Alumni light up the University Mall

CUHK has organized its annual Alumni Homecoming for December 7. On the same night, the “CUHK 50th Anniversary Performance: The Magical Mall” will be staged at the Beacon. On that very night too, the University Mall will be decorated in lights to a design by alumnus Priman Lee. Illuminated by special effects, the familiar passage will twinkle and sparkle in the dusk. The Beacon will become the stage for performances, with the façade of the University Library as a massive screen for video projection, inviting the audience to join a trip down memory lane and revisit noteworthy moments in the past five decades.

Alumni Mau Hou-cheong and Amber Au will be MCs of the evening. Talented students, teachers, staff and alumni will contribute to a great variety of performances, from singing to dancing, and from drama to poem recital.

Student activists from the old times will once again gather at the Beacon to reflect on the unique history of the landmark. Alumnus Au Kam-Ho will perform magic for the show. Distinguished teacher Prof. Lo Wai-luen has written a beautiful prose about the swallows who called the University Library their home and artist Hoi Chiu will turn those words into images with sand painting.

Highlight of the evening will definitely be the concluding segment - a light up ritual. Each audience member will download a tailor-made application on their mobiles and hold them high up, lighting up the University Mall with the screens of their mobiles. The beautiful scene would definitely make it a night to remember!

Colloquium on the Arts and Humanities in Civic Society

Hong Kong is often called a “pragmatic” or “practical” society. But there is a growing feeling in this community that overall financial success is not enough. It isn't just the wealth gap or the air quality, not even political uncertainty about the future: there’s a sense that the life of the community lacks richness of a different kind. How can we help to add back that richness? To address the question, the Research Centre for Human Values and the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK will host the “Colloquium on the Arts and Humanities in Civic Society” in co-operation with the University of Oxford. Details are as follows:

For online registration, please click on the link next to the title.

Education experts to discuss development of higher education

CUHK will host the Golden Jubilee University Presidents’ Forum on campus from December 6 to 8. Some 40 heads of higher education institutes around the world will take part in this key educational event to engage in a high-level dialogue towards enhancing multicultural exchanges in universities. This is an area of growing involvement with internationalization gaining strength in higher education in all corners of the world. Among the participants include heads from the University of Sydney, ETH Zurich, Peking University and Fudan University.

During the Forum, there will be addresses to the Forum from world-renowned leaders of seats of learning. They include:

The Forum will discuss the direction for the future development of global higher education and offer an excellent opportunity to foster global partnerships.

First WUN Conference to launch Global China Group

CUHK will host the Inaugural WUN Global China Conference on “Family Transition, Ageing, and Social Security in China” from December 5 to 6. The event is organized by the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), an exclusive network of 18 research-intensive universities across nine countries, including CUHK. The Conference will also mark the official launch of the Global China Group, a network-wide initiative that aims to channel research efforts on China within the Network.

Dr. CAI Fang, Director, Institute of Population & Labor Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China, will deliver a keynote speech on “New Challenges Facing China’s Employment”. Speakers at three other sessions of the Conference are Prof. Junsen Zhang, Chairman, Department of Economics, CUHK; Prof. Jane Falkingham, Director, ESRC Centre for Population Change, University of Southampton, United Kingdom and PEI Xiao-mei, Executive Director, Gerontology Research Centre, Tsinghua University, China

For more information, please click on the link next to the title.

‘Diamond Jubilee’ for New Asia and Yale-China

The 60th Anniversary of the valuable partnership between New Asia College and Yale-China Association, is being celebrated by a range of activities held from November 25 to December 7. Highlight of the activities is a symposium on China-USA links. Details are as follows: Date: December 2 (Mon) Time: 9:00am – 5:45pm Venue: LT3, Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK Seventeen renowned scholars from U.S.A., Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong will share their stimulating ideas about education, cultural exchange and relations between China and U.S.A. at the symposium. There will be altogether four sessions, “the Development of Chinese Culture (Past and Present)”, “Political Influences on USA-China Relations”, “Ideals of University Education” and “Future Direction of Educational Exchange between U.S.A and China”.

Interested parties please click on the link next to the title for online registration.

