News & Stories

聯 合 國 科 教 文 組 織 「 多 元 文 化 特 聘 顧 問 」 、 被 喻 為 全 球 最 具 影 響 力 的 國 畫 大 師 范 曾 及 著 名 文 學 家 劉 再 復 教 授 今 天(星 期 一)主 講 「 香 港 科 技 大 學 傑 出 學 人 講 座 」 ， 以 「 返 回 古 典 ， 返 回 自 然 」 為 題 ， 探 討 藝 術 和 文 學 的 真 善 美 。 范 曾 教 授 表 示 ： 「 回 歸 古 典 ， 回 歸 自 然 」 ， 是 他 對 五 百 年 來 從 西 方 到 東 方 哲 人 們 思 考 的 最 簡 約 的 本 質 的 概 括 。 他 說 ： 「 超 級 大 國 有 囊 括 四 海 之 意 ， 併 吞 八 荒 之 心 。 財 富 操 縱 者 有 永 無 饜 足 的 欲 求 ， 民 族 利 己 主 義 ， 使 國 與 國 之 間 關 係 緊 張 ， 而 廣 大 的 億 萬 人 群 在 物 質 主 義 的 鼓 動 下 ， 奔 走 忙 碌 。 地 球 已 然 變 成 雜 亂 無 章 的 一 捆 亂 麻 ， 人 類 整 體 面 臨 了 靈 魂 自 我 救 贖 的 時 節 ， 這 是 當 下 刻 不 容 緩 的 有 效 措 施 。 否 則 ， 人 類 縱 使 有 天 大 的 本 領 ， 也 無 法 阻 止 地 球 和 人 類 走 向 毀 滅 。 」 他 又 說 ： 「 妄 自 尊 大 是 後 工 業 化 時 代 人 類 的 整 體 惡 德 ， 過 分 誇 張 了 生 產 力 對 地 球 的 改 造 作 用 ， 而 當 代 生 產 力 的 重 要 標 誌 則 是 電 腦 與 資 訊 在 全 世 界 無 遠 弗 屆 的 霸 權 。 它 漸 漸 不 再 馴 服 於 創 造 者 — 人 類 的 意 志 ， 反 過 來 是 對 人 類 全 面 的 專 政 。 我 相 信 在 未 來 的 社 會 ， 國 家 、 制 度 、 信 仰 、 文 化 都 是 不 再 佔 主 導 的 地 位 ， 當 工 具 發 言 超 越 意 志 發 言 的 時 候 ， 那 所 形 成 的 社 會 的 巨 大 盲 動 是 最 可 危 可 懼 的 破 壞 力 。 」

A theoretical physicist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Professor Che-Ting Chan, was today awarded the prestigious Senior Research Fellowship by the Croucher Foundation in recognition of his achievements in material science. A Chair Professor in the Department of Physics, Prof Chan is a pioneer in the simulation and understanding of material properties. His research team is now working on the theory of a variety of advanced materials, including photonic crystals, metamaterials and nanomaterials. Prof Chan has over 200 publications in reputable journals and several US patents.

The Secretary for Education, the Hon Michael Suen, GBS, JP, joined the senior staff of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Business School in celebrating the recent advancement in the global ranking of its MBA program to No.9. Mr Suen said, “HKUST’s MBA program is an exemplar in attracting the best and brightest from around the world, as the majority of its full-time students come from outside Hong Kong, making up 27 nationalities. I am sure that the remarkable achievements of the Business School will add impetus to Hong Kong’s efforts in enhancing its position as a regional education hub.” Added HKUST President Tony F Chan, “Our Business School’s dazzling achievements are not just the pride of our university, but the pride of Hong Kong.”

Nobel Laureate in Economics and Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, New Jersey) Eric Maskin speaks on election and voting, and on bilateral contracts at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology this week. Prof Maskin has signed on as a visiting member of the Institute for Advanced Study of HKUST and will visit the University on a regular basis to teach and interact with faculty and students.

World Class Tests in Mathematics and Problem Solving administered by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have found that Hong Kong students aged 8 to 14 performed better in arriving at the right answers in tests, but less well in explaining each step in the process of calculation. The difference is particularly significant in the younger age group between 8 and 11. For instance, in the Algebra questions, the average score for the “answers” part was 67, but the average score for the “calculation process” part was 42. Meanwhile, in the Measurement questions, the average score for “answers” was 68 while that for “calculation process” was only 38.

Prof Xu Kuangdi, President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, advocates a restructuring of China’s energy regime to put greater emphasis on developing nuclear and renewable power. Prof Xu was today invited by the Institute for Advanced Study of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to give a Distinguished Lecture on “Addressing Climate Change: Developing a Low-Carbon Economy in China”. Prof Xu pointed out that China was in a period of rapid growth in terms of industrialization and urbanization. Unfortunately, the current coal-based energy regime has made China one of the world’s largest coal-emitting countries. From another perspective, however, China’s average per capita emission is still significantly lower than that of the developed countries. Hence, China’s responsibility for reducing carbon emission should be different from the developed countries.

The Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology announced today that Professor Joseph Hun-wei Lee, currently Redmond Chair of Civil Engineering and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President at the University of Hong Kong is appointed the Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies (VP-RG). Prof Lee is expected to take up the appointment in the Fall semester 2010. Professor Lee is a distinguished scholar, research leader, educator and University administrator with extensive local, national and international experience. The Chairman of the University Council, Dr Marvin Cheung reflects the University’s enthusiasm about his appointment in these words “With Prof Lee’s wealth of experience in governmental and non-governmental consultancy, his achievements in research and administration, he is the ideal choice for this strategic new post to help take the university to its next level of excellence by strengthening its senior leadership.”

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today officially named its Exposition Hall "Tsang Shiu Tim Art Hall", in recognition of the generous donation of HK$20 million by the Tsang Shiu Tim Charitable Foundation for HKUST's development. Mr and Mrs Tsang Wing-Lok, representatives of the Foundation, officiated at the Ceremony alongside HKUST President Tony F Chan. President Chan said, "This donation differs from most other donations in that it came to us unasked. The donor took the initiative to support us because they endorse what HKUST is doing educationally and scientifically. We are therefore particularly grateful to the generosity of the Tsang family." "HKUST aims to provide students with a holistic education, and this Art Hall offers a superb venue for the University's artistic activities, thereby enriching campus life," he added.