Media

HKU Reaches the Ceiling of Stanley Ho Alumni Challenge Matching on its 2nd Year

23 May 2008

 

HKU Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui (left 8th) thanked Dr Stanley Ho (left 7th) for the “Stanley Ho Alumni Challenge” scheme. It won the Gold Award for CASE 2007 Circle of Excellence Awards Program. In the photo are also Deans of various faculties and Dr. Ambrose So of the Scheme’s steering committee.

The Stanley Ho Alumni Challenge (何鴻燊校友挑戰計劃) was launched in November 2005 by alumnus Dr Stanley Ho (何鴻燊博士) who pledged HK$500 million to his alma mater to inspire fellow alumni and students to support The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Under the Scheme, every dollar HKU alumni or students gives will be matched dollar for dollar, up to HK$100 million a year for five consecutive years.  Since its launch, HKU has reached the ceiling of the matching for the past two years.

For the second year of the Scheme (November 2006 to October 2007), the actual dollar amount of donations increased by more than 600 per cent and the number of donors increased 241% over the same period of the previous year.  Among the 2,802 donors who joined the scheme this year, 72% is first-time donors.

The top five faculties/units with the highest participation rate were the Libraries, Medical Faulty, Arts Faculty, halls, and the General Education Unit.  The top five faculties/units with the highest amount of donations were the Medical Faculty, Social Sciences Faculty, Dental Faculty, Libraries and Arts Faculty.

This funding initiative is the first of its kind in Asia.  It received a Gold Award in the category of Fundraising Programs for the 2007 Circle of Excellence Awards Program organised by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education ("CASE") (高等教育促進及支援協會). The panel of judges that selected the winner of this top honour was impressed with the planning and execution of the overall program.  In fact, the judges described the program as "extraordinary" as it has inspired a new and unprecedented culture of alumni giving in Hong Kong.  In addition to developing a coordinated and well-planned course of action, faculty members, department heads and other colleagues were also mobilised to synergise the efforts.

Sharing the joy of receiving this award at an alumni lunch gathering today, Dr Stanley Ho said, "All my life, I never said ‘No' to challenges. So when HKU approached me for support in 2005, my answer was a straight ‘Yes'."  He continued, " 'One Heart, One Family.' This internationally recognized Gold Award belongs to all of us who have said 'Yes' to the Challenge. It once again testifies to the beautiful giving culture of Hong Kong."     

The third year of matching will conclude by the end of October.  HKU hopes to boost alumni giving further to reach the ceiling of matching.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Janet Chung (Tel: 2859 2608; jpfchung@hku.hk) or Ms Kitty Wong (Tel: 2859 7062; kittyw@hku.hk) of Development & Alumni Affairs Office, HKU.

Note:-
CASE is a non-profit international association for advancement professionals at all levels with offices in Washington DC and London, and a newly established Asia-Pacific regional office in Singapore.  CASE Circle of Excellence Awards Program recognises outstanding efforts in fundraising and alumni relations and is held annually.  For more information on CASE, please visit http://www.case.org/.