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The University of Hong Kong appoints Professor Xiang Zhang as the 16th Vice-Chancellor

15 Dec 2017

(from left) HKU Council Chairman Professor Arthur Li, President and Vice-Chancellor designate Professor Xiang Zhang and Search Committee Chairman Dr Brian Stevenson

The Council of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) resolved today (December 15, 2017) to appoint Professor Xiang ZHANG as the 16th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University for a term of five years, succeeding Professor Peter Mathieson who will leave the University in January 2018.

Professor Zhang is currently the Ernest Kuh Endowed Chair Professor at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and has been the Director of the Nano Scale Science and Engineering Centre of UCB since 2003. He also served as the Director of Materials Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from 2014 to 2016.

Professor Xiang Zhang

Professor Zhang is a renowned scholar with outstanding academic accomplishments. He has won many distinguished awards, the recent ones being 2017 A.C. Eringen Medal from the Society of Engineering Science, 2016 Max Born Award from Optical Society of America, and 2016 Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics. His research is frequently featured in US and international media, and his innovation has won Time Magazine “Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of the Year” in 2008. (For Professor Zhang’s CV, please click here)

Professor Zhang today met with HKU students, staff and alumni in a series of forums, and attended the meetings of the University Senate and the University Council to articulate his vision for the University and to answer their questions.

Professor Arthur Li, HKU Council Chairman and Chairman of the Selection Committee, asked University members to join him in welcoming Professor Zhang to HKU and supporting him as he takes on the leadership responsibilities, opportunities and challenges that come with this important post.

HKU Council Chairman Professor Arthur Li and President and Vice-Chancellor designate Professor Xiang Zhang

Professor Li said: “Professor Zhang’s excellent academic standing and leadership, his integrity, his vision, the demonstration of his management capabilities, and the effectiveness of his interpersonal and communications skills make him a highly qualified candidate meeting the criteria adopted by the Council. I am confident that Professor Zhang will lead the University to achieve the next level of excellence as Asia’s Global University.”

Professor Zhang was delighted to be appointed the President of the University. He said: “The University of Hong Kong has been an excellent leader in higher education. I am honoured by the appointment. In the era of the rising Pacific Rim, I envision HKU to excel as a leading global university. It will not only inspire our next generation of leaders but will also lead in intellectual, social and economic transformations in Asia and around the world.” He pledges to work closely with HKU’s diverse stakeholders including the university community as well as government and local communities, to build cohesive and sustained momentum and support.

“Together, we will take the University to new heights.” He added.

HKU President Professor Peter Mathieson congratulated Professor Zhang on his appointment. He said: “I wish Professor Zhang all the best in his presidency. It has been a privilege for me to serve as President of this great University, and I look forward to seeing HKU scale new heights under his leadership.”

The appointment marks the completion of a global search and selection exercise for a distinguished candidate to lead the University.

The Council resolved at its meeting on February 28, 2017 to set up a Search Committee and a Selection Committee for the appointment of the next President and Vice-Chancellor. The role of the Search Committee was to source the best qualified candidates, conduct preliminary discussions and meetings with them, and submit a search report to the Selection Committee. The role of the Selection Committee was to review and assess the suitability of candidates presented by the Search Committee, interview the candidates, and agree on a finalist for recommendation to the Council, after consultation with the Senate, for deliberation and appointment. The Selection Committee comprised 11 members, nine of which were elected from among staff, students, alumni and Council members.

For the main points of Professor Xiang ZHANG’s presentation at the consultation sessions, please click here.

For media enquiries, please contact the Communications and Public Affairs Office, HKU, Ms Trinni Choy, Assistant Director (Media), tel: 2859 2606/ email: pychoy@hku.hk; Ms Melanie Wan, Senior Manager (Media), tel: 2859 2600/ email: melwkwan@hku.hk; Ms Rhea Leung, Manager (Media), tel: 2857 8555/ email: rhea.leung@hku.hk.

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