Department of History Thematic Seminar: Shue Yan University: Hong Kong’s First Private University
Host: Prof. He Qiliang (Professor & Head of Department, Department of History, HKSYU)
Speaker: Prof. Ambrose King (Emeritus Chair Professor of Sociology and Vice-chancellor of CUHK)
Abstract:
Hong Kong Shue Yan University is Hong Kong’s first private liberal arts college. Its founding president, Dr. Chung Chi-yung, and her Husband, Barrister Henry Hu Hung-lick, both had a keen interest in educating the younger generations in Hong Kong. After coming to Hong Kong in 1955, they spent all of their funds establishing a school that would fulfil their conception of what a university should be. After Shue Yan refused to change the four-year college education system to a British three-year alternative in the late 1970s to ensure a higher level of college education, the British colonial administration declined to support this college, making Shue Yan’s path to success particularly difficult. Despite this, the institution thrived thanks to the efforts of everyone at Shue Yan. More importantly, on December 19, 2006, the HKSAR administration officially ratified Shue Yan as the city’s first private university.
Prof. King became Dr. Chung’s friend as he accepted Shue Yan’s numerous invitations to serve as an adviser. We are delighted to announce that Prof. King has been invited to speak with us on campus about Shue Yan’s development as Hong Kong’s first private university and his friendship with President Chung as part of this year’s Information Day activities. Welcome to join us.
About the speaker:
Prof. Ambrose King (1935-), is an eminent Hong Kong sociologist, educator, Essayist, and Calligrapher. He was formerly vice-chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prof. King had dedicated his life to “reading, teaching, and writing,” and had taught for over 40 years as a university professor, which gave him a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the concept of university. His writings on liberal education, such as The Idea of University and Rethinking the Idea of University, have been reprinted numerous times since their initial publication.
