The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) held the naming ceremony of Mok Yu Yan Conference Hall today (24 June) in recognition of the generous estate donation of HK$30 million from the executrixes of the Estate of the late Ms Mok Sau-king. The donation was made to support the construction of the OUHK Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare and in memory of the late Mr Mok Yu-yan, the father of the donor.
The naming ceremony was officiated by the executrixes of the Estate of the late Ms Mok Sau-king, Ms Barbara Mok Wai-kun and Ms Betty Yip Yuk-bing, OUHK Pro-chancellor Dr the Hon Charles Lee Yeh-kwong, Council Chairman Mr Michael Wong Yick-kam, Deputy Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung and President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing. During the ceremony, Mr Wong and Prof. Lam expressed their sincere gratitude to Ms Mok and Ms Yip for their unstinting support to the University.
At the ceremony, Mr Wong said, “I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the two executrixes for their kind donation on behalf of the late Ms Mok Sau-king for supporting the development of the OUHK Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare. Their generosity represents an endorsement of the University’s mission of providing quality higher education. It also encourages us to strive for excellence in promoting healthcare and nursing education for nurturing professional talents in Hong Kong and building a healthy city.”
Prof. Lam added, “The late Ms Mok Sau-king graduated from The University of Hong Kong in the 1950s. A knowledgeable person and a dedicated educator, she was the Principal Lecturer at various Colleges of Education in Hong Kong during her lifetime and had mentored a great number of students. With the belief that education could help women live independently, Ms Mok was also committed to promoting gender equality.” In addition, Prof. Lam praised Ms Mok for not only making immense contribution to the development of education but also supporting various charitable causes in Hong Kong.
Ms Mok Sau-king had made generous donations to various local organizations and institutions. Ms Barbara Mok explained the reason for donating to the University, “The Open University of Hong Kong upholds its mission to make higher education available to all while maintaining high exit standards. The same philosophy was shared by the late Mr Mok Yu-yan who advocated and supported equal opportunity for education, and by the late Ms Mok Sau-king who devoted her lifetime to education. As the executrixes of the Estate of the late Ms Mok, Betty and I firmly believe that this donation in support of the construction of the OUHK Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare will help the University further its mission. Like a tiny integral part of a dam in a hydro power plant, this donation will, for a long time, witness the OUHK's talent-grooming generator which nurtures talent and releases enormous energy for the betterment of society. Like a tiny droplet, the late Ms Mok Sau-king's contribution to society will go on endlessly.”
As one of the campus development projects, the OUHK Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare was officially opened in January this year (2021), providing modern teaching and learning facilities as well as spacious amenities for all OUHK staff and students. The Conference Hall named is located on the twelfth floor of the Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare. Well-equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the Conference Hall is an ideal venue for hosting major university events and meetings.
The OUHK has a solid track record in providing quality and professional training for nurses. Its School of Nursing & Health Studies enrolled more than 4,200 students in the academic year of 2020/2021 and has nurtured about 11,300 graduates over the years. In view of the ageing population in Hong Kong, the OUHK has embarked on the campus development project back in 2017 to further enhance the provision of professional healthcare services in Hong Kong and beyond. The University has also offered the first Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physiotherapy this academic year to meet the rising local demand for healthcare professionals.
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.
The OUHK comprises six Schools, namely 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.
The Council of the OUHK has earlier approved the new title ‘Hong Kong Metropolitan University’ for the University and the formal approval from the Legislative Council is being sought. The new title shows the unique position of the University in metropolitan Hong Kong. It also signifies the University’s path of transformation from a modest distance education institution to a full-fledged university and reflects its unique characteristics and strategic focuses.
OUHK website: www.hkmu.edu.hk
University Retitling website: https://retitling.hkmu.edu.hk
