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The Council of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has approved the appointment of Prof. Fanny M.C. Cheung as a Pro-Vice-Chancellor for two years, from 1 February 2013. Professor Cheung will succeed Prof. Henry N.C. Wong who will continue to be Professor of Chemistry and Interim Dean of Science. The University Council is deeply grateful to Professor Wong for his dedication and exceptional contributions in the past years as Pro-Vice-Chancellor. Professor Cheung will join Provost Prof. Benjamin W. Wah and Pro-Vice-Chancellors Prof. Ching Pak-chung, Prof. Michael King-man Hui, Prof. Xu Yangsheng, Prof. Hau Kit-tai and Prof. Fok Tai-fai in assisting the Vice-Chancellor in the leadership of the University. The University has also appointed Prof. Leung Yuen-sang as Dean of the Faculty of Arts for five years from 1 February 2013. 

Professor Cheung is currently Choh-Ming Li Professor of Psychology, Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, and Deputy Chairperson of the Research Committee at CUHK. She joined CUHK in 1977 and was formerly Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Chairperson of the Department of Psychology. An active advocate for promoting women’s status through scientific research, Professor Cheung established the Gender Research Centre in 1985, and initiated the Gender Studies Programme at CUHK. Her work has led to increased awareness of gender issues in the academia and the community. From 1996 to 1999, Professor Cheung served as the Founding Chairperson of the Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission, setting up the mechanism to eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities for women and men, and for people with disabilities. 

Professor Cheung is pleased to accept the appointment, ‘I look forward to fostering a knowledge-driven research community at the University where pursuit of excellence and multidisciplinary collaboration are supported, and to facilitating the translation of the best science to serve society and humankind.’ 

Professor Cheung obtained her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and PhD in Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her research expertise lies in cross-cultural personality assessment and psychopathology, gender equality, and women leadership. Professor Cheung is currently President of the International Test Commission, a Fellow and former President of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) as well as the Association for Psychological Science (APS). 

Professor Cheung is dedicated to public service and has served on many government committees and advisory bodies, including the Electoral Affairs Commission, the Women’s Commission, the Independent Police Complaints Council, the Regional Council, and the Advisory Committee on Social Work Training and Manpower Planning. She was invited as a special representative for the 7^th–10^th National Congress of Chinese Women. In honour of her contributions to the community, she was appointed Justice of Peace in 1988 and a Hong Kong Affairs Advisor in 1995-97. She was made an Officer of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1997. 

Professor Cheung has published and lectured widely internationally. Her academic publications total over 170 international refereed journal articles, book chapters, books and monographs. Her academic honours and awards include the APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology 2012, Distinguished International Psychologist Award of APA Division 52 (2005), and Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals from the University of Minnesota (2003).

Prof. Leung Yuen-sang Appointed Dean of Arts

Prof. Leung Yuen-sang received his BA and MPhil degrees at CUHK in 1972 and 1974 respectively. He earned his PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1980. He spent years lecturing in the National University of Singapore and the California State University before he re-joined CUHK in 1992 as professor. Since then Professor Leung has progressed steadily in his scholarly pursuits, and was promoted as Professor of History in 2004. Apart from teaching and research, he also contributed extensively in academic management at the University. He had served as the Chairman of the Department of History, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Director of the Research Institute for the Humanities, and currently as the Head of Chung Chi College (since August in 2004) and the Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts (since January 2012). 

Professor Leung remarked, ‘I’m deeply honoured to have been appointed as Dean of Arts at CUHK. Apart from teaching students to appreciate the beauty of literature, the Faculty of Arts strives to cultivate a humanistic spirit among students, so that they would develop an awareness of civic responsibilities and care for the world; the Faculty also appreciates the traditions of both Chinese and western cultures, emphasizing integration and innovation of different cultures. It is our mission to groom our society’s future leaders who are learned in their subjects and moral in character.’ 

Professor Leung’s research interests cover modern Chinese history, Confucianism and Christianity in China, overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia and America, as well as urban history and city culture of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. He is a prolific writer and has served on the editorial boards of various journals. His recent publications include Shanghai in the Late Qing (晚清上海：一個城巿的歷史記憶); Marginal Men and Peripheral Cultures (邊沿與之間); Cultural Relations and Interactions Between Shanghai and Hong Kong (雙龍吐艷：滬港之文化交流與互動); China’s Encounter with Christianity (基督教與中國); and China, Chinese Culture and the Singapore Chinese Community (新加坡華人社會史論). 

The post of the Deanship of the Faculty of Arts fell vacant in January 2012. In accordance with the guidelines and procedures for the search and appointment of faculty deans, the University formed a search committee to launch a worldwide search for a successor to take up the Deanship on a full-time basis. Having thoroughly considered the nominations/applications received, the Search Committee finally recommended Prof. Leung Yuen-sang for the position. Pursuant to the appointment procedures, Professor Leung met with teachers and students of the Faculty of Arts earlier to exchange views on the future development of the Faculty, and the Council subsequently appointed him as Dean of the Faculty of Arts.