Page 6 - EdUHK Annual Report 2015-2016

Chairman's Foreword
校董會主席前言
In my eighth and probably nal review as Chairman of the Council, I am very pleased to highlight the phenomenal progress that the University has made during the year.
First and foremost is the renaming of the former Hong Kong Institute of Education as The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) on 27 May 2016, upon publication of the Government Gazette. This achievement marks the perfect conclusion to the decade-long quest of the university title, and ful ls the long-held aspiration of generations of our alumni. The new university title is more than just a change of name. It necessitates revisiting our roles in the higher education sector, and our responsibilities to the wider community. As such, the Council held a retreat in September when this Report was under preparation to map the way forward. During the Council Retreat, my colleagues on the Council and members of the senior management undertook an in- depth review of the University’s vision and mission, future direction, future milestones and strategies. Conclusions from the Retreat have been crystallised and articulated in the Strategic Plan 2016-2025, and this important document will form the framework of, and guide the University’s development into the next decade.
In today’s keenly competitive international higher education arena, how a university fares in the global context is gauged against very demanding criteria. I am therefore extremely pleased with the results achieved by our University in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2016, in which EdUHK was second in Asia and 12th in the world in Education.
The latest QS rankings bettered our previous positions of third in Asia and 15th in the world in Education attained in 2015. Equally encouraging was
the record-breaking amount of donations received during the year, details of which will be covered in the President’s Overview and ensuing chapters. With the philanthropic donations and support which we are receiving from the community, I am certain that our University will further bolster our learning and teaching, research and knowledge transfer, and internationalisation activities.
A corporate manager by profession, I am fully aware of the difference
that quality people can make to the success of any organisation, and how education can advance the quality of society. My belief in the importance and power of education underpins my unswerving and sustained passion to serve on many bodies related to education. As such, I feel most honoured to have had the privilege to serve on the Council since 2002, rst as a member, then as Treasurer and currently as Chairman. At the same time, I am humbled by the fortitude and determination displayed by members of the then Institute, now EdUHK. Their continued and tireless efforts in pushing the boundaries of knowledge on all fronts, despite the many dif culties encountered, have allowed us to scale new heights.
From its founding as an institution providing programmes in education at mostly sub-degree and then degree level, to attaining self-accrediting status in education, expanding into postgraduate degrees in education
這是我以校董會主席身份所撰寫的第八份年報前言， 也許亦是最後一份。我很高興為大家檢視本校過去一 年的長足進展。
首要報告的大事，自是本校的正名。二零一六年五月二 十七日，政府刊憲後，香港教育學院正式正名為香港 教 育 大 學 ( 教 大 )。 這 項 成 就 是 本 校 同 仁 過 去 十 年 不 斷努力爭取的圓滿結局，亦實現了不同年代校友多年 來的共同心願。大學正名不僅是校名的改變，更是重 新檢視本校在高等教育界的角色與社會責任的契機。 為此，校董會於九月本年度報告撰寫期間舉行退思 會，討 論 教 大 未 來 發 展。退 思 會 期 間，校 董 會 成 員 及 管理層成員深入探討本校願景及使命、未來路向、發 展里程及策略等。是次退思會的討論要點將詳列於 《 策 略 發 展 計 劃 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 2 5 》內，而 這 份 重 要 文 件 亦 將成為本校未來十年發展的框架與指引。
今天的國際高等教育界競爭激烈，外界對大學的表現 有嚴格的標準。因此，本校能於二零一六年QS世界大 學學科排名中再創佳績，我深表欣喜。教大在教育領 域位列亞洲第二、全球十二。這項最新排名超越了二 零一五年的亞洲第三、全球十五。同樣令人鼓舞的是， 本校過去一年籌款總額亦創新高;細節將詳列於《校 長的話》及隨後章節。在得到社會各界的捐助與支持 下，我深信本校將進一步加強學與教、研究及知識轉 移，並推進國際化等不同層面的活動。
我從事企業管理工作多年，深明優秀員工是締造機構 成功的關鍵，而教育更能改進社會質素。我深信教育 的重要性和力量，這份堅定的信念驅使我一直為多個
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The Education University of Hong Kong Annual Report 2015-2016