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The School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and the Harvard Club of Hong Kong jointly hosted a welcoming reception in honour of Professor Julio Frenk, Dean of Harvard School of Public Health yesterday (January 28, 2013).  At this momentous occasion, HKU and Harvard School of Public Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further advance the two Schools’ collaboration in advancing the public’s health through learning, discovery and communication. 

More than 70 distinguished guests including Dr Ko Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health, Mr Richard Yuen, Permanent Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Constance Chan, Director of Health, Mr Anthony Wu, Chairman of Hospital Authority, Dr Leung Pak-yin, Chief Executive of Hospital Authority, Dr Donald Li, President of Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Dr Mak Sin-ping, President of Hong Kong College of Community Medicine, Dr Leong Che-hung, Chairman of the Council, HKU and Professor Paul Tam Kwong-hang, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, HKU, and many other public health scholars and advocates graced the occasion. 

Professor Lee Sum-ping, Dean of Medicine, represented HKU to sign the MoU with the Harvard School of Public Health.  Professor Lee said, “This renewal of MoU signifies the longstanding collaboration in teaching and research between the two institutions which was initiated in 2001 by the then Harvard Dean Professor Barry Bloom and HKU's Professor Gabriel Leung.  Looking back on the last decade, we have had close ties with many of Harvard’s outstanding scholars and now we work closely with the School on infectious disease epidemiology and guest faculty from Harvard regularly deliver Master's of Public Health courses at HKU.”  Professor Lee hopes the signing of the MoU this time will further strengthen the exchange between the two Schools so that HKU can continue to work closely with the best minds who share HKU’s passion in public health and would complement HKU’s efforts in teaching and research. 

Professor Julio Frenk, Dean of Harvard School of Public Health said in his opening remarks that the interdependency of world makes public health no longer be the interests of experts like doctors, dentists or pharmacists only, but the central component in the agenda of economic development for global security.  He pointed out that the essence of public health is to stop the problems before they happen, and he sees the connection of Harvard with HKU a preparation to respond to the global health problems.  He also listed four major threats in public health to mankind, namely infectious diseases, unhealthy lifestyle, humanitarian crisis and leadership challenge in the health sector. 

“The MoU is to establish a whole platform for self-based learning, global virtual classroom, and a chat-room for students to interact actively”, Professor Frenk added.  He believes that the signing of this MoU is an opportunity to renew the commitment to the relationship between HKU and Harvard. 

About the MoU

        With the signing of the MoU, the HKU School of Public Health and Harvard School of Public Health will further advance their collaboration in order to enable and facilitate a closer working relationship between faculty members and graduate students on research and education in the field of public health.  The two Schools will work together to develop collaborative research activities on public health issues pertinent to China and the Asia Pacific. 

About the Welcoming Reception 

        The welcoming reception was jointly organised by the School of Public Health of HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and Harvard Club of Hong Kong, with Professor Gabriel Leung, Head of the Department of Community Medicine, HKU and Ms Eleni Istavridis, President of the Harvard Club of Hong Kong as hosts.  Professor Juilo Frenk had recently visited Shanghai and Beijing before visiting Hong Kong.  The Harvard Centre Shanghai and Harvard Club of Beijing held a cocktail reception and a breakfast gathering to welcome Professor Frenk in the two cities respectively. 

About the School of Public Health, HKU 

The HKU School of Public Health and the Department of Community Medicine have a long and distinguished history in public health education and high impact research.  Both have made significant international and locally relevant contributions through its research and advocacy to improve the health of populations and individuals in tobacco control, air pollution, control of infectious and non-communicable diseases, health services research and economic consequences of chronic diseases, behavioural sciences and life-course epidemiology.  Much of this research has informed international, such as the World Health Organisation, as well as the national and local public health policies. 

Please visit the website at http://www.med.hku.hk/v1/news-and-events/press-releases/ for press photos.

Professor Gabriel Leung, Head of HKU Department of Community Medicine, delivered his welcoming remarks

Professor Julio Frenk, Dean of Harvard School of Public Health, said the essence of public health is to stop the problems before they happen