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We are excited to announce that the “Graduating Class Gift Campaign” of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) received enormous support from the graduating class of 2015. As of 23 November, a record high of over 1,000 graduates (more than 10% of the total number of graduates) made their first gift to their alma mater. The number of graduates who participated in the campaign is three times higher than last year, and exceeds the accumulated number of participating alumni over the past three years.

All donations solicited through this campaign will be used to support the I‧CARE programme and various meaningful causes for the enhancement of students’ learning experience at the Chinese University. The triumph of the campaign is a clear proof of the success of the I‧CARE Programme, as the class of 2015 is the first batch of students who have fully benefitted from the programme since its establishment in the academic year of 2011/12. Many alumni indicated that they are pleased to support the campaign as they enjoyed their fruitful university life at CUHK, in particular what they have learnt through the I‧CARE Programme.

“I treasure every single moment I spent at CUHK. By making this small gift, I wish to express my gratitude to my alma mater and contribute to the future development of the University,” said Benny Kwong, a graduate of the Class of 2015. We have also received positive feedback about the campaign from parents of the graduates. “I consider that it is the responsibility of alumni to give back to their alma mater, as the University has provided many resources to shape each of them into a better person,” said the father of a graduate.

Launched by the Office of Institutional Advancement, the “Graduating Class Gift Campaign” is an opportunity for the graduating class to commemorate their graduation by giving back to their alma mater. For more information about the campaign, please visit: www.oia.cuhk.edu.hk/eng/campaigns/graduating-class-gift-campaign

CW Chu College, one of the five new colleges of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) established in 2007, celebrated its Founders’ Day and Naming Ceremony of the Marina Tse Chu Building on 12 November. The North Block of the College campus was named after the late Mrs Marina Tse Chu, the beloved wife of Mr David Chu, Founder and Chairman of The Solar Trust and Chairman of the College Committee of Overseers, in recognition of the continuous support and magnanimous contributions to the development of the College by the Chu family and in memory of the late Mrs Marina Chu. Officiating at the Naming Ceremony were Mr David Chu and Prof Joseph JY Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK. Over 70 members from the Chu family and the Tse family, benefactors, friends, mentors, Chu Scholars, College Fellows, teachers, staff and students attended the Ceremony and shared the joy of the College. 

In his welcoming remarks, Prof Kenneth Young, the College Master, highlighted that a milestone had been reached as the College developed into a full-fledged community this year. He expressed deep gratitude to benefactors, teachers and friends for guiding the College towards its educational goals, and encouraged students to follow the footsteps of the late Dr CW Chu and Mr David Chu to strive for excellence and contribute to society. 

In his address at the Ceremony, Mr David Chu expressed his pleasure at witnessing the joint efforts of teachers and the administrative team in bringing the College to fruition. He applauded the College’s dedication to fostering a close-knit community and encouraged members of the College to fulfill its mission of giving the best learning experience to students. 

On behalf of CUHK, Prof Joseph JY Sung expressed his deepest gratitude to Mr David Chu, the CW Chu Foundation and The Solar Trust for their relentless support to the University for the establishment of CW Chu College, and his joy in seeing the formation of a diverse and thriving community under the leadership of the chairman and members of the Committee of Overseers. 

The Marina Tse Chu Building is a key component of the CW Chu College Campus which comprises hostel rooms and many other facilities, including a Multi-Purpose Hall, a tree-laced outdoor garden deck (the Lanson Terrace), double volume lounges, a music room, a fitness room and other common areas, for College students and its affiliated members. The simple, modern and thoughtful design of the building not only provides an ideal living and study environment for its students, but also enhances communal interactions which are conducive to fostering college spirit and coherence. This comfortable and cozy College campus has recently been bestowed a Certificate of Excellence in Best Institutional/ Public Space under the Architecture (Professional) category of the Architecture & Design Awards Asia-Pacific Trophy Awards 2015; it attained the ‘Platinum’ rating under the ‘Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM) for New Buildings’ in April 2015 for its outstanding green building features; it was also shortlisted by the Jury Panel of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) Awards 2014. 

Mr David Chu and his family have been active and staunch supporters of CW Chu College since its establishment. With the generous donations from the CW Chu Foundation and The Solar Trust, the College has been able to establish a variety of scholarships to recognize academic achievements of outstanding young scholars; and to offer financial assistance to needy students and develop educational programmes of various natures in the past few years. The benevolence and unstinting support of the Chu family to the College, and their immense contributions to nurturing future leaders for the society are deeply appreciated and respected.

