Biography

Professor Arthur K C Li is a distinguished educator and surgeon who is renowned and respected for his contributions to the development of education and the medical sector in Hong Kong.

Professor Li was born into an illustrious family in Hong Kong, and after completing his secondary school education, he pursued his medical studies at Cambridge University in the UK. A scholarship subsequently took him to the US, where he furthered his specialist training in hepatobiliary and upper abdomen surgery, before returning to the UK. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Medicine by Cambridge University in 1981. The next year, he took up the post of Founding Chair of Surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). In the two decades that followed, he served CUHK successively as Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Dean of Medicine, and Vice-Chancellor. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Surgery at CUHK.

After stepping down as the Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Professor Li has devoted most of his time to public service. Professor Li was Secretary for Education and Manpower of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China from 2002 to 2007. He is presently a member of its Executive Council and of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. At the University of Hong Kong, Professor Li was Chairman of its Council from 2016 to 2021. Outside of public service, he serves on a number of Boards of Directors, including as Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chairman of the Bank of East Asia.

Professor Li has earned numerous awards and honours for his remarkable contributions in medicine, education and social service. He is a member of the Court of Patrons of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, a Regent of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and a recipient of the College's highest honour – The President’s Gold Medal. Professor Li has been awarded honorary fellowships by many respected medical associations and conferred Honorary Doctorates by numerous prestigious universities worldwide. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star by the Government of the in 2000 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017.

In recognition of Professor Li’s contributions to education and society, the University has resolved to confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa.