The Council of The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) announced today (3 September) the appointment of Prof. Paul Kwan-sing Lam as the University’s new President for a four-year term with effect from 1 April 2021.
In accepting the appointment, Prof. Lam said, “I am honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to serve The Open University of Hong Kong as its sixth President. I will work closely and purposefully with all the faculty, staff, students and alumni to create an environment conducive to top-quality teaching and learning. With the support of Council and all our stakeholders, we will make a concerted effort to further our mission, benefit our students, energise our campus, and contribute to Hong Kong and beyond.” He further remarked that, “While forging ahead with our pursuit of excellence in higher education and strategic research as a full-fledged university, we hold steadfast in our commitment to providing open and flexible academic programmes to members of our community.”
Prof. Lam is a renowned scholar and expert in environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology, and environmental risk assessment. He is also a front-runner in the higher education sector in Hong Kong and is well-versed with academic development and university administration. Currently the Executive Director of Special Projects, Jeanie Hu Professor of Science and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong, he has accumulated extensive experience in university management and research. During his long service at City University since 1994, he has assumed various management positions as Acting Vice-President (Undergraduate Education), Vice-President (Student Affairs), Chief-of-Staff and Director of State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution.
Mr Michael Wong Yick-kam, Chairman of the University Council and Search Committee, welcomed Prof. Lam to join the OUHK community. He said, “The Council is much delighted to have Prof. Lam to be OUHK’s next President. As a young and rapidly developing university, OUHK needs an outstanding scholar and visionary leader to steer the University to new heights. We are confident that Prof. Lam, with his eminent academic standing and extensive management exposure, will be able to lead the University in its further development and accomplishing our mission with excellence.” Mr Wong added that Prof. Lam has already had a good understanding of OUHK, as he had served as a Council Member of OUHK from June 2011 to June 2017.
In November 2019, the University Council established a Search Committee to conduct the search for the next President. In January 2020, the Search Committee appointed a Search Consultant to assist in the search process. A series of consultation sessions were held separately with the various key stakeholders in February 2020 to collect their views on the selection criteria and expectations of the President. In March 2020, the search was launched both locally and overseas. After rounds of selection, shortlisting and interviews, the Search Committee unanimously recommended that Prof. Paul Lam be appointed as the new President. Prof. Lam met with staff, students and alumni of the University in three open forums respectively today. His appointment was approved by the University Council on the same day.
Prof. Paul Lam studied for his Bachelor's and Master’s degrees at the University of Hong Kong between 1979 and 1984. He was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship in 1984 to undertake his doctorate study at the University of Sheffield in the UK. He took up a Postdoctoral Fellowship at King’s College, the University of London before returning to Hong Kong to take up a lecturing position at City Polytechnic of Hong Kong in 1988. He has subsequently held positions in a number of universities both in Hong Kong and overseas, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (1990-1992) and the Victoria University in Australia (1992-1994). He joined the Department of Chemistry (formerly the Department of Biology and Chemistry) at City University of Hong Kong in 1994.
Among his other academic achievements, Prof. Lam’s work in ecology and environmental analysis has raised environmental awareness and defined new sensitive analytical methodology for emerging chemicals of concern. He developed techniques for trace analyses of these emerging chemicals in key environmental matrices, contributing to the international harmonization of analytical methods to address such concern. His research influenced policy and legislation globally by providing key evidence relating to the distribution and persistence of such emerging chemicals. He used status and trends information to help manage the production and use of legacy and emerging chemicals of concern by global international institutions and agencies, including the United Nations, United Nations Environment Programme and World Health Organization.
Prof. Lam was the author or co-author of over 400 publications in international refereed journals. He has been responsible for over 35 major government consultancy projects in the environmental field, including the assessments of risks to Hong Kong cetaceans and waterbirds from toxic contaminants. He was awarded the Natural Science Award (Second Class) in 2011, 2012 and 2019 by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2008 and was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2014 by the HKSAR Government.
About the OUHK:
Established by the Government in 1989, The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) has developed into a full-fledged university providing high quality and flexible university education at various levels to secondary school graduates and working adults. As a dynamic and innovative university, the OUHK currently offers programmes of different academic levels to about 10,000 full-time students and 9,000 part-time students. Our mission is to advance learning, knowledge and research that meet students’ learning aspirations and society's talent needs, focusing on practical and professional programmes.
OUHK comprises six Schools, i.e. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, School of Education and Languages, School of Nursing and Health Studies, School of Science and Technology, and Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (LiPACE). LiPACE provides lifelong learning opportunities by offering full-time sub-degree programmes, community learning and Professional programmes. OUHK website: www.hkmu.edu.hk
