23 March 2026
Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Sun Shangwu, President of the Legislative Council, Dr the Hon Starry Lee Wai-king, Secretary for Education Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Director-General of the Department of Education, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office Dr Wang Weiming, UGC Chairman Mr Tim Lui, Our Chairman of the Council and the Court Dr Kennedy Wong, Deputy Chairman of the Council and the Court Dr Sunny Chai, Treasurer of the Council and the Court Mr Kevin Liem, distinguished guests, colleagues, students, alumni, and friends,
Welcome to the launch ceremony of Hong Kong Baptist University’s 70th Anniversary.
Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the University’s remarkable journey over the past seven decades. We also take this opportunity to pledge our continued commitment to excellence in education, research, knowledge transfer and service going forward.
The past 70 years have been filled with milestone achievements and transformations, with the credit going to the entire HKBU community. The number of our graduates tells an inspiring story of humble beginnings and exponential impact. We started from the first batch of just 66 graduates in 1960. Since then, we have nurtured over 178,000 alumni who have been making meaningful contributions across Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, the Nation, and the world.
To borrow a timeless metaphor, we stand here today on the shoulders of giants. Our predecessors’ legacy, vision and dedication have steered HKBU’s voyage towards excellence in the past seven decades, enabling us to enhance students’ learning experience and their whole-person development. Living up to the motto “Faith and Perseverance”, we have created a vibrant culture that encourages people to be bold, innovative and to aim for excellence and meaningful causes in their endeavours.
As we watched in the University Anthem video moments ago, the University’s vision and commitment continue to guide our growth, leading us to go from strength to strength. Embarking on our journey in 1956 when we were housed in borrowed facilities at Pui Ching Middle School, we rise to challenges, overcame hurdles, and pursued our dreams with faith and dedication. Along the way, we built and expanded our campus from scratch to a compact and sophisticated landmark in Kowloon Tong and other sites of the city; we broadened talent cultivation with the establishment of the School of Continuing Education in 1975 and HKBU Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School in 2006; we extended our education impact beyond the territory with the pioneering move of establishing the Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University in Zhuhai in 2005; and we safeguarded people’s wellbeing by operating Chinese medicine clinics across Hong Kong and bringing The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong to phased operation starting from 11 December 2025.
All these are remarkable achievements we are proud of. Yet these achievements mark a milestone, not a finish line. Our quest for impact will continue to drive us ahead. As a catalyst for change, HKBU will continue to spearhead impactful research initiatives, and foster transdisciplinary education and cross-industry collaborations globally. Through these efforts, our academic community demonstrates true thought leadership, tackling pressing global challenges from sustainability and health to digital ethics and cultural preservation, and delivering solutions that address societal needs.
On this momentous occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our staff, alumni, as well as friends and supporters from different sectors. With your backing, we have support at times of scarcity; we feel determined at times of adversity; and we were never alone when pursuing our goals. You have been an indispensable part of our journey. Let’s join hands in taking HKBU to a new height, so that our shared legacy continues to inspire generations to come.
Our anniversary slogan, “Act with Faith, Create the Future,” captures the tone of our ongoing and future journey. We will continue to create knowledge, nurture future leaders, and serve Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, the Nation and the world with purpose and dedication.
Thank you again for being a part of our past, present and future. I shall look forward to seeing you at other Anniversary events in the rest of 2026. Thank you!