ANNUAL REPORT 2022 3 2 HKU ANNUAL REPORT 2022 THE FUTURE WE WANT MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR Throughout HKU’s history, our people have responded to the needs of their times. Today, we have a chance to serve and lead again. At the Community Vaccination Centre in the historic Loke Yew Hall. An international city starts with a global university. The year 2022 began with the fifth wave of the current pandemic as classrooms, workplaces, and businesses closed their doors, and once again tested our resolve as a city and community. Now, as Hong Kong writes its comeback story, we are reconnecting with the world, hosting global events, and finding our place in a rapidly changing world. As we have for over a century, the University of Hong Kong is part of this movement, both as a reflection of these shifting trends and as a leader that is driving hope, peace, and progress. Throughout HKU’s history, our people have responded to the needs of their times. Today, we have a chance to serve and lead again. I am grateful to all members of the HKU family, especially those who have worked on the frontlines to protect and enhance our lives. My deep thanks to each and every one of you. Above all else, this has been a year for active legacy-building. Our faculty, staff, and students honoured HKU’s 111th Anniversary, a celebration that continues into 2023, by working on the future we want for our children and grandchildren. A spectacular illumination on Foundation Day that bathed our historic buildings in a dynamic sea of light was followed in the summer with the groundbreaking of Tech Landmark, a complex of institutes that positions us on the forefront of future breakthrough discoveries. More importantly, Tech Landmark ignites a roadmap of special projects that secures our capacity to resolve global challenges and deliver for social good. Already, we have established the D. H. Chen College, a student residential space that draws on the values and philosophy of Buddhist beliefs, and coming up we will unveil the Pokfield Campus, among many other initiatives you can read about in this annual report. Indeed, it has been a personal joy for me to welcome back local and non-local students to the HKU campus after lengthy pandemic restrictions. Nothing can replace the value of collaboration that human emotions and interactions bring. In that same spirit, I believe it is critical for exchange programmes to return to a state of vibrancy because HKU – officially the world’s most international university – has always been committed to drawing the best students from afar, while offering local students the chance to broaden and be exposed to international horizons. With that in mind, we are actively moving forward with an expanded array of learning modes, using the knowledge we gained during the pandemic on how technology can help bridge gaps in education.
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