Academic accomplishments acknowledged
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is constantly striving for educational excellence, and its unstinting efforts to constantly drive up its academic standards receive regular recognition from leading university ranking schemes. In its latest impressive achievement, the University enjoyed a high position of 42nd in the recent U.S. News and World Report’s Best Global Universities Rankings 2024-2025. The list, which assessed 2,250 top universities from more than 100 countries/regions based on their research performance and reputation, placed CUHK top among universities in Hong Kong for the second consecutive year.
The list also ranked universities around the world by individual subject, with CUHK finishing in the top 50 in eight of them. The University’s outstanding subject performers were Education and Educational Research, and Gastroenterology and Hepatology, both of which were ranked third globally.
Stellar recognition for academic stars
Professor Francis Chan and Professor Siew Ng from the Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine) have long been among CUHK’s highest academic achievers, recognised for their outstanding contributions to the understanding and treatment of the human digestive system. Now a slew of awards and appointments to official positions have confirmed their status as global high flyers.
Professor Chan, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics and Director of the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research, and Professor Ng, Croucher Professor in Medical Sciences and CU Medicine’s Assistant Dean (Development) were elected as Foreign Members of the Academia Europaea for 2024. Notably, they were the sole Hong Kong scholars admitted in the Clinical & Veterinary Science section this year. Counting 83 Nobel laureates among its distinguished membership of more than 5,500, the Academia Europaea stands one of the world’s most prestigious academic associations. The pan-European academy, dedicated to fostering excellence in the sciences and humanities, selectively invites new members and typically extends invitations within Europe. However, exceptional individuals from around the globe are also recognised as Foreign Members. In 2024, this prestigious title was bestowed upon Professor Chan and Professor Ng, further highlighting their contributions to academia and their global impact.
Professor Chan’s remarkable achievements continued with the receipt of the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award from the Chinese Academy of Engineering this year. It is one of the most esteemed scientific awards in mainland China, and is given biennially to China’s foremost scientists. Professor Chan stood as the sole medicine and health expert from Hong Kong to receive this recognition.
Renowned globally as a world leading gastroenterologist, Professor Chan has significantly impacted clinical practices through his work on the prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding. His research has led to pivotal updates in clinical guidelines and a paradigm shift in colorectal cancer screening methods. Additionally, his expertise spans diverse subjects ranging from helicobacter pylori to the applications of gut microbiota. He also serves as the co-director of the Microbiota I-Center (MagIC), further solidifying his status as a pioneering figure in the field.
On the other hand, Professor Ng recently made history as the first female clinician-scientist selected as a “New Cornerstone Investigator” in mainland China. She is also the first scholar in Hong Kong to receive this honour in the field of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. The “New Cornerstone Investigator” under the New Cornerstone Investigator Program, which is initiated by Tencent, offers grants from 15 to 25 million RMB (approximately US$2.1 to 3.5 million), representing China’s largest non-government source of scientific research funding. Professor Ng’s groundbreaking work has led to the establishment of the New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, allowing her to further advance her innovative research endeavours.
Professor Ng is the first to define its growth in newly industrialised countries, as well as the first to introduce faecal microbiota transplantation to Hong Kong, pioneering the patented MOZAIC technology that improves its success rate. Using the prize money, she is hoping to identify new ways to treat chronic inflammation, cancer and immune-mediated diseases.
Shaping a sustainable future
There is no more important challenge facing humanity than the need to tackle climate change and build a greener future. Demonstrating its commitment to this cause, CUHK showcased its leadership by serving as the regional co-host of the four-day The Times Higher Education (THE) Global Sustainable Development Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. This significant event convened about 3,000 global thought leaders and innovators in sustainability, fostering discussions on vital topics such as integrating sustainability into education. The Congress highlighted CUHK’s prominent role in sustainable development and explored pathways for universities to amplify their green impact.
Joining forces with a lineup of global environmental leaders, the CUHK representatives engaged in insightful dialogues alongside notable figures such as Supamas Isarabhakdi, Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, and Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education. The diverse assembly included representatives from government, business, non-governmental organisations, and the education sector, collectively striving to shape a more sustainable and resilient future for all.
