Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) held its Honorary Degrees Ceremony 2021 today (1 December) to present Honorary Doctorates upon three distinguished personalities in recognition of their remarkable achievements. The recipients are Dr Jing Degang, Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong, and Prof. George Woo. HKMU Pro-Chancellor Dr Charles Lee Yeh-kwong presided over the ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing commended the three Honorary Degrees recipients, who are excellent role models for students and members of HKMU community, for their exceptional contributions to academia and society. Prof. Lam mentioned the three goals set for the University after its retitling exercise. “The first is to provide all our students with a first-rate education. The second is to help our students secure good jobs or start their own business, and ultimately, build meaningful careers. The third is to nurture our students to become upstanding members of the community,” he said. He stated that the ultimate goal and value of HKMU education is to create an impact on the life of students as individuals, as members of their family, and as citizens of Hong Kong and the nation.

Meanwhile, HKMU will hold the 30th Congregation from 7 to 20 December to grant academic qualifications to around 7,000 graduates.

Brief profiles of the three Honorary Doctorate recipients are as follows:

Dr Jing Degang (Doctor of Education, honoris causa)
Dr Jing Degang, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Open University of China, has devoted much of his time to serving various important positions in the Ministry of Education for years and played a leading role in national open university reforms and the optimization of the open education system. Thanks to his valuable contributions, the system has been successfully become a platform for online, flexible education and foreign cooperation, marking a significant milestone in the history of the development of open universities and lifelong education in the country. ( Learn more)

Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong, SBS, BBS, JP (Doctor of Social Sciences, honoris causa)
Prof. Yuk-Shan Wong is the Chairman of Research Grants Council and Emeritus President of The Open University of Hong Kong (now Hong Kong Metropolitan University). Under his leadership, the University underwent a significant expansion of full-time programmes for school leavers while upholding its traditional role as a provider of distance education for adult learners, which repositioned the University for future growth. Furthermore, Prof. Wong carved out a research niche for the University in applied areas and directed the completion of the new campus to sharpen the University’s edge in tertiary education. ( Learn more)

Prof. George Woo (Doctor of Social Sciences, honoris causa)
Prof. George Woo is the Emeritus Professor and Senior Advisor of the School of Optometry of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is a world-renowned international leader in vision science and has extensive clinical and research experience in optometry, making a significant impact on eye health around the globe. He served as a hotline volunteer for The Samaritans for two decades and led the organization in expanding its services to save lives. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, he was awarded the “Hong Kong Humanity Award 2020” from Hong Kong Red Cross. ( Learn more)