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On 17 October 1963, following the amalgamation of three original colleges, the University was inaugurated with three founding faculties, 1,395 students, and some 100 staff members. Today, the University has a total of nine colleges, eight faculties, a student population of over 20,000 undergraduates and postgraduates, and a 6,000-strong full-time staff of teachers, researchers and administrators. Ours is a vibrant campus community devoted to the pursuit of excellence. Indeed, the journey from a fledgling university to a well-recognized institution of higher learning has been filled with as many hurdles as rewards. Thanks to the foresight of our founding fathers, the capable leadership of all former vice-chancellors, the dedication of generations of teachers and students, and the unfailing support of our alumni and benefactors, the University has made spectacular progress as a research-oriented comprehensive university, with many wonderful achievements in teaching, research and community service. More challenges and excitement lie ahead as we prepare for the eagerly awaited reversion to a four-year undergraduate curriculum and the formal opening of five new colleges, which will greatly enhance the quality of education, formal and non-formal, we offer to our students. To celebrate four and a half decades of growth and achievements, the 45th Anniversary Celebration Organizing Committee has prepared an assortment of activities for the academic year 2008-09. I thank all those who help in the planning and organization of the celebrations. I also look forward to the active participation of all members of the University and the continued support from the wider community in the anniversary year.
Lawrence J. Lau |
This year marks the 45th anniversary of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a university known for its bilingual and multicultural tradition and its special mission “to combine tradition and modernity, and to bring together China and the West”.