Newsletter No. 138

4,031 Degrees Conferred at the University's 54th Congregation A total of 4,031 degrees were c o n f e r r e d at t h e University's 54th congregation on Thursday, 10th December 1998 at the University Ma l l . The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Reg i on, o f f i c i a t ed at the ceremony as Chancellor of the University. The occasion also saw the conferment of master's degrees on the University's first batch of 14 Master of Public Health graduates. T h i s y e a r h o n o r a r y doctorates were awarded to six distinguished persons. Prof. N. G . D. Ma l mq v i s t, emi nent sinologist who served on the selection committee for the Nobel Prize in Literature and P r o f e s s o r E m e r i t u s o f Stockholm Un i ve r s i t y, was conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature, honoris causa. Prof. Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Lau r ea te i n Phy s i cs and Theodore and Frances Geballe Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Stanford University, and Prof. Zhang Cu n h a o, i n t e r n a t i o n a l ly renowned physical chemist and president of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, received the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa. Dr. Chen Din-hwa, chair of Nan Fung Textiles Consolidated Ltd. and Nan Fung Development Ltd., Mr . Chow Kwen - l i m, chairman and president of Chow S a n g S a n g H o l d i n g s International Ltd., and Dr. Fong Yun-wah, chair of Hip Shing Hong Group of Companies and managing director of Kam Wah Investment Company Ltd., were each awarded the degree of Doc t or of Social Science, honoris causa. Their citations were written and delivered by Prof. Andrew Parkin of the Department of English and Prof. Serena Jin of the Department of Translation. In the afternoon, the four constituent colleges, the Part- time Degree Programmes (for first-degree graduates), and the Graduate School (for master's degree graduates) also held graduation ceremonies for their students. Breakdown of Degrees Conferred Honorary Doctorates 6 Doctor of Medicine 5 Doctor of Philosophy 73 Doctor of Music 1 Master's 838 Bachelor's 3,108 Total 4,031 Breakdown of Bachelor's Degrees Conferred Bachelor of Arts 471 Bachelor of Business Administration 567 Bachelor of Education 172 Bachelor of Engineering 424 Bachelor of Medical Sciences 4 Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery 148 Bachelor of Nursing 60 Bachelor of Pharmacy 31 Bachelor of Science 641 Bachelor of Social Science 590 Total 3,108 The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa joined the six honorary graduates and other University officers for a group photo: (from left) Prof. Kenneth Young, Prof. Ambrose King, Prof. Zhang Cunhao, Dr. Fong Yun Wah, Dr. Chow Kwen-lim, Dr. Lee Hon-chiu, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, Prof. Arthur K.C. Li, Dr. Chen Din-hwa, Prof. Steven Chu, Prof. N.G.D. Malmqvist, and Prof. Liu Pak-wai. New Science Centre Named after Local Philanthropist Mong ManWaiBuilding Formally Opens M ong Man Wai Building, named after Dr. William Mong Man-wai in appreciation of his contributions towards the promotion of research and development in science and engineering, was o f f i c i a l ly opened on 10th December. The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, officiated at the dedication ceremony. Located next to the Choh-Ming L i Building for Basic Medical Sciences and the Science Centre on central campus, Mong Man Wai Building h o u s es t he D e p a r t m e n t o f Biochemistry, the Department of M e c h a n i c a l and A u t o m a t i on Engineering, and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences. There are also purpose-designed classrooms, lecture theatres, and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. The construction of this new science centre is ideologically in line with the policy emphasis of the Chief Executive: maintaining Hong Kong's l o n g - t e rm c ompe t i t i v ene ss t h r o u gh the development of science and technology. Dr. Mo ng Ma n - wai is a distinguished entrepreneur and founder of the Shun H i ng Education and Charity Fund, which over the years has donated more than HK$200 million to promote education, healthcare, recreation and sports, and environmental protection both in Hong Kong and on the mainland. The University has been a major beneficiary of Dr. Mong's generosity for many years. His donations have made possible the establishment of the Mong Kwok Ping Computer Community Laboratory, the United Nations Fellows Training Programmes, and a number of scholarship funds. In 1993 a further HK$18 million was donated to the University in support of its academic and research development.