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2023/24 marks the 25th Anniversary of the HKU Graduate School. In celebration of this important milestone, a gala dinner was organised on June 7, 2024, at Loke Yew Hall. Over 200 guests including government officials, donors, alumni, staff and friends of the University’s research community attended the joyous event.

We were honoured by the presence of Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Ms Michelle Li, Permanent Secretary for Education, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Professor Xiang Zhang, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor.  Our wholehearted thanks also go to our distinguished alumni – Professor Vivian Yam and Dr Miles Wen, who graced the event with their enlightening speeches. The celebration was further enriched by a performance from Medici Cantano, an a cappella group formed by HKUMed students. 

The Graduate School would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this gala dinner both meaningful and memorable! 
 

Professor Sun Dong
Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

“Fostering a vibrant I&T [innovation and technology] ecosystem requires a strong and sustainable pipeline of talent, and this is where institutions like HKU play a critical role. Pushing ahead the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, the Government is making significant efforts to develop Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. We believe that by investing in education and training, and by creating an environment that encourages creativity and collaboration, we can attract and retain the best and brightest minds in the world.

“The future of Hong Kong so much depends on our young people, and we are fortunate to have the contributions of HKU to the talent pool in the region and beyond. I would like to extend once again my sincere thanks to HKU and the Graduate School for your tremendous work and dedication to the nurturing of talents and leaders over the years. I am sure that HKU will carry on striving for research excellence and continue to shine.”

Professor Xiang Zhang 
HKU President and Vice-Chancellor

“The ability to create new knowledge, which is what the Graduate School does, is so important. I want to congratulate our professors, mentors, and also our staff here for helping our young scholars, including scientists, artists, and historians, really grow their capacity to learn how to create the knowledge, how to develop research and how to invent the new world. This milestone is very important for us and I look forward to many of our professors and students here going on with your discoveries with your new books, new critics in arts that propel our civilisation and the university to move forward.”

Professor Max Shen
HKU Vice-President (Research) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Graduate School

“I would also like to express our deep appreciation to the government for its unwavering support. Its vision in education, innovation, and technology has allowed HKU to continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and make significant contributions to society. HKU is ranked 13th on Clarivate’s list of Highly Cited Researchers, with 51 academics on the list. The quality of our PhD students is probably second to none, not only in Hong Kong but also in the greater China area. I really want to thank all the professors and senior students for coaching the incoming students who have the tradition to continue getting better and better. The Graduate School will continue to strive for research excellence and provide quality education for the young generation of our students.”

Professor Vivian Yam
HKU PhD Alumna

“Passion for the area of research, perseverance, and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of challenges are very important. The road to success is rarely a straightforward path. It is often a winding road filled with unforeseen twists and turns. But it is through navigating around these obstacles that we grow, learn, and ultimately achieve greatness. In my experience, research demands steadfast belief, passion, stamina, and dedication, often taking decades or even a lifetime of effort to work hard to pursue your dreams. Remember to embrace challenges, follow your passions, pursue your dreams, and apply your knowledge to create a positive impact in the world.”

Dr Miles Wen 
HKU GS alumnus

“When I think in retrospect about how I managed to navigate through all those challenges and managed to survive and take Fano to where it is today, I think two things helped me the most. First is to try to decompose the big problem into small pieces and solve one small piece at a time. Tunnel-visioning on smaller problems can take away much of the stress and anxiety when facing tough moments and, once solved, help us gain the necessary momentum to tackle the next one. If I did not use this tactic, I would have easily suffered from a mental breakdown during those periods of crisis. Second is to be persistent and don’t give up. Short-term failures are inevitable before we can achieve our long-term breakthroughs. In the innovation business, the only real failure is when you give up. 

“Actually, these two things that helped me the most are exactly my biggest learning at the Graduate School years ago, and if we look at them holistically, these are also important factors for us to do good research work and earn a PhD degree from The University of Hong Kong.”

Graduate School 25th Anniversary Logo Design Competition

 

In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the Graduate School organised a logo design competition.  The competition had an overwhelming response. 70 original and creative designs from students, staff, and alumni were received. After careful evaluation and consideration, three winners were selected by a panel of judges. The winning design has been used on the website of the Graduate School and as an official logo for the anniversary celebration. 

The Graduate School sincerely thanks all participants for their support and enthusiastic involvement in this momentous event, and extends our heartfelt congratulations to the following winners:

 

 

 

Gold Prize
Mr Cheung Ka Chun
Staff, Department of Law
“This design was inspired by the shape of HKU Graduate House. On top of the building is a graduate hat to make the design funnier and more stable.”

  

 

 

Silver Prize
Ms Yin Zihan
Student, Faculty of Law
“The design integrates the school’s architectural outline with the number ‘25’ in an abstract form. It embodies the HKU Graduate School’s legacy and showcases its innovative spirit as well as its community tie and giving back to society.”

 

 

Bronze Prize
Miss Lo Lianne Hei-Yin
Student, Department of Chemistry
“The text design is based on merging the number ‘25’ with the Chinese word for research ‘yin’. The academic hat represents academia and research, and the globe represents a global outlook for future talent.”