CUHK
News Centre

The Council of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today (10 November) approved the appointment of Professor Joseph J. Y. Sung as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University for a period of five years from 1 July 2010.

Council Chairman Hails the Appointee

Dr. Vincent H.C. Cheng, Chairman of the University Council, thanked the members of the Search Committee for their efforts. He said, ‘The recommendation to appoint Professor Joseph J. Y. Sung as the Vice-Chancellor of CUHK has won wide support among the University community. The Council has unanimously approved his appointment as the Vice-Chancellor of CUHK to succeed Professor Lawrence J. Lau. Professor Sung has been with CUHK for 25 years. His academic standing, research achievements and professional career are most distinguished and he is held in high esteem internationally. He is well-known for his global vision and rich administrative experience and has long cared for the educational as well as moral development of our students. He has set personal examples to students in caring and contributing to the welfare of human-kind and has won tremendous support among them. It is indeed fortunate for us to have Professor Sung as the Vice-Chancellor of CUHK. I believe that he will lead the University, through its accomplishments in teaching, research and service, to be the premier comprehensive research university in Hong Kong, China as a whole and the Asia-Pacific region, and to be recognized as among the leading universities of higher education in the world.’

Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, welcomed the appointment, ‘CUHK is dear to all of us. I am delighted that starting 1 July next year, under the helmsmanship of an exemplary leader, staff and students of CUHK will scale new heights of excellence in the furtherance of the University's mission and values.’

Joseph Sung Proud of Being a Member of CUHK

Professor Sung joined the Prince of Wales Hospital, CUHK’s teaching hospital, in 1985. He later obtained his MD from the University and has been affiliated with it for a quarter century. Having a profound understanding of and a deep affection for the University, Professor Sung feels honoured to be its next Vice-Chancellor. He said, ‘I am proud of being a member of the CUHK community. It is my honour to take on the new responsibilities to lead this locally and internationally renowned University. I hope to take the University forward, on the basis of its already sound foundation, strengthening its teaching and driving its frontier research, to cement its leading position in the humanities and the sciences. We will continue to be committed to leading and serving the community, and fulfil our mission of nurturing dedicated and capable students for society and in the creation of knowledge and service to humanity.

‘I would like to thank the Council for appointing me to be the next Vice-Chancellor of CUHK. In meeting the students, staff and alumni last week, I received encouraging support. In future, I will do my utmost and work closely with my colleagues in serving the University and in the best interest of our students and society.’

Renowned Scientist in Gastroenterology, Exemplary Teacher, Asian Hero

Professor Sung is presently Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK, Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, and the Head of Shaw College. A world-renowned gastroenterologist, Professor Sung and his team proved the relationship between H. pylori and peptic ulcer diseases. They were first in demonstrating that a course of antibiotics lasting a week can cure H. pylori infection and successfully treat peptic ulcers and minimize their relapse, thereby obviating the use of long-term anti-ulcer medication. At the same time, Professor Sung and his research team pioneered the use of endoscopic treatment for ulcer bleeding to reduce the need for operative surgery. These research results have a major impact on and have changed the practice of gastroenterology worldwide.

Professor Sung is a world leader in gastroenterological research. He led a group of experts from 15 Asia-Pacific countries to launch colorectal cancer screening research in 2004, and has laid down clear guidelines and promoted colorectal screenings in the region. Because of his work in cancer screening and prevention, he was honoured by the Prevent Cancer Foundation of the United States with the Laurel Award.

A prolific author, Professor Sung has published over 580 articles in leading journals, including many in The New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet, both top-notch journals in the field of clinical medicine.

Professor Sung is the recipient of many international research awards, including the Eminent Scientist of the Year 2003 of The International Research Promotion Council, the Cheung Kong Achievement Award of the Ministry of Education (2006), and the State Science and Technology Award (2007). He is Honorary Member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. In 2009, his seminal lectures on peptic ulcer bleeding won him the Marshall and Warren Lecture Award, the most prestigious award in gastroenterology in the Asia-Pacific region. In the same year, he was also awarded the Endoscopy Award of the German Society of Gastroenterology. An inspiring teacher and accomplished researcher, Professor Sung spares no effort in instructing and molding young impressionable minds. He won the Vice-Chancellor’s Exemplary Teaching Award of CUHK in 2003 and was elected the Teacher of the Year in the Faculty of Medicine in the same year. Professor Sung’s public services are as impressive. The admirable professionalism he displayed during the fight against SARS left an indelible impression on the entire Hong Kong community and won him the accolade of ‘Asian Hero’ from the Time magazine. After the Sichuan Earthquake, Professor Sung led students and colleagues to visit the affected areas and helped with the rehabilitation of victims. (See the curriculum vitae attached)

Selection Arrangements

During the past three weeks, Professor Sung, in his capacity as a candidate for Vice-Chancellor, met with students, staff, alumni, Senate members and University officers, exchanging views, sharing his aspirations, and in a sincere and open manner exploring the blueprint and strategy for the development of the University.

CUHK’s Search Committee for Appointment of Vice-Chancellor organized five consultation sessions in May to gather the views of different member groups of the University. With the assistance of the search consultant firm, the search for CUHK’s next Vice-Chancellor had been publicized in newspapers in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas. Invitations to nominate suitable persons were sent to over 4,000 persons around the world with academic ties to CUHK. In the past few months, the Committee has met a number of potential candidates from about 200 nominees and applicants from Hong Kong and overseas. The Committee has also taken into account the views expressed by University members in the abovementioned consultation sessions. After careful and detailed consideration, the Committee unanimously recommended Professor Joseph J. Y. Sung as the candidate for appointment as Vice-Chancellor.