Media

HKU Celebrates 20 Years of Excellence in Environmental Management Education

30 Oct 2010

 

Academics, business executives and environmental professionals have vowed to work together for a better environment in Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta as they celebrated the 20^th Anniversary of the Master of Science Programme in Environmental Management (The Programme) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) today (30 October 2010).

Jointly organized by the Faculty of Science and the Kadoorie Institute of HKU, the celebration began with the "Symposium on Environmental Management in Pearl River Delta: Review, Challenges and Opportunities" at Luk Kwok Hotel in Wan Chai.

Opened by Prof. David DUDGEON, Associate Dean of Faculty of Science of HKU, and Prof. Peter HILLS, Director of Kadoorie Institute of HKU, the day-long symposium featured presentations by government officials, academics, business executives and environmental experts from Hong Kong, the Mainland and Singapore. Highlights included keynote presentations by Dr. Boon-Ying LEE, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, on predicting climate change and associated environmental impacts in Hong Kong; Dr. Ellen CHAN, Assistant Director of Environmental Protection, on how to resolve the pressing problem of solid waste management in Hong Kong; and Dr. Gan ZHANG, Vice President of Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, on detailing the problem of persistent organic pollutants in our atmosphere.

Later in the evening, a Reunion Dinner was held to celebrate the milestone of reaching 600 graduates from the Programme. Prof. Sun KWOK, Dean of Faculty of Science of HKU, and Dr Kenneth LEUNG, Director of the Programme, opened the dinner, followed by a special talk on waste management by Dr. Albert KOENIG, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Department of HKU.

During the dinner, the Programme's founding teachers were honoured for their contribution. Also, four alumni of the Programme - Mr. Freeman CHEUNG, Mr. Chun-Yau FONG, Dr. Billy HAU, and Mr. Clement LAM, received the Distinguished Alumni Awards for their exceptional achievements in the field of environmental management. The awardees are outstanding role models for all alumni and exemplify the qualities that help make the Programme grow and thrive.

Other activities in the dinner included the inauguration of The Environmental Management Association of Hong Kong (EMAHK). Comprising alumni and current students of the Programme, EMAHK aims to become a leading contributor to environmental management and sustainable development discourse, as well as to the advancement of environmental management as a professional field. The inauguration marked a new chapter for the success of the Programme.

Launched by HKU in 1989, the Programme was the first inter-faculty, multi-disciplinary taught master programme in the university which responds to the societal need for environmental professionals. Through an integrated approach, the Programme provides comprehensive training in key aspects of environmental management including environmental science, policy and laws, economics, green technology, ecological conservation and sustainable development. As of today, over 600 students have graduated from the Programme and many of them are now working in the environmental management arena contributing their professional knowledge and skills towards environmental sustainability.

For more information, please visit the event's official website: http://www.hku.hk/kadinst/MSc20th/. For media enquiries, please contact Ms. Joyce CHOW at tel.: (852) 9252 5780 or email: joycewc@hku.hk