CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) held its 84^th Congregation for the Conferment of Degrees today (30 November). Dr. Norman N.P. Leung, Chairman of the Council of CUHK, presided at the Congregation. 

Five distinguished persons were conferred honorary degrees in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective areas of achievement in cultural and educational progress, scientific research and the promotion of community welfare. They are: Dr. CHAN Shuk-leung (alias PAK Suet-sin), Professor Arieh WARSHEL, Dr. ZHOU Jianping, Mr. Chien LEE and Mrs. LEE YICK Hoi-lun Helen.

Dr. CHAN Shuk-leung (alias PAK Suet-sin) is a megastar in Cantonese opera. She became a principal actress at the age of 16. By virtue of her extraordinary talent and professional attitude, she achieved a brilliant career in Cantonese opera. She has been devoted to promoting Cantonese opera and nurturing the younger generation of Cantonese opera performers. Dr. Chan and the late YAM Kim-fai established the Chor Fung Ming Opera Troupe and coached the young performers in person. Dr. Chan established the Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin Charitable Foundation Limited (The Foundation) in 1990 aiming to promote and conduct research on Cantonese opera and support medical, education and elderly services. She made generous donations to support the research programme on Cantonese opera undertaken by the Department of Music of CUHK in 1993, and handed over a collection of around 6,000 items including the libretti, publicity materials and photos, etc. of the Sin Fung Ming Opera Troupe to CUHK for safe keeping.  In 2016, the Foundation donated all these collectables to the CUHK Library for academic research and some of them were digitalized. The University confers upon Dr. Chan the degree of Doctor of Literature, honoris causa in recognition of her achievement in and contribution to Cantonese opera and charity. Dr. Chan was unable to attend the Congregation. The University conferred the degree on her in absentia. 

Professor Arieh WARSHEL is an internationally renowned chemist and biophysicist.   He was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with Professor Martin Karplus and Professor Michael Levitt. He is currently the Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Dana and David Dornsife Chair in Chemistry of the University of Southern California, USA. He is also the Distinguished Professor At Large of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK (SZ)) and the Honorary Director of the newly-established Arieh Warshel Institute of Computational Biology of CUHK (SZ). He began research on the ‘multiscale models for complex chemical systems’ as early as the 1970s. He has pioneered key approaches to introducing simulations of enzymatic reactions and introducing simulations of protein folding. He is a pioneer in making use of computational studies on functional properties of biological molecules, which took research in chemistry into the computer age and which brought him various awards. The University confers upon Professor Warshel the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa for his remarkable contribution in computational studies on chemistry research. 

Dr. ZHOU Jianping is the chief designer of the China’s Manned Space Programme and has long been engaged in the teaching and research of aerospace technology as well as aerospace engineering management. He has participated in the design of China’s spacecraft from Shenzhou 1 to Shenzhou 6 and overseen the strategic research and technique of the aerospace project and the implementation plan programming. As the chief designer, he led various parts of China’s Manned Space Programme, including the Shenzhou 7 extravehicular activities, and the full technical work of the rendezvous and docking of Shenzhou 8 to 10 and Tiangong 1, and the technical work of Tiangong 2 space laboratory, Shenzhou 11 and Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft missions, making great contributions to achieving the leapfrog development of China’s Manned Space Programme. Dr. Zhou led a delegation of the Shenzhou 7 Manned Space Mission to visit CUHK in 2008. He delivered a talk to students and guests on the Shenzhou 7 project, which included information on the spacewalk technique, the latest developments in China’s aerospace technology, his work experience in the aerospace industry and some personal reflections. In 2012, Dr. Zhou once again led another delegation to speak at CUHK and talked about the aerospace technology of the Shenzhou 9 project and the Chinese Space Station project. The University confers upon Dr. Zhou the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa in recognition of his achievement in the development of China’s aerospace programme. 

Mr. Chien LEE is currently the Vice-Chairman of the CUHK Council and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CUHK Medical Centre and is a Non-Executive Director of Hysan Development Company Limited and Swire Pacific Limited. Mr. Lee has been actively engaged in CUHK’s development and has made valuable contributions to the University.  He has been heavily involved in community work both in Hong Kong and abroad, especially focusing on education and nurturing youngsters. He has been Chairman of Outward Bound Hong Kong and Trustee of Stanford University and is currently a Council member of St. Paul’s Co-educational College and Trustee of Phillips Academy, Andover in the U.S.. In recognition of his contribution to CUHK and education development, the University confers upon Mr. Lee the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa.

Mrs. LEE YICK Hoi-lun Helen, wife of the late Dr. the Honourable Sir LEE Quo-wei, is the Chairman of the Wei Lun Foundation Limited. Mrs. Lee and Dr. Lee were very committed to the development of Hong Kong and mainland China, especially in the education sector and the development of CUHK. Dr. Lee served CUHK for over 30 years. Upon the establishment of CUHK, he was appointed by the Government of Hong Kong as the founding Treasurer and then served as the Chairman of the University Council from 1982 to 1997, and continued to serve as a Life Member of the Council after his retirement, making a great contribution to CUHK. Mrs. Lee and Dr. Lee established the Wei Lun Foundation Limited in 1989. The Foundation has made notable donations to several higher education institutes to support different areas, from teaching and conducting research to building new facilities, and it has established several scholarships and international exchange funds and benefitted many students.  The Foundation has been supporting the infrastructure, education and medical services of various cities in mainland China. The Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation was established with three other philanthropists in 1994, to give awards to distinguished scientists from mainland China for their achievements in scientific research. The University confers upon Mrs. Lee the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa, in recognition of her contribution in education and society. 

Besides the five honorary degrees, a total of 452 doctoral degrees were conferred at the Congregation. These included 4 Doctor of Medicine, 428 Doctor of Philosophy, 8 Doctor of Education, 11 Doctor of Nursing, and 1 Doctor of Psychology.