Media

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the Taikoo Professorship of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong.

In 1911, Swire made its first gift of £40,000 to the University of Hong Kong. The Taikoo Professorship of Engineering was established in 1919, becoming the first named professorship at the University.

In 1967, to mark the centenary of Swire in the Far East, the Group contributed 10 Swire Scholarships and Studentships to enable graduate students to continue their studies while residing at Robert Black College of the University. To date, there are 350 Swire Scholars including Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy at HKU; Ann Hui On-Wah, award-winning Hong Kong film director; Margaret Ng Ngoi-Yee; former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and Dr Stephen Frederick, former Director of HKSAR’s Social Welfare Department.

In 1980, Swire made a contribution towards the building of Swire Hall, a student hostel for 300 undergraduates. To date, there are over 6,000 Swirians.

Swire’s subsequent contributions to the University has been numerous. These include the Swire Chair in Japanese; The Swire Marine Laboratory, later re-named the Swire Institute of Marine Science; and Swire Visiting Studentships for senior research officials from the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC Government.

Professor Norman Tien, Chair Professor of Microsystems Technology, is the 8^th Taikoo Professor of Engineering. At his inaugural lecture held on April 23 (Tuesday) entitled “From Dockyards to AI: A Hong Kong Perspective”, he examined how geography and technology have played key roles in uniquely making Hong Kong a global hub, but, as the “goods” of tomorrow are increasingly knowledge-based, Hong Kong faces a new challenge – that of being a global hub in this new digital world.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Polo Leung, Development & Alumni Affairs Office on 3917 1732, email: pololeung@hku.hk.