Professor Freddy Boey, President of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), along with the senior leadership team, attended the Media Spring Reception 2025 on 13 February. They welcomed the New Year with media friends and shared the latest developments