The University held the Inauguration Ceremony of Endowed Chairs 2017 on 1 November to recognise the outstanding scholarly achievements of three newly appointed Endowed Chairs and the staunch support of their respective donors.

The three Endowed Chairs are (in alphabetical order of discipline) :

(i) Dr. Elizabeth K.S. Law Endowed Chair of Advanced Materials
     (Endowed by Dr. Elizabeth K.S. Law, MH)
     Professor Cheah Kok Wai

(ii) Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Chair of Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies
     (Endowed by Tsang Shiu Tim Charitable Foundation)
      Professor Bian Zhaoxiang

(iii) Fung Hon Chu Endowed Chair of Humanics
      (Endowed by Fung Hon Chu Charitable Foundation)
       Professor John Nguyet Erni

Officiated by Mr. Cheng Yan Kee, BBS, JP, Chairman of the Council and the Court and Professor Roland T. Chin, President and Vice-Chancellor, the ceremony was well attended by over 250 University members and guests. To express our gratitude to the respective donors, the University presented a souvenir plaque to each donor, including Dr. Elizabeth Law, MH, Chairman of Park Hotel Property Management Limited; Mr. Tsang Wing Lok, Mr. Tsang Wing Wah and Mr. Patrick Tsang, representatives of the Tsang Shiu Tim Charitable Foundation; and Dr. William Fung, SBS, OBE, JP, Director of Fung Hon Chu Foundation. The three Endowed Chairs were presented with certificates of appointment. 

In his welcome address, Professor Chin expressed his deepest gratitude to the enormous support of the donors who shared the same vision and enthusiasm as HKBU. He said the Endowed Chairs Scheme serves as one of the means of attracting the world’s great minds to HKBU to strengthen our research capacity, extend the frontiers of knowledge and nurture upcoming talents and leaders for society. He looked forward to extending the partnership and soliciting support from more individuals and corporations.

Established in 2006, an Endowed Chair is among the highest honours to be bestowed upon prominent academics at HKBU in recognition of their accomplishments. The Endowed Chairs Scheme provides remarkable opportunities for visionary donors to partner with the University in advancing ground-breaking research and academic excellence in their chosen disciplines for the betterment of humankind. To honour the establishment of each Endowed Chair, the University presented to each donor a specially-made commemorative Ming Dynasty style chair as a token of our appreciation and a remembrance of their partnership with the University.

More details of the ceremony:

• Video of Professor Cheah Kok Wai, Dr. Elizabeth K.S. Law Endowed Chair of Advanced Materials
• Video of Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Chair of Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies
• Video of Professor John Nguyet Erni, Fung Hon Chu Endowed Chair of Humanics
• HKBU Endowed Chairs Website
• Newspaper Supplements about the Endowed Chairs Scheme
  • South China Morning Post
  • Ming Pao (Chinese version only)

A commemorative chair crafted in the style of the Ming Dynasty is specially made and presented to our benefactors.  Above the University’s emblem engraved on the chair’s back splat, a customised plaque bearing the name of the Endowed Chair is mounted, making each commemorative chair in itself a unique artwork.