Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge held a dialogue with HKU Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui and students at the University.

The event, titled 'Dialogue with World University Leaders - From Cambridge to Hong Kong', was guided and directed by three HKU student panelists who came from very different cultural backgrounds: Sam Wong Ming-sum, a year one LLB student admitted through the Early Admissions Scheme; Kshitij Tiwari, a year one BEng (EcomE) student born and brought up in India; and Alyson Han Yu, a year two BBA (Accounting and Finance) student from Beijing.

Together, they helped build an engaging and enthusiastic discussion between the Vice-Chancellors and with the audience on the ideals and relevance of university education in the 21st century, by examining Cambridge and HKU - one over 800 years old, and one just celebrating its centenary.

Professor Tsui thanked Sir Leszek for joining the University's Centenary celebrations and the insights he brought to the Dialogue.

Sir Leszek, as the 345th Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, shared his views on the mission of universities to provide education, develop new knowledge and interact with society. He said that having a forward-looking attitude would be of the utmost importance, and that universities should embrace change to thrive in research, and to get better in the work they do for tomorrow, which includes training students for the future.

"HKU and Cambridge are great institutions but we can never afford to look backwards. There is no resting on your laurels in a competitive world of higher education," said Sir Leszek.