Website of CW Chu College
http://www.cwchu.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb

Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has recently received a donation from the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation (the Foundation) to establish the Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) in order to facilitate the interdisciplinary research on the causes and therapeutic strategies for different developmental disorders. 

The opening ceremony was held on 12 November 2015, officiated by Professor Joseph J Y Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; Mr Patrick W. M. Huen, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation; Mr Ian Huen, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation; and Professor Patrick C M Wong, Stanley Ho Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Director of BMI. 

Developmental disorders, including speech and language impairment, autism, dyslexia and other conditions affect an estimate of 15% of children from 3 to 17 years old in the US.  Most previous research either focused on molecular biology or patients’ behaviours to understand the mechanisms of these conditions and to develop diagnostic tools and therapies.  The new BMI is the first research institute in Hong Kong to consolidate the expertise of cognitive neuroscience, biomedical sciences, psychology, linguistics, otolaryngology, pediatrics, public health and other academic and clinical disciplines to conduct inter-disciplinary research to investigate these conditions.  From molecule to behavior, BMI will focus efforts on examining the causes and therapeutic strategies for different developmental disorders.

In the first phase of the research, BMI will target developmental cognitive neuroscience as the initial strategic focus and address four strategic areas: 1) optimizing language learning in early childhood, 2) defining the broad autism phenotype in Chinese societies, 3) enhancing treatments for dyslexia, and 4) identifying molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.  BMI also plans to strengthen strategic partnership with key universities worldwide. 

In his welcome address, Professor Joseph J Y Sung appreciated the support of the Foundation. He stated, ‘The establishment of the Brain and Mind Institute is made possible by the generous donation from the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation.  The Foundation is a staunch supporter of CUHK.  Over the past decade, the Foundation has made magnificent donations to CUHK in support of various strategic areas, for example, the establishment of the Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases in 2006, the establishment of the Stanley Ho Professorship of Respiratory Medicine in 2011 and the establishment of the Stanley Ho Big Data Decision Analytics Research Centre in 2013.’ 

Mr Ian Huen reasserted the Foundation’s commitment to improving medical services for society through the sponsorship of BMI.  He said, ‘The Foundation strongly believes that continuous improvement of medical and healthcare services is of vital importance for  society to achieve sustainable growth.  With the establishment of the Brain and Mind Institute at CUHK, and the concerned efforts of experts and professionals from different disciplines, we are confident that new solutions will be identified to treat language and communication disorders.’ 

Professor Patrick C M Wong said, ‘One reason that complex traits such as language and learning are complex is that they are results of interactions of brain systems at the macro-level, molecular pathways including genetic pathways, and behaviors occurring in the real world such as the classroom.  Thus, at BMI, we believe that we must examine the neuroscience of learning and cognition from molecular to behavior.’  He also thinks that “to describe the gift from the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Developmental Foundation as transformative is perhaps an understatement,” as he believes this gift from the Foundation will really put developmental and cognitive neuroscience in Hong Kong onto the world map.  

Following the opening ceremony of BMI, CUHK also held the ‘Inaugural Lecture of the Stanley Ho Professorship in Cognitive Neuroscience’ and the ‘International Symposium - Cognitive and Developmental Neuroscience: From Molecule to Behaviour’.  Professor Patrick C M Wong and other distinguished scholars from Oxford University, Stanford University, Northwestern University and the University of California, San Diego discussed the latest development in cognitive and developmental neuroscience. 

About Brain and Mind Institute (BMI)

BMI is an interdisciplinary research hub for conducting basic and translational work that targets investigations from molecule to behavior to solve complex problems concerning language, cognition, learning and their neural and neurogenetic underpinnings.  The ultimate goal of BMI is to enhance treatments of these conditions using molecular, cellular, behavioural and engineering therapies and solutions to optimize human development, enhance learning and improve quality of life. 

About Professor Patrick C M Wong

After undergraduate and postgraduate training in linguistics and cognitive psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, Professor Patrick C M Wong completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience at the University of Chicago Medical School in 2003.  He then joined Northwestern University until 2013 when he moved to The Chinese University of Hong Kong where he now serves as professor in the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages and the founding director of the Brain and Mind Institute.  As an eminent cognitive neuroscientist, linguist, and speech therapist, Professor Wong’s research covers a range of basic and translational issues concerning the neural basis and disorders of language and music.  He is the inaugural occupant of the Stanley Ho Professorship in Cognitive Neuroscience.

(Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong)