President
Professor Shyy
Greetings Dear Alumni,
I’d like to start by welcoming the class of 2019 to our alumni community. You are now part of a 77,000-strong network of graduates around the world – a network of leaders, mentors, and friends all supporting each other in the pursuit of dreams and the achievement of goals.
At HKUST, we take special pride in our alumni. Our graduates are highly regarded in the world, according to the latest Global University Employability Ranking 2019 and other measures. And it is heartening to see the way our diverse alumni community consistently supports their alma mater in various ways, including helping graduates with career opportunities. It was thanks to your collaborative efforts that we were able to navigate through these difficult times and get our operations back on track.
With the spring term commencing in early February 2020, we look forward to seeing a bustling campus once again. We’d like to thank you for your understanding regarding the cancellation of the last session of the Congregation and the annual Alumni Reunion in November 2019. We hope to see you all at our forthcoming events. Moving forward, I trust that the values of openness and consideration that have brought us this far will continue to be treasured. As ever, we rely on your ongoing partnership to see us through these times.
On the subject of openness and consideration, in this issue we meet two noteworthy alumni who chose to diverge from mainstream corporate career paths and pursue their passion for uplifting the community instead. Luke Tam founded a social enterprise called Kaifong Tour to boost links between Hong Kong’s diverse communities. And Mavis Ho’s determination to make a positive impact inspired her to become a divorce counselor, helping families through their darkest hours. I hope both these stories inspire you to continue serving your communities in your own unique ways.
There are also several campus developments I’m keen to share with you. The Jockey Club Global Graduate Tower will be ready for our postgraduate research students by the second quarter of 2020, and the University is planning to build a new hostel for undergraduate students by September 2023. In addition, the much-anticipated Shaw Auditorium is set to be in use by the third quarter of 2021 and will provide a high quality, multi-purpose venue for hosting cultural activities, student and academic events, as well as campus-wide ceremonies.
The year ahead will bring new challenges to us all, but with a little love and understanding, I have no doubt we’ll get through them together.
Yours,