As part of the celebration, an exhibition of the memorable moments of the partnership between New Asia College and Yale-China Association in the past sixty years is now being staged. All are welcome. Details are as follows:

Symposium explores the power of religion

Since the end of the Cold War, some scholars have perceived that most conflicts are driven from clashes of communal identity, based on race, ethnicity, or religious affiliation (S.P. Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations). In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in how religion can be a source for conflict resolution and peace-building. The importance of inter-religious peace-building is obvious from the central role that religion plays in the individual and collective identity of conflicting communities in Southwest Asia, Ireland, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Exploring the role of religion in peace- building is an essential step in the study of culture and peace-building. Although sacred texts have been politicized for purpose of war and violence rather than for peaceful teachings, it has been found that many individuals operating on a religious or spiritual basis are often better equipped to reach people at the level of subnational groups than political leaders. The spiritual dimension in religious peace-building, a dimension missing from the mechanical and instrumental conflict resolution models, can create a sense of engagement and a commitment both to peace and to transforming a relationship, and empower those who hold tolerant attitudes to translate them into actions that promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The Symposium will provide a platform for scholars, activists, educators, and practitioners to meet and exchange perspectives on the pressing peace-building issues at the local and global levels. Issues addressed will relate to religion and conflict resolution, religion and non-violent social change, inter-religious peace-building and invention.

Details of the Symposium are as follows:

CUHK and University of Oxford join hands in Gao Jianfu and Lui Shou-kwan exhibit

The Art Museum, CUHK joins hands with the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Oxford, to organize an exhibition on two well-known Chinese artists of the twentieth century. Drawing exclusively from the collections of the two universities, the exhibition features 50 masterpieces of Gao Jianfu (1879-1951) and Lui Shou-kwan (1919-1975) to demonstrate two ways to modernize Chinese painting in the twentieth century. Gao’s incorporation of western painting techniques and Lui’s appropriation of Abstract Expressionism represent two approaches endorsed by two generations of Chinese ink painters working actively from the early to mid-twentieth century. A scholarly catalogue investigates how the two universities became important repositories of Gao and Lui’s works, and sheds new light on these two celebrated artists. Details of exhibition: Exhibition period: December 7, 2013 – May 15, 2014 (closed on public holidays) Exhibition venue: Gallery I, Art Museum, CUHK Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am-5pm

An opening ceremony for the Exhibition will be held at the Art Museum in the afternoon of December 6 and officiating guests will include Prof. Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK.

After the opening ceremony, the Art Museum will organize a distinguished opening lecture. Details are as follows:

Synopsis
The lecture discusses Lui Shou-kwan’s experience in Oxford, where he held several solo exhibitions. Based on her archival research at the Ashmolean Museum, Ms. Shelagh Vainker will provide a context for us to understand how Lui’s art was appreciated in England.

For more information on the exhibition, please click on the link next to the title.

74th Congregation for the Conferment of Degrees

CUHK held its 74^th Congregation for the Conferment of Degrees (Congregation) on November 21. Dr. Vincent Cheng, CUHK Council Chairman, presided over the congregation and conferred all Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees. A total of 5,782 Master’s degrees and 3,284 Bachelor’s degrees were conferred.

On the same occasion, Prof. Joseph Sung, CUHK Vice-Chancellor, presented the University Education Award, Exemplary Teaching Award, Young Researcher Award and Postgraduate Research Output Award to a total of 26 outstanding teachers and researchers in recognition of their achievements.

Over 100 CUHK members perform in Golden Jubilee Alumni Concert

Three CUHK music groups with a long history, namely Chung Chi Orchestra, The Chinese University Chorus, and New Asia College Chinese Music Society, made their debut collaboration at the “CUHK Golden Jubilee Alumni Concert” on November 22 at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Climax of the concert was the re-arranged version of “Below the Lion Rock” featuring Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Sung under the baton of Guest Conductor Prof. Lee Ou-fan. In addition to a wide selection of songs, the three music groups performed together the world premiere of alumnus Alfred Wong's new musical piece “Voice of Heritage”, with alumna Wong Kin-yu as the organist.

