A new charitable trust will promote the development of the EMBA programme at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and provide financial support to students through scholarships.

Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, and Dr Haywood Cheung Tak-hay, Honorary Chairman of the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) Association Charity Trust (Trust) officiated at the Trust’s launch on 14 December.

In front of nearly 400 EMBA teachers, students, alumni and other guests at the ceremony, Professor Kuo and Dr Cheung led the honorary advisors and trustees of the Trust and distinguished guests to the beat of drums and the clash of traditional Chinese gongs.

The Trust comprises four honorary advisors: Professor Richard Ho Yan-ki, Co-founder of EMBA programme, Professor Yan Houmin, Dean of the College of Business, Dr John Leung Wai-keung, Director of EMBA programme, and Dr Hao Gang, Associate Vice-President (Mainland China Development).

The Trust is committed to three objectives: promoting the development of the EMBA programme; establishing funds for scholarships and assisting deserving members of the Association and students; and providing financial support for such education establishment as approved by trustees.

Donations to the Trust have already exceeded the $1 million target, with $1.4 million pledged so far.

In her welcoming remark, Ms Alvine Suen Yee-ming, Chair of the EMBA Association, said the Association had actively promoted the EMBA programme and strengthened ties among alumni since its establishment by a group of enthusiastic alumni in 2000.

The Association started to set up the Trust last year in order to further strengthen local and global connectivity, and promote social responsibility among alumni.

Professor Kuo thanked the Trust for working together with the University to build a better community.

“The Trust can help people receive a better education, and in turn recipients of the Trust can help contribute to the well-being of society by applying their knowledge,” he said.

Professor Yan said that CityU’s EMBA programme had nurtured many social leaders over the years, that the Trust was a milestone in the programme’s history. Dr Leung said he was proud to see the Trust actively making contributions to society, as the EMBA programme had always emphasised the social value of students.

Following the ceremony was a CEO Forum hosted by Dr Cheung, the Permanent Honorary President of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society.

In the forum, titled “Free Trade Zone Opportunities – Foothold Qianhai, Exploit Worldwide”, Dr Cheung estimated that Qianhai, one of the free trade zones in Guangdong Province, would attract about 10,000 Hong Kong companies to develop business there and provide more than 100,000 jobs at middle and senior levels for Hong Kong people.

Dr Cheung pointed out that the Qianhai Free Trade Zone would be modeled on Hong Kong’s management system and business style. It would set up an international arbitration centre and actively establish a gold and silver exchange centre and a financial innovation centre.

With the mainland’s policies of gradually making the renminbi fully convertible and rolling out the “One Belt, One Road” (the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road), Dr Cheung encouraged young people to make a bold move to explore the mainland market.

“The new generation of young Hong Kong people should take advantage of Qianhai’s development. With the base in Hong Kong, they can embrace the whole world,” he said.