Eight chosen for HKU honorary fellowship

Eunice Lam

The University of Hong Kong will confer honorary fellowships on eight distinguished individuals - including pandemic experts Yuen Kwok-yung and David Hui Shu-cheong and Sing Tao News Corp chairman Karson Choi Ka-tsan - in recognition of their contributions to the university and society.

The presentation ceremony will be held on October 20.

According to the biographies on the fellowship's website, Choi, who is also a member of the university's court, has a keen interest in the all-round development of the city's young generation.

Choi has actively contributed to the development of Hong Kong, particularly in addressing issues of poverty as well as serving in multiple social positions and various government advisory committee roles over the years.

He was elected as a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in 2018, and was appointed deputy director of the CPPCC's Population, Resources and Environment Committee this year.

In 2017, Choi was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star and appointed a Justice of the Peace this year.

Yuen, Hui and Keiji Fukuda, an honorary professor at HKU's School of Public Health, were awarded for their contributions during the pandemic.

Yuen was the first in the world to provide evidence that the coronavirus could be easily transmitted from person to person and that patients could be reinfected with the virus.

"Established in 1995, the Honorary University Fellowships are one of the university's valued traditions, awarded to individuals in recognition of their contributions to the university and the community," said HKU, which has honored a total of 172 fellows.

This year's fellows include Shaw Group managing director Raymond Chan Wai-man, local developer Hip Shing Hong managing director David Fong Man-hung, Shanghai Grand Sunfire Property managing director David Wong Ying-kit, and May Tam Mak Mei-yin, wife of late philanthropist Edmund Tam Wing-fan.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com