名譽大學院士

韋永庚先生是香港大學前任教務長，亦是港大校友，畢生為港大服務，克盡己任四十七年，成績斐然，於2020年夏天榮休。

韋先生是香港大學文學士及文科碩士，於1973年加入港大任職二級執行主任，先後曾擔任社會科學學院院務主任、醫學院院務主任、考試事務秘書、副教務長（學務）及其他多項校內職務。韋先生勤奮盡責，工作表現出色，在大學穩步晉升，於2000年升任代教務長，並於2002年正式擔任教務長。

港大在過去的五十年經歷無數變遷和變革，韋先生為大學作出了寶貴的建議和貢獻。他是「大學聯合招生辦法」的設計師之一。他於1990年代推動大學與內地主要大學建立關係，為今日港大與內地大學開展學術和研究合作奠定了基礎。他代表港大積極参與和香港及內地政府協商，令大學能於1998年招收第一批內地本科生。韋先生深明科技發展對大學行政管理的重要，率先於1990年代致力提升學生紀錄電腦系統；其後，他全力推行企業資源規劃的學生資訊系統項目。過去二十年，他也協助大學於所有學務規劃工作中制定發展計劃。

韋先生擔任教務長期間，港大經歷了不少重大變遷，挑戰不斷，他身兼校董會、校務委員會及教務委員會的秘書，大學的管理和管治層都仰賴他對大學整體架構、條例規程、以及應對員工師生和持份者的知識和經驗；面對種種難題，韋先生以豐富經驗與智慧，用心忠告，協助港大平穩渡過這二十年的風雨，化危為機。韋先生被稱為「港大的活百科全書」，全心全意守護港大，值得敬佩。

Citation delivered by Professor Richard Wong, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Mr Henry Wai is a former Registrar of the University of Hong Kong and an alumnus who has dedicated his life to serving the University, retiring in the summer of 2020 after 47 years of loyal and distinguished service.

Mr Wai holds a BA and an MA from HKU. He joined the University as an undergraduate in 1969, and – except for one brief foray into the world of banking as a fresh graduate – essentially never really left. Banking’s loss would turn out to be the University’s gain.

In 1973 he was appointed as an Executive Officer at HKU, and over the next three decades would rise through the ranks by virtue of his diligent and outstanding work, until his appointment in 2002 as Registrar, a position he would hold for the next 18 years.

Ladies and gentlemen, you may well ask: what does nearly half a century of service as a university administrator really mean?

I could try to itemise all the titles, projects and duties Mr Wai has had over the years, across all the different academic disciplines, and involving a wide range of administrative responsibilities.

That list would certainly take hours to read! And although it would be technically accurate and very impressive, I would like to respectfully suggest another approach.

Many of you here tonight are HKU colleagues, and directly or indirectly, may have worked with Mr Wai. I do not think I am mistaken in thinking that, over the years, he has developed an almost mythical status amongst colleagues!

It is very suggestive that, at his retirement gathering last year, many colleagues – young and not so young – were lining up to have selfies taken with him, while wearing badges that were printed with his face and the words: “定海神針”, which roughly translates to “a magical rod that calms the oceans”!

To return to my earlier question: I think that this shows that in addition to the expertise and experience that comes from half a century of service at the University, the most important thing in the minds of HKUers is trust. The name Henry Wai equals trust.

Over the past fifty years, the University has gone through many changes and reforms, and there have been times when the metaphorical oceans that the University has found itself in have been very rough indeed.

Some of the University’s greatest challenges and crises occurred while Mr Wai was Registrar, during which time he was also Secretary of the University Court, Council, and Senate. At these times of great turmoil, members of HKU’s senior management and governance have all consistently turned to Mr Wai. His experience, wisdom and loyal counsel helped the University manage, mitigate and weather these storms.

But most importantly, we turned to him because we trusted him.

Mr Pro-Chancellor, you may be interested to learn that Mr Wai’s first name, Henry, is one of German origin and means “ruler of the home”. While our modest and unassuming Henry would of course declaim such grand connotations, it is certainly true that he has regarded the University as his home.

Through all the highs and lows, he has loyally championed its endeavours, nurtured and cared for his home, and dedicated his life to his alma mater.

And we, the HKU Family, can always trust him to have the best interests of the University at heart.

Therefore, Mr Pro-Chancellor, it is my great pleasure to present Mr Henry Wai Wing Kun for the Honorary University Fellowship, in recognition of his contributions to the University and academia.