By Li Han
Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center
Professor H. K. Chang, Former President of the City University of Hong Kong, was named a Tsinghua University Honorary Professor on December 7th. Tsinghua President Gu Binglin attended the award ceremony held in Tsinghua’s Main Building that afternoon and awarded the letter of appointment to Professor Chang.
After the award ceremony, Professor Chang delivered a speech on innovative talents and innovative culture. In his speech, Professor Chang reviewed the history of human innovation. He talked about innovation, cultivation of innovative talents, and the creation of innovative culture. He noted that Chinese universities need to play a more important role in developing innovative culture.
Tsinghua President Gu had a discussion with Professor Chang prior to the award ceremony.
Professor Chang received his Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering from Stanford University in 1964 and his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University in 1969. He has served as the founding Dean of the School of Engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He was the President and a University Professor of City University of Hong Kong from 1996 to 2007. The Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) has elected him a foreign member for his outstanding academic achievements. In recognition of his academic accomplishments and contributions to cultural exchange between China and France, the President of France awarded him France’s highest honour in 2000 by appointing him a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur. In 2002, he was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in recognition of his contributions to education, culture, science and technology.
A typical scholar with an engineering background, Professor H.K.Chang has taken a great interest in Chinese culture. He currently offers a course to Tsinghua Freshmen this semester entitled “Voyages through Civilizations”.
(Photo by Guo Haijun)
