13 March 2015

Dear alumni,

The past few months have been very eventful for CityU, and I would like to bring you up to speed with some of the most important developments.

As ever, it is never easy to identify the “best” stories. Nevertheless, I think most people would agree that the results of the 2014 Global Employability University Survey and Ranking conducted by the French consulting group Emerging and the German research institute Trendence is an exciting story which affirms the quality of our graduates and the success of our professional education.

In the survey, CityU was ranked 146th among the top 150 universities in the world in terms of the employability of our students. This means that the professional education that we deliver at CityU is nurturing our students successfully for the fast-changing local, regional and international job market. Employers are interested in our graduates because they are well prepared to join the workforce by our solid professional training, and have the innovative mindset and the global perspective we inculcate in our students.

We are also greatly encouraged by the generous donation of HK$100 million made to the University by Dr Li Dak-sum for the establishment of an endowment fund to support the long-term development of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr Li’s valuable gift is a strong endorsement of CityU’s aspiration and potential to drive innovation in order to support Hong Kong’s social and economic development to benefit future generations.

Building on current strengths and mapping the way forward is an important strategic step towards maintaining our upward trajectory and dynamic momentum. I am pleased to say that CityU is making great progress towards finalising its Strategic Plan for 2015–2020. The plan charts the course for our continued pursuit of excellence by building on our strong foundation and adding value to the lives of our students and to society. I will keep you informed about the publication of the plan and will expand upon its main themes at a later date.

The successful implementation of the Strategic Plan 2010–2015, Excellence in Research and Professional Education, has firmly established CityU’s status as a significant international presence in higher education. Our University is being increasingly recognised globally for its successes in pursuing excellence and in nurturing many outstanding alumni over the years. We are currently seeking nominations for our biennial Distinguished Alumni Award. Please let us have your nominations for this prestigious award to recognise the outstanding achievements of our graduates.

Finally, I would like to ask you to join me in applauding CityU’s 1,200 runners, the support team and the cheerleaders who participated in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on 25 January 2015. I am particularly proud that this year CityU was one of the top 10 groups to receive the Hong Kong Marathon “Most Supportive Group Award”. The Marathon races have become a symbol of our solidarity, with alumni and their family members making up a significant portion of our entrants. A special big “Thank You” to all those who have joined the CityU team over the past eight years!

Best wishes,

Way Kuo
President and University Distinguished Professor
City University of Hong Kong
 

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