The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) received a donation of HK$20 million from Mr Andy FEI Chi-En, for the enhancement of HKUST’s development in innovation and technology (I&T), research and education.
This donation will be used to set up an endowment fund called the “Fei Chi En Education and Research Fund” in support of HKUST’s I&T research projects and related facilities. HK$2 million of it will be used to set up a scholarship called “Y-Lot foundation scholarship” under the name of Y-Lot Foundation founded by the donator to reward students with outstanding academic achievements and encourage them to strive for excellence.
In appreciation of the support, HKUST has named the “Dream lab” – an iconic facility at the academic building where students and teams across schools and disciplines work together to turn their I&T ideas into projects or prototypes for competitions – after Mr Fei, as the “Fei Chi En Dream Team Open Lab”.
The naming ceremony was held at HKUST on 16 December 2020. The donator praised HKUST’s tireless efforts in encouraging innovation and nurturing I&T talents over the years. He said that Hong Kong has broad space for innovation and technology development, and its young people have great potential to become one of the driving forces behind the trend.
Through this collaboration with HKUST, it is hoped that a platform that allows more space for I&T research for young people will be created to support them to chase their dreams, develop more innovative products, and drive the development of I&T industry in Hong Kong, he added.
The HKUST President stated that he was grateful for Mr Fei’s generosity and trust in the University, which he said will continue to promote cross-disciplinary learning and provide its students with an open and diverse study environment, to equip them with the skills required in resolving current and future societal challenges.
The funding will help the University meet more of its goals. The research-intensive university focuses on science, technology and business as well as humanities and social science, HKUST offers an international campus, and a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking.
HKUST attained the highest proportion of internationally excellent research work in the Research Assessment Exercise 2014 of Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee and is ranked as the world’s best young university in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2020. Its graduates were ranked 26th worldwide and among the best from universities from Asia in Global University Employability Survey 2020.
HK CE Policy Address champions furthering I&T R&D
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive revealed, 25 November 2020, the much-awaited 2020 Policy Address, in which several initiatives to revitalize Hong Kong´s economy were listed while pledging to uphold the One Country, Two Systems principle.
One article notes that regarding developing Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub, the Policy Address lays out the next policies: jointly developing the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone with Shenzhen, launching a five-year Global STEM Professorship Scheme to attract outstanding R&D talent from overseas to engage in R&D work in Hong Kong, releasing the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0 in December 2020 as well as launching the iAM Smart one-stop service platform in the same month for the delivery of a number of government and public utility electronic services.
