UIC will confer Honorary Fellowships on four distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to education, technology, art, and business at its 16th Graduation Ceremony and Honorary Fellowship Conferment on 20 June 2024.
The honourees will be Professor Chen Shiyi, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Mr Franco Cutrupia, former Chairman of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China; Mr Liu Shih Kun, a world-renowned Chinese pianist; and Professor Ng Ching-Fai, founding President of UIC and former President of Hong Kong Baptist University.
In keeping with the tradition of Hong Kong Baptist University, UIC awarded its first Honorary Fellowships in 2012. These awards recognise these esteemed individuals’ remarkable achievements and contributions in their respective fields. The event promises to be an inspiring occasion, celebrating excellence in various disciplines.
Profiles of the Honorary Fellowship recipients:
Professor Chen Shiyi
Prof Chen Shiyi, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fellow of TWAS, was the first Chinese mainland scientist to be elected a fellow of the American Physical Society after China's Reform and Opening-Up. He has been well acknowledged for his pioneering research in turbulence theory and computational fluid dynamics, industrial software and more, as well as his breakthrough contribution to lattice Boltzmann method.
With an impressive profile, he was recruited by Johns Hopkins University acting as the Dean of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and then by Peking University and became its founding Dean of the College of Engineering, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice President. He was later selected as President of the Southern University of Science and Technology of China and now he has been appointed President of the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo.
Mr Franco Cutrupia
Mr Franco Cutrupia, former Chairman of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, is dedicated to promoting international communication and education development.
Establishing multiple education foundations, he donated RMB 2 million yuan to establish the Mr and Mrs Cutrupia Scholarship for UIC students. He is also preparing to construct the GuWei Museum to showcase his and his wife's antique art collections, which will not only preserve and display precious artefacts but also serve as an educational resource, promoting understanding of global cultures.
For his outstanding contributions, he was honoured with significant titles, including "Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana" ("Knight Commander of the Italian Republic") and the status of "Honorary Citizen of Shandong Province."
Mr Liu Shih Kun
Mr Liu Shih Kun is a world-renowned Chinese pianist, composer, and master of music education. Currently, he is a Life Honorary Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Executive Director of the Chinese Culture Promotion Society, a National Member of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, an Honorary Director of the Chinese Musicians' Association (Piano Category), President of Hong Kong (Overseas) Literature & Arts Association, and an honorary professor at various conservatories in China.
As a cross-cultural messenger between the East and the West, Mr Liu has been received by leaders of China and the heads of state from over ten countries worldwide. To promote music arts and education, he has opened more than a hundred art centres in over thirty cities across the country.
Professor Ng Ching-Fai
Prof Ng Ching-Fai is a well-recognised chemist and educator who has contributed to serving the public community, especially in higher education.
Prof Ng assumed the Presidency and Vice-Chancellorship of Hong Kong Baptist University in 2001. From 2005 until his retirement in 2019, he served as the founding President at UIC, the first full-scale cooperation in higher education between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and the first college to uphold liberal arts education in the Chinese mainland, aiming to diversify the higher education landscape.
Prof Ng has also been actively involved in public affairs. He served on the Council of Advisors on Innovation and Technology, the ICAC Complaints Committee, and the HKSAR Election Committee and was Director of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, a member of the HKSAR Legislative Council and a Deputy to the PRC National People's Congress. In 2005, he was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star, the highest civic honour in Hong Kong, for his remarkable work in higher education and public services.
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Editor: Deen He
