HKUST Holds Congregation 2024 Conferring Honorary Doctoral Degrees on Four Distinguished Leaders | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) held its Congregation 2024 today (November 23). The occasion witnessed the conferment of Honorary Doctorates upon four prominent and distinguished leaders by HKUST Pro-Chancellor Dr. John CHAN Cho-Chak, in recognition of their remarkable accomplishments and contributions. Also joining the ceremony included HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry SHUM, HKUST President Prof. Nancy IP, and other members of the senior management team.

This year’s recipients of the Honorary Doctorate, listed in alphabetical order of surnames, were: 

Dr. Jensen HUANG, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA – Doctor of Engineering honoris causa

Mr. Tony LEUNG Chiu-Wai, the Golden Lion-winning actor – Doctor of Humanities honoris causa

Prof. Michael LEVITT, the awardee of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013 – Doctor of Science honoris causa

Prof. David MUMFORD, a Fields Medalist – Doctor of Science honoris causa

HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Shum commended the four Honorary Doctorate awardees for their distinguished achievements, and impactful contributions to the society. “This year’s four honorary doctorate recipients stand as beacons of inspiration for global citizens, encouraging them to aim high and persevere against all odds. Not only have they achieved unprecedented feats charting new territory in their professional fields, but they have also demonstrated selfless devotion and remarkable foresight for the greater good of humanity. They are all role models for our flourishing university community, inspiring all members to push the boundaries of wisdom and knowledge in this transformative era of AI,” he said.  

HKUST President Prof. Ip also recognized the honorary doctorates for their dedication, perseverance, and accomplishments, while congratulating this year’s graduates on reaching a significant milestone in their lives. “You (graduates) leave here today with more than just a degree. You have acquired solid disciplinary knowledge, diverse skills, the capability to navigate life’s challenges, and valuable connections and friendships. Embrace these gifts and face the future with the confidence that you are well-prepared,” she said. Prof. Ip also shared with the fresh graduates the University’s aspiration to establish the HKUST Medical School, saying that HKUST is poised to nurture future-ready clinicians to strengthen healthcare services, drive biomedical innovation, and support Hong Kong’s development into an international hub for health and medical innovation. (Full President's Address and video)

Upon the graduation of the Class of 2024, HKUST’s global alumni community has reached the milestone of over 100,000 members, forming an esteemed network worldwide. This year, HKUST conferred a total of 6,029 academic degrees, including 2,430 bachelor’s degrees, 3,177 master’s degrees, and 422 doctoral degrees. 

Marking the same occasion, Prof. Ip also presented the Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching – HKUST’s highest accolade in teaching, to Prof. Frederick FONG Tsz-Ho of the Department of Mathematics, School of Science in recognition of his outstanding service in education. 

Following the conferment ceremony, HKUST Council Chairman and renowned AI expert Prof. Shum chaired an enlightening fireside chat session entitled “Technology, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship” with one of the Honorary Doctors, Dr. Huang.  The pair engaged in a dynamic and interactive exchange with the HKUST community on a future with AI. Dr. Huang, who learnt of HKUST’s plan to build a medical school, said he hoped the university would leverage its expertise in technology, computer science and AI to create something different from other existing medical schools.  Dr. Huang later visited the “Innovation Showcase”, where he interacted with senior management and faculty members to explore the University’s achievements in AI-related research.

Biography of Honorary Doctorate awardees (arranged in alphabetical order of surnames): 

Dr. Jensen HUANG
As the founder and CEO of NVIDIA, Dr. Huang is celebrated for his visionary leadership, which has steered the company’s growth into a global leader in accelerated computing. As currently the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization, NVIDIA’s groundbreaking GPU technologies have been driving the growth of AI and transforming industries worldwide. In 2024, Dr. Huang was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to advancing the AI revolution. His commitment to innovation aligns with HKUST’s mission to harness AI for scientific advancement and societal benefit. (Full citation and speech video)

Mr. Tony LEUNG Chiu-Wai
Mr. Leung made history as the first Asian actor to receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2023. His enigmatic virtuosity in bringing multi-faceted movie characters to life has inspired audiences worldwide. From the great care he takes to avoid stereotypical portrayals of Asian characters, to his charitable initiatives benefiting youngsters in need, Mr. Leung is a role model for the University’s students, encouraging them to dream big and make a positive impact on society. (Full citation and speech video)

Prof. Michael LEVITT 
A Nobel laureate in chemistry, Prof. Levitt is revered as a pioneering biophysicist who spearheaded research in computational structural biology. His groundbreaking computational approach to modeling and predicting the behavior of biological molecules has led to numerous discoveries in drug design, enzymology, and structural biology. Prof. Levitt has for long forged a close relationship with the University as a Senior Visiting Fellow of HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study, inspiring the University’s researchers and students with his thought-provoking lectures. (Full citation and speech video)

Prof. David MUMFORD
An awardee of the Fields Medal, Prof. Mumford is a world-renowned mathematician and computer scientist, whose groundbreaking work has made a lasting impact across diverse academic fields, from algebraic geometry and string theory to computer vision. He has been honored the National Medal of Science, the USA’s highest distinction for contributions to scientific research. Currently a Professor Emeritus at both Brown University and Harvard University, he has guided many students to brilliant careers, including Prof. WANG Yang, HKUST’s Vice-President for Institutional Advancement. (Full citation and speech video)

About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university committed to innovative education, research excellence, and impactful knowledge transfer. Our holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy approach is recognized globally. HKUST placed 3rd in the Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2024, 19th Worldwide and No.1 in Hong Kong in Times Higher Education’s impact Rankings. Twelve of HKUST’s subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. Of these, "Data Science and Artificial Intelligence" ranked first in Hong Kong and 10th in the world. Our graduates are highly competitive, consistently placing among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. Our research and entrepreneurship endeavors are also innovative and impactful. Over 80% of our work was rated “Internationally excellent” or “world leading” in the latest Research Assessment Exercise 2020 of Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee. As of October 2024, HKUST members have founded over 1,800 active start-ups, including 10 Unicorns and 14 exits (IPO or M&A).