In a farewell banquet in honour of UIC’s Founding President Ng Ching-Fai, over 300 guests including alumni, parents, and colleagues extended their finest wishes to this pioneering educator.
Prof Ng Ching-Fai (left) receiving a certificate of UIC's President Emeritus from UIC President Prof Tang Tao
The banquet
The date of the banquet, 9 March, is special because on this very day 15 years ago, Prof Ng Ching-Fai represented Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) to sign an agreement with Beijing Normal University (BNU) to establish UIC. In February of this year, he announced his retirement as the President of UIC and was succeeded by Professor Tang Tao.
Then BNU President Professor Zhong Binglin (left) with Prof Ng Ching-Fai
From the first admission of 274 freshmen to nearly 10,000 alumni around the world, from the old campus to the new one, UIC has taken big steps under the leadership of President Ng Ching-Fai. His story at UIC has not come to end though, as he will serve as a special advisor of the College for the next two years.
Guests including President of the Chinese Society of Education Professor Zhong Binglin, as well as the former President of BNU; Professor Wang Shoujun, Vice President of BNU; Mr Cheng Yan-kee, former Council and Court Chairman of HKBU; President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, Prof Roland Chin, as well as many colleagues, old friends and Prof Ng Ching-Fai’s family were welcomed by UIC Yayue (literally ‘elegant music’ or court music) Orchestra.
Yayue performance
The banquet began with a commemorative video “The Light Chaser” for President Ng produced by Media and Public Relations Office (MPRO). Representatives from BNU, HKBU and UIC then provided speeches.
Mr Cheng Yan-kee at the banquet
Prof Wang Shoujun praised President Ng Ching-Fai for his courage to establish UIC, a high-level liberal arts college, and diversified higher education in China. He also said that Beijing Normal University planned to develop the Zhuhai campus, and it was expected that the BNU and UIC will deepen cooperation and seize strategic opportunities.
Professor Wang Shoujun speaking
Prof Roland Chin said it was a miracle that Prof Ng Ching-Fai promoted the completion of the new campus. UIC has a large number of excellent graduates. Even though most of the graduates are studying in Hong Kong and overseas, they have a strong sense of belonging to their alma mater. As the model of the combination of Chinese and Western higher education, UIC was of great value for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Prof Roland Chin then added that he was looking forward to the product of cooperative researches and collaborative laboratories by UIC and HKBU. Also, HKBU was expected to have more cooperation with UIC. Together, HKBU and UIC would attract more excellent faculty members from around the world.
Prof Roland Chin expects fruitful cooperation with UIC
Prof Tang Tao reminisced the years he worked with Prof Ng Ching-Fai, from whom he learnt a lot.
As the current President of UIC, Prof Tang Tao expressed his gratitude to Prof Ng Ching-Fai for establishing UIC, and said that he would continue to be student oriented and promote liberal arts education.
He also thanked the government, cooperative universities, alumni and parents for their support.
Prof Tang Tao expresses his gratitude to Prof Ng Ching-Fai
Performance at the banquet is the combination of arts from both the East and the West. In “With Love from the Arts Hill: Art and Culture from the Past”, students performed traditional arts like Shedao, Guqin, folk dance, calligraphy, paper-cutting and Chinese Kungfu, as a way of paying their tribute to Prof Ng Ching-Fai.
Traditional Chinese art performance
In “Special Love for Special You”, UIC alumni started a scholarship programme named after Prof Ng Ching-Fai and his wife, with the initial donation of 100,000 yuan from UIC’s alumni. The couple immediately decided to donate 100,000 yuan.
Alumni launching the scholarship named after Prof Ng Ching-fai and his wife
Prof Ng Ching-Fai has been engaged in higher education for nearly 50 years. In his farewell speech, he said that the establishment of UIC fulfilled his wishes to make contributions to the higher education in mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as inheriting and spreading traditional Chinese culture, to which he devoted almost all his efforts and energy all these years.
President Ng Ching- Fai delivering his farewell speech
“In looking back, I am not just feeling sentimental. Rather, I want to remind ourselves why UIC came into being. In a world of constant change, we mustn’t forget what our mission is, and what makes UIC different or unique among higher education in China,” he said.
Prof Ng Ching-Fai and his family extend their gratitude and appreciation to the guests
President Tang Tao, Vice President (Academic Affairs) Prof Chen Zhi, Vice President Prof Zhang Cong present a certificate, a painting and a booklet to Prof Ng Ching-Fai
Behind this touching farewell banquet were the joint efforts of deep-hearted UIC staff members. The director of the banquet Ms Lilian Li, also Assistant to President, said that shared understanding and love for UIC made this banquet a success.
Ms Lilian Li with Prof Ng Ching-Fai at the banquet
Reporter: Aria Wu
Photographers: Ivy Liao, Aria Wu
Editors: Samuel Burgess, Deen He, Marissa Furney
(from MPRO)
