Media

As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2011-2012, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is proud to present a series of Centenary Distinguished Lectures. The inaugural lecture was delivered today (September 20) by Professor Gary S Becker, recipient of Nobel Memorial Prize of Economic Sciences in 1992.

Over 300 audiences attended the lecture by Professor Becker entitled "Causes of the Worldwide Boom in Higher Education, Especially of Women" at HKU Rayson Huang Theatre. The lecture was followed by a panel discussion moderated by HKU Chair Professor of School of Economics and Finance Professor Richard Wong, with Professor Yi-zheng Lian, Professor of Global Business, Akita International University, Japan; Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman and Non-Executive Director, China Strategic Holdings Limited; and Dr Rosanna Wong, Executive Director, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, as guest panelists.

On Hong Kong's higher education development, Professor Becker emphasized the need to have a competitive higher education system. He would like to see strong competition among the public universities, and the development of private universities competing against the public ones.

He cited the example of the United States, where up to 25 to 30% of young people go to higher education, among them 75% are in public universities, the rest go to private institutions.

 "You need to continue to increase the number of students to get into higher education, continue to have competitions among the universities here and in the mainland in particular ........ and hope to have private universities..... I think these should be the ways whereby you increase the values the universities contribute to Hong Kong, the society: economic, health, social," said Professor Becker.  

On Wednesday (September 22), a small group of senior secondary school students and university undergraduates will exchange views with Professor Becker in an activity called ‘Lunch with a Nobel Laureate', which has been set up as an extension of the Centenary Distinguished Lectures.  The activity aims to help the students to broaden their horizons by meeting face-to-face with some of the most brilliant minds in the world today.

A series of four Centenary Distinguished Lectures will be held from 2010 - 2011. The Lecture series will bring world-renowned Nobel Laureates from a wide range of disciplines to HKU, to share their expertise, experience and world-class scholarship with the University community and the public. The Lectures demonstrate the University's commitment in promoting Knowledge Exchange, according to Professor Paul Tam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research), HKU.

Apart from Professor Gary S Becker, other Laureates who will visit HKU include Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, 2008 Nobel Laureate in Medicine or Physiology; Professor Kurt Wüthrich, 2002 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Professor Elinor Ostrom, 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk  or Ms Melanie Wan (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk