3
I wish to pay tribute to Professor Lap-Chee Tsui: he has been gracious
and professional in handing over the reins of the University to me.
I am particularly pleased that he has accepted my invitation to stay
on as a senior adviser to the Vice-Chancellor so that I can continue
to benefit from his experience and wisdom. I am also delighted that
Professors SP Chow and Paul Tam have agreed to extend their tenure
as Pro-Vice-Chancellors for University Relations and Research respectively
until later in the year so that we will have additional continuity in the
senior team. Professor Amy Tsui is unable to extend her term and I would
like to take this opportunity to add my thanks to her for her long service
to HKU as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning. There will
be two new Pro-Vice-Chancellor positions appointed in the near future
so that by the end of the year my new senior team should be taking shape.
Together with Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor Roland
Chin and Executive Vice-President Dr Steven Cannon, we will set
about refreshing the University’s Strategy and tackling the next stages
of our development.
A major priority for the first few months of my tenure will be to learn
more about the University from the inside. I will spend time with
students, staff and alumni, visiting Faculties, departments and services and
aiming to be in listening mode so that I can understand the University’s
strengths and weaknesses from those that know it best. I will also engage
with long-term friends and supporters of the university and with others
in the Hong Kong community to ensure that I hear multiple perspectives.
Informed by these interactions, I will work with all our stakeholders to
seize opportunities, understand and mitigate risks, uphold the University’s
core values and ensure that the University continues its second century
with all the distinction that characterised its first.
This is a time of great opportunity for higher education, and in Europe
there is a widely held view that Asia is where the brightest future lies.
HKU is ideally placed to take a leading role in maximising the impact
of higher education locally and globally. I reiterate the sense of honour
and opportunity that I feel as I become the 15th HKU President &
Vice-Chancellor and I look forward to working together with everyone
else that loves, respects and values HKU to take the University onward
and upward.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Mathieson
President and Vice-Chancellor
April 1, 2014
“The global
standing that
characterises
HKU is precious
and must be
cherished
and developed
carefully to extend
our impact even
further.”
Left: Professor Lap-Chee Tsui,
Professor Peter Mathieson,
Mr Laurence Tang (former President of HKU Students' Union)
and Dr C H Leong (Chairman of Council)