Musical pieces performed by Chung Chi Orchestra included Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral Symphony); third movement, ‘Merry Gathering of the Country Folk’; the fourth movement, ‘Storm and Tempest’ and the fifth movement, ‘Shepherds’ Song. Happy and Thankful Feelings after the Storm’, highlighting the joy of the University’s Golden Jubilee with the joy of farmers after harvest. The Chinese University Chorus performed “Locus Iste” by Austrian composer Anton Bruckner, “I Can Tell The World” arranged by Jester Hairston and “Tree of Love” by Jan Tien-hao, three joyful songs subtly insinuating the singers’ love for their alma mater. The two songs performed by New Asia College Chinese Music Society, “Celebration Overture” by Zhao Ji-ping and “Universal Joy” by Kuan Nai-chung, were both filled with joy, reflecting the cheerful mood of celebration.

“CUHK Alumni Art Exhibition” at the Hong Kong Central Library

“Embrace Our Culture Empower Our Future - CUHK Alumni Art Exhibition” was organized by CUHK 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee on Alumni Activities, with the assistance of Alumni Affairs Office and the Alumni Association of Fine Arts Department, was held at the Exhibition Gallery of Hong Kong Central Library between November 21 and 26. The Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, as well as over 160 local and overseas alumni, staff and students submitted more than 270 art pieces in different styles and mediums for the Exhibition. The organizing committee was honoured to have Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Sung, Former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ambrose King, Prof. Jao Tsung-I, Wei Lun Honorary Professor of Fine Arts, as well as some of the prestigious professors from the Fine Arts Department submit their works for the Exhibition.

An opening ceremony of the Exhibition, officiated by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Sung, was held on November 21. More than 200 guests from Hong Kong and overseas, including Prof. Michael Hui, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Mr Charles Leung, Chairman of the Celebration Committee, attended the ceremony. Souvenirs were presented to the patrons of alumni activities, the organizing committee of the Exhibition and representatives of the exhibitors as a token of appreciation.

A double celebration for CW Chu College

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of CUHK and the fifth anniversary of the founding of CW Chu College. As a double celebration, the College held its Founders’ Day Celebration cum Second High Table Dinner entitled “CU 50 and CWC 05” at Ron’s Kitchen at Hong Kong Science Park on November 12. Members of the Committee of Overseers, College Fellows, teachers and around 170 students attended this memorable event. In his opening speech, Prof Kenneth Young, College Master, highlighted the remarkable achievements CUHK and shared with the participants the transformation of the University over the past few decades. He believed that the University’s steadfast and single-minded commitment to the cause of education would carry it to greater heights of achievement in the next fifty years. Prof. Young associated this philosophy with that of the late Dr. CW Chu, who sponsored hundreds of youngsters for overseas studies with personal care, and changed the lives of these beneficiaries. By sharing the philanthropic endeavours of the late Dr. Chu, Prof Young encouraged College students to set a worthwhile goal for themselves and strive for it with determination.

The guest of honor of the evening, Mr Philip Liao, the Design Architect of CW Chu College Campus, delivered a keynote address titled “University and College Vision: their embodiment in the College campus design”. He started by sharing his perception of the CUHK campus and how this has inspired him in the design of the CW Chu College campus, making it a synergy with the overall university architectural language. Mr Liao demonstrated his effort to create an environment conducive to bonding, interchange and the search for knowledge by presenting slides illustrating features of the college premises.

“32nd International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2013)“ concluded

ER2013 series is a leading international forum which began more than 30 years ago to present and discuss current research and applications with the major emphasis on conceptual modeling. This year’s conference “32nd International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2013)” was successfully held at Regal Riverside Hotel from November 11 to 13.

The conference was jointly organized by CUHK, the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It was attended by more than 120 participants.

The organizing committee was glad to have invited Prof. Peter Chen, founder of "The Entity-Relationship Model" to attend the conference and to organize one of the workshops to share his knowledge of the ER model with the participants. The Conference also consisted of a welcome reception and banquet, luncheon, 3 keynote speeches, workshops, tutorials and demo sessions.

For more information of the Conference, please visit the official website https://www.hkws.org/conference/ER2013/ .