA president when the first executive committee was established on March 11, 2022, has remained actively involved in institutional affairs even after retirement, having joined HKUST in 1991.

“It takes a long time to train a competent scholar,” he said. “The knowledge and wisdom of retiring professors are valuable and cannot be replaced easily. The University should try to retain them as much as possible.”

He added that retirement at age 60 is not compulsory at many renowned overseas universities, where retired faculty members often continue to play an active role in their institutions.

According to Prof. Chang, the RPA has received endorsement from the University’s management. Among its key supporters was the late Prof. Chia-Wei WOO, Founding President of HKUST, who gave the association his firm blessing during his lifetime.

Legacy and Leadership

The RPA is currently pursuing two key initiatives: the creation of an oral history documenting the University's development and a mentorship scheme.

“All faculties and departments have their own historic experience over the course of UST’s development,” explained Prof. Francis LUI, Professor Emeritus of Economics and the RPA president from 2023-2024.

“It is a must that we record these experiences through means such as verbal interviews when our precious retired professors are still able to tell their stories, for the long-term benefits of HKUST, and even for other tertiary institutions,” Prof. Lui said. 

In addition, retired faculty members serve as valuable mentors to junior faculty members throughout their career development, he shared.

“For example, some of our junior faculty may not be as familiar with the Interdisciplinary model, particularly in practice at our Guangzhou campus, and they need guidance on matters such as publishing their research under this model,” he explained.

Furthermore, he remarked that the support of retired faculty, who often have more time to get to know younger faculty professionally, can be of great value at career crossroads such as applying for tenure.  

Joining the meeting was Prof. Charles NG, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, who updated the RPA on HKUST’s latest developments, including the proposed establishment of the University’s medical school, which will be the third of its kind in the city, and HKUST's latest rankings performance.

The gathering ended with a joyful dinner for all professors emeriti and their spouses.  Professor Shiu Yuen CHENG, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and the outgoing 2025-2026 President of RPA, was delighted to see the enthusiastic response.

“I look forward to more retired teaching staff coming together,” he added, “so that we may all continue to utilize our accumulated experience to serve the HKUST community best.” 

For more information about the RPA or to take part in future activities, please log on to the RPA website or email RPA@ust.hk