Over a thousand graduating students attended the 11th Graduation Ceremony and Honorary Fellowship Conferment on 22 June 2019. In addition to the students celebrating their graduation, five distinguished individuals were awarded UIC Honorary Fellowships.
Engineers of the human soul
The graduation ceremony consisted of four sessions. UIC President Prof Tang Tao presided over the first two sessions with Vice President (Academic Affairs) Prof Chen Zhi and Vice President (Students and General Affairs) Prof Zhang Cong presenting graduation certificates respectively.
The last two sessions held in the afternoon were chaired by Chairman of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Council, Dr Clement C.J. Chen, SBS, JP, with President Tang giving graduation certificates as well as President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, Prof Roland Chin being present on stage.
President Prof Tang said during his address: “We turn out products that are as different and individual as our students. They share certain common qualities: they are critical, curious and creative, with a global outlook, and a broad base in knowledge. Above all, they pursue what they are passionate about.” (Read more: President Tang Tao's Address to the Graduates)
President Tang Tao encourages the graduates to "conquer the world and make UIC proud."
President Tang praised the academic faculty members of UIC by saying, “Teachers have been called ‘engineers of the human soul’, and our teachers are certainly some of the best human engineers.”
“Credit belongs to our Council Chairman Prof Xu Jialu, and UIC’s founding President Professor Ng Ching-Fai. They, along with our teachers, are the real heroes.”
President Tang with a graduating student
Dr Clement Chen with a student at the graduation ceremony
Prof Roland Chin is also present during the graduation ceremony
The VIPs include UIC's President Emeritus Prof Ng Ching-Fai and Emeritus Professor Prof Zee Sze-Yong
Vice President (Academic Affairs) Prof Chen Zhi presents the graduation certificate
Vice President (Students and General Affairs) Prof Zhang Cong awards the certificate to a graduating student
Dean of Division of Business and Management Prof Stella Cho presents the graduation yearbook
Dean of Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof Mei-hwa Sung gives a souvenir to a student
Dean of Division of Science and Technology Prof Stephen Chung presents booklet 'My Days at UIC'
Dean of Division of Culture and Creativity Prof Brian Clarke with a DCC graduating student
Graduate representatives He Yutong (Culture, Creativity and Management), Wang Luwei (Government and International Relations), Tang Yihan (Statistics) and Huang Dongzi (Accounting) delivered valedictory speeches, expressing their gratitude to the College and their teachers for helping improve themselves tremendously.
Honorary Fellowships
The media from across China attended the UIC Honorary Fellows Press Conference as UIC conferred the Honorary Fellowships to five individuals. (Read more: Five new Honorary Fellows to join UIC)
(From left) Prof Zhang Cong, Prof Tang Tao, Prof Hans van Ess, Prof Lu Gaoqing, Dr Van Lau, Dr Kennedy Wong, Mr Lin Ming, Dr Clement Chen, Prof Chen Zhi and Prof George Wei
At the Honorary Fellows Press Conference
German sinologist, Prof Hans van Ess, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship for being a bridge between the East and West due to his studying and explaining of both ancient and modern China, including its history and culture for the benefit of the world. (Read more: Citation for Professor Hans van ESS)
Another recipient of the Honorary Fellowship is Mr Lin Ming who helped build the world’s longest sea-crossing bridge and tunnel. He displayed China’s capabilities and passion for innovation through this construction project.” He has changed the geographical relationship of three cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. (Read more: Citation for Mr LIN Ming)
Prof Lu Gaoqing received an Honorary Fellowship for his leadership and authority in the field of material chemistry, having made outstanding contributions to the nanotechnology and clean energy. (Read more: Citation for Professor LU Gaoqing)
Gifted Hong Kong-based sculptor, Dr Van Lau, is another individual who was awarded an Honorary Fellowship. His work can be seen as it stands proudly at UIC’s grand entrance. Dr Van is known for being able to fuse elements of Chinese and Western culture in his own unique way, using technology and new materials for traditional subject matters. (Read more: Citation for Dr VAN Lau)
Dr Kennedy Wong is a Hong Kong pioneering and prominent lawyer, whose firm was the first to be granted approval to set up law offices in Mainland China. He and his family have given generously to the support of education in Hong Kong and the Mainland, which made him a solid selection for an Honorary Fellowship. (Read more: Citation for Dr Kennedy YH WONG)
After the conferment, Prof Lu Gaoqing gave a Vote of Thanks on behalf of the Honorary Fellows. He praised the quality of UIC students by saying “In our fast-moving world, you must not only adapt to change, but also lead the change you want to see for a better society. I am sure your holistic education here at UIC has prepared you well for future challenges and opportunities.” (Read more: Vote of Thanks by Prof Lu Gaoqing)
Prof Lu Gaoqing delivers a Vote of Thanks
Shining future
President Tang explained that in 2009, UIC’s first class graduates were 242 graduates but this year has around 1300 graduates.
UIC has had the highest percentage of students going overseas among universities in Guangdong over the past three years.
This year, there are a total of 1297 graduating students from 20 academic programmes of UIC. According to a survey that was conducted among 500 graduating students before 10 June 2019, around 80% graduating students have opted to further their studies abroad as well as in Hong Kong. Among these students, 40% have been admitted to world top 50 universities and 65% to world top 100 universities.
Imperial College London, University College London, Nanyang Technological University, the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to the University of Hong Kong, are just some of the universities that UIC graduating students are heading to.
Those who decided to start a professional career have been employed by the Big Four accounting firms, the Big Four state-owned commercial banks, Tencent, China Mobile, NetEase, China Southern Power Grid in addition to others.
Year 4 Environmental Science student, Liu Yuxin, comes from Changsha in Hunan province. Four years ago, she was at a loss to develop learning goals when she just came to UIC and encountered the total English environment. Encouraged by schoolmates’ achievements, she began to study harder and by graduation received offers from eight top universities including the Imperial College London, the University College London and the University of Edinburgh.
Xia Qing is a Year 4 Accounting student from Shenzhen in Guangdong province. Having received First Class Award for three consecutive years, she became a high achiever during her four-year stint at UIC. As she explained, life in UIC is full of surprises and challenges, and it is these challenges that helped her grow. Xia Qing received offers from seven universities around the world, and she has chosen to go to the London School of Economics and Political Science for a master’s degree in Accounting, Organisations and Institutions.
Graduates' family members visit the UIC gallery 'The Epic Journey of UIC'
UIC's souvenirs are popular among the graduating students
Read more stories on graduating students:
• Glittering stars: From UIC to the big wide world
• Glittering stars: From caterpillar to butterfly
• FST undergraduate publishes in top journal
• Weng Minghong: Beyond limits
• Finance student in love with Mathematics
Reporters: Samuel Burgess, Deen He
Photographers: Ivy Liao, Deen He, Cheryl Chen, Aria Wu, Jack Xiao,
Guo Rui, Wei Xiaojing, Zhong Yingyu, Liu Lingling
Editor: Marissa Furney
(from MPRO)
