Professor John Lee Chi-Kin shared with staff, students and alumni in an email the achievements of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) over the first 100 days of his presidency and outlined some future directions for EdUHK. He said that the personal growth and moral development of the students are at the forefront of EdUHK’s priorities. In 2024, EdUHK will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and a series of celebratory events are in the pipeline to bring together students, staff and alumni.

Professor Lee began by expressing his gratitude to the Council Chairman, Members of the Council, former Council Chairmen and Members, past Presidents, and the entire EdUHK community, adding that their unwavering support led the University to reach several remarkable milestones with agility and speed in the first semester.

Since September 2023, EdUHK has established two academies – the Academy for Educational Development and Innovation and the Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures – to better synergise interdisciplinary expertise across centres. During his first 100 days, Professor Lee visited cities in the Greater Bay Area, Beijing, Yunnan, Shandong, Kazakhstan and Turkey, where he met with education officials and university leaders while also participating in a wide range of summits and seminars. These engagements led to the signing of many memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and the establishment of alliances and research institutes, further extending the University’s internationalisation. These initiatives and partnerships will provide staff and students with opportunities to engage in more overseas exchanges and internships. They will also enable the University to enhance its academic accreditation, as well as its capacity in research and knowledge transfer, allowing it to make a greater contribution to Hong Kong, mainland China, Southeast Asia, Belt and Road countries, and the rest of the world.

He mentioned that EdUHK made its debut in this year's Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings in Sustainability, which is a testament to its outstanding accomplishments in the field of environmental science. Plans are already underway to further explore the area of sustainability to address societal needs.

In closing, Professor Lee emphasised that nurturing educators and professionals who are both capable and virtuous in this ever-changing world remains the University’s core mission. In this vein, a new curriculum framework and new initiatives to enrich student hall life will be introduced. These new elements encompass teachers’ professional ethics, national security education, digital competency, innovation and understanding of our country.

He said he is looking forward to meeting more members of the EdUHK community in the 30th anniversary celebratory events, continuing to strengthen mutual communication, and growing together.