HKUST Confers Honorary Fellowships on Six Distinguished Individuals | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Six distinguished individuals, Mr. Nicholas CHAN Hiu-Fung, Dr. Adrian CHENG Chi-Kong, Mr. Wilson FUNG Ying-Wai, Prof. Albert IP Yuk-Keung, Ms. Sarah LEE Wai-Sze and Ms. YAO Jue (in alphabetical order of surnames) were conferred Honorary Fellowships by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today. Officiating at the ceremony were Prof. Harry SHUM, Chairman of the HKUST Council, and Prof. Nancy IP, President of the HKUST.

HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry Shum applauded the six awardees for their outstanding accomplishments, significant contributions to society and unwavering support to the University. “Each of our six new Honorary Fellows has set a high bar of excellence in their respective domains, effecting positive change within Hong Kong and beyond. Their journeys and accomplishments serve as a beacon of inspiration, encouraging the future generation to break boundaries and catalyze meaningful change for the betterment of society,” he said.

President of the HKUST Prof. Nancy IP also conveyed her heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to these esteemed individuals for their staunch support to the University. She said, “Our six honorees are not just remarkable individuals. They are also role models and long-time friends of HKUST who have significantly contributed to the University’s ascendance as a leading knowledge hub. Their selfless dedication to higher education, together with the collective efforts of our entire campus community and countless other supporters, have enabled us to attain globally recognized excellence.”

Mr. Nicholas Chan pursues a lifelong career in law after witnessing the harsh injustice faced by a childhood friend’s family. During his career which spans a wide spectrum of legal expertise, Mr. Chan has served many public roles including the Director of Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Center of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, where he advanced the economic progress of its 47 member states. He also served as Chairman of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Advisory Committee, where he steered the investment of HK$2 billion in funding for promising start-ups. Mr. Chan is also a Hong Kong Deputy to the National People's Congress and Justice of the Peace. He was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong Government. Mr. Chan’s longstanding affiliation with HKUST began in the early 2000s when he served as a guest lecturer for the EMBA program.  He was later appointed as an HKUST Council Member, serving on seven committees during a six-year tenure, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the University's intellectual property policy, establishing the Entrepreneurship Fund, and securing co-investment partners.

Dr. Adrian Cheng is the third-generation leader of New World Development (New World). He not only pioneered an art-meets-retail business model by founding the K11 Group, but has also steered New World to become the first Hong Kong listed company to incorporate Creating Shared Value into its core strategy. He established “Share for Good”, Hong Kong’s first large-scale crowd-donation platform to assist the underprivileged during the pandemic, among other initiatives for social good. Dr. Cheng was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong Government in 2022 for his remarkable contributions to society. The Cheng family has long been a generous supporter of HKUST. Not only did both Dr. Cheng’s late grandfather, Dr. CHENG Yu-Tung, and father, Dr. CHENG Kar-Shun serve as HKUST Court Members during the 1990s and 2000s, the Cheng family has also made notable donations, including some HK$240 million in funding for crucial academic and research facilities such as the Cheng Yu Tung Building. In 2021, Dr. Cheng and his family donated an additional HK$100 million to advance the University’s research capabilities in areas such as autonomous systems.

Mr. Wilson Fung is a respected figure in Hong Kong’s accounting profession and a classic example of how hard work shapes one’s destiny. Despite never having attended university, he built a distinguished career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later Jardine Matheson through persistent studying and on-the-job training. As the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Mr. Fung introduced a new Financial Reporting Standard for Private Entities, making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to conduct business. He also founded the Hong Kong Business Accountants Association to deepen local business accountants’ understanding of the Mainland market. Mr. Fung was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong Government in 2021 for his many societal contributions. As an HKUST Council Member between 2017 and 2023, Mr. Fung served on various committees to help steer the University's development strategy, bolstering the University’s in-house internal audit function and its ability to monitor and mitigate strategic risks, and also bringing the cutting-edge Shaw Auditorium to life.

Prof. Albert Ip is a business leader with 35 years of accomplishment in international banking and real estate. Starting his career with Citibank in New York City, Prof Ip steadily moved up the ranks with wise decisions he made, such as a major investment deal that he decided to close during a challenging property market in the late 1980s. He went on to take up leadership roles at global investment corporations including Merrill Lynch Asia Pacific and Langham Hospitality Investments. Despite his demanding workload, Prof. Ip is dedicated to serving the community, including the non-profit World Green Organisation and various university governing councils and advisory committees in the cities of Hong Kong and Macau, as well as in the United States. During his tenure as an HKUST Council Member from 2016 and 2022, Prof. Ip leveraged his extensive network to raise over $250 million for the University, supporting different initiatives ranging from endowed professorships, its “30 for 30” Talent Acquisition Campaign, and the Cheng Kar-shun Robotics Institute. After the completion of his term on the Council, he was appointed as a Senior Advisor to the President and Special Advisor to the Dean of Business and Management.

Ms. Sarah Lee is a celebrated cyclist and one of Hong Kong's most successful athletes. She won her first Olympic bronze in women’s keirin in 2012 and became the first Hong Kong female cyclist to win gold at the Union Cycliste Internationale World Championships in 2013. She retained her title at the 2018 Asian Games and won a second bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, making her the first Hong Kong athlete to secure medals at two Olympic Games. After retiring from competitive sports, she has devoted herself to coaching junior cyclists and working with children with special needs. Ms. Lee’s success on and off the cycling track has earned her numerous accolades from the Hong Kong Government, including the Medal of Honour, the Bronze Bauhinia Star, and the Silver Bauhinia Star. Recognizing the role of technology in advancing athletic performance, she worked closely with HKUST researchers to optimize cycling equipment and help create an aerodynamic, low-resistance cycling suit called the “Aero Speedsuit” which she wore at Tokyo 2020, pushing the boundaries of sports science.

Ms. Yao Jue is a celebrated violin virtuoso. Driven by her commitment to nurturing young musical talents, she founded the Hong Kong String Orchestra (HKSO) in 2013 and has served as its Artistic Director ever since. Ms. Yao collaborated with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to launch the “Power of Music Programme”, providing opportunities for children from low-income backgrounds to learn music and perform in community concerts. In recognition of her contributions, Ms. Yao was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2013 and received both the Bronze Bauhinia Star and the Silver Bauhinia Star from the Hong Kong Government. She also serves as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Ms. Yao's relationship with HKUST began with the “Music Dreams Come True Mentorship Programme”, a collaboration between HKSO and eight local universities for 18 months. Fifteen gifted HKUST students, guided by the experienced musicians of HKSO, attended a series of training sessions culminating in their final performance at the Music Dreams Come True concert along with Ms. Yao.

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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 research intensive university that focuses on science, technology and business as well as humanities and social science. HKUST offers an international campus, and a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. Over 80% of our research work were rated “Internationally excellent” or “world leading” in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020 of Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee. We were ranked 2nd in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2023, and our graduates were ranked 30th worldwide and among the best from universities from Asia in Global Employability University Ranking and Survey 2022. As of early 2023, HKUST members have founded 1,645 active start-ups, including 9 Unicorns and 11 exits (IPO or M&A), generating economic impact worth over HK$ 400 billion. InvestHK cited QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 to demonstrate the performance of five world’s top 100 local universities in several innovation-centric areas, among which HKUST ranked top in four engineering and materials science subjects.