Lingnan to Confer Four Honorary Doctorates at Congregation

Lingnan University ("Lingnan" or "the University") will confer Honorary Doctorates upon four distinguished international and local personalities in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements and contribution to the economic, infrastructure, cultural, educational advancement and the development of the University. The conferment will be held at the 37th Congregation cum Installation of President on 16 October 2007 (Tuesday). The Honorable Donald TSANG, Chancellor of Lingnan and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Government, will preside over the Congregation as well as the Installation Ceremony of President CHAN Yuk-Shee.

Recipients of this year's honorary degrees are The Most Reverend Paul KWONG and Sir Gordon WU, who will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws, and Mrs Jennie LEE Mui Yee-Ching and Professor Stephen R. LEWIS, Jr., who will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Social Sciences.

Following is the introduction of the four recipients:

The Most Reverend Paul Kwong

The Most Reverend Paul Kwong has been appointed as the second Archbishop of Hong Kong Anglican Church in February 2007.

Over the years, Archbishop Paul has endeavored in promoting religious cause in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and many other places in the world. During his deaconship in the 1980's, Archbishop Paul founded St Philip's Church in Tin Shui Wai and the Church of the Ascension in Tung Chung. In addition, the Archbishop this year has paid visits to various religious figures in Nanjing and Shanghai, and the President of the China Christian Council. Besides, the Archbishop has also met with the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the Central United Front Work Department, and various leaders from the US Episcopal Church, Church of Ireland, Church of England and the Southeast Asian Anglican Churches. These friendly visits have strengthened the ties between Hong Kong Anglican and churches in Chinese Mainland and elsewhere.

While enhancing ties between Hong Kong Anglican and churches in other areas, Archbishop Paul has mounted a relentless effort to build up Hong Kong province. In providing personnel training, expanding the church's influence and consolidating the work done by its parishes and missions, Archbishop Paul has made significant contributions.

Concerning over youth development and education, Archbishop Paul has served as Chairman of the Diocesan Youth Committee of the Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau, lecturer and Chaplain to the Ming Hua Theological College, supervisor of church sponsored schools, and Chairman and member of other social organizations.


Sir Gordon Wu

Sir Gordon Wu is one of the founders of Hopewell Holdings and currently Chairman of the Board. From developing in commercial, residential, and industrial property projects in Hong Kong to venturing into the Chinese Mainland market, Sir Gordon Wu has become synonymous with infrastructure in the Chinese Mainland and other developing countries. He has involved in the development of the Pearl River Delta, including the building of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Superhighway, which is the first modern expressway in China. Furthermore, Sir Gordon has also involved in the development of buildings, power stations, superhighways and bridges in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

Sir Gordon Wu is also eager to support in education and public affairs. Since 1981, the Wus family and Sir Gordon himself have generously donated to Sir Gordon's alma mater Princeton University, University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, and other universities in Hong Kong. Sir Gordon received the Gold Bauhinia Star from the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2004. Sir Gordon has participated in many public duties. He is now member of the Commission on Strategic Development of the Hong Kong SAR, a member of the Hong Kong Logistic Development Council, advisor to the Urban Renewal Authority, member of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Vice President of the Hong Kong Real Estate Developer's Association.

Over the years, Sir Gordon has always been supporting Lingnan. With Sir Gordon's donation, the Huadu Scholarship was established last year to subsidize students coming from Huadu, Guanzhou, to pursue a bachelor degree at Lingnan. Furthermore, Sir Gordon has also donated HK$6 million to Lingnan in 2005 in promoting the development of liberal arts education.


Professor Stephen R. Lewis, Jr.

Professor Stephen R. Lewis, Jr., is currently Professor Emeritus and Professor of Economic at Carleton College. His achievements in advocating liberal arts education and in promoting economies in developing countries are remarkable.

Professor Lewis is a practitioner, administrator and promoter of liberal arts education. Under his leadership, Carleton College has positioned as one of the leading providers of liberal arts education in the United States. During his presidency at Carleton from 1987 to 2002, Professor Lewis has expanded the College's international programmes, international student body and the proportion of US minority students. He has also diversified the College's faculty and staff (in gender, nationality and race), creating a multicultural campus for its students and staff. The internationalization of Carleton College is a model of Lingnan's internationalization advocated in recent years.

As a consultant and advisor for many government bodies and private organizations, Professor Lewis is central to the economic development and economic reforms of many developing countries. The longest and also the most influential economic advisory role played by Professor Lewis was for the Botswana government. He served as Economic Consultant to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning from 1977 to 1978 and 1980 to 1982. To mark his contributions made to Botswana, Professor Lewis was awarded the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service by Botswana Government in 1983.

Professor Lewis has taught many outstanding students. Among them were the former Prime Minister of Singapore, GOH Chok-Tong, the current Chief Caretaker Advisor of the government of Bangladesh, Fakhruddin AHMED, and a number of individuals who have served as Ministers, top civil servants, or head of central banks of countries in Asia and Africa.


Mrs Jennie Lee Mui Yee-Ching

Mrs Jennie Lee Mui Yee-Ching graduated from the English Department of The University of Hong Kong. Ms Mui embarked upon a career of teaching in her native land. Two years later, she left for Canada and the United States of America to pursue further studies in English language and literature. After that she worked as a teacher at a famous girls' school in the US.

Being passionate in promoting charitable causes, Ms Mui was invited to serve as director of the YWCA in Hong Kong in 1975, and she also served as the chairperson of various committees on nursery, retirement, hostel and food service. One of her major achievements was the completion of the YWCA Lodge in Yau Yat Chuen while she was in charge or reconstruction projects of the organization. Ms Mui was elected President of the Y's Men Club of Hong Kong earlier this year and the year before.

Ms Mui has always been deeply concerned with youth development and charitable causes. In recent years she has been serving as an academic advisor to the Lingnan University Alumni Association Primary School (LUAAPS), and as a Council member of the Lingnan University Hong Kong Alumni DSS Primary School. Furthermore, Ms Mui spared no effort in helping the fast-food chain McDonald Hamburgers' US Corporation to set up its first Ronald McDonald House in Hong Kong, which is specifically devoted to providing accommodations for young cancer patients and their families in the vicinity of a hospital. Meanwhile, Ms Mui is also committed to preservation of historical sites and traditional culture in Hong Kong. She and her husband Dr Lee Shiu managed to buy the Dragon Garden in Tsing Lung Tau, Sham Tseng, which was then donated to the city and made available to the general public for their enjoyment.

Ms Mui's contribution to the education of university students is highly recognized. Ms Mui and her husband have been giving donations to the "Lee Shiu Summer Institute" organized by Lingnan University, The University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong respectively. This scheme brings together students from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and North America, promoting the idea of bringing them together to exchange ideas on political and social issues related to their places of origin to broaden their horizon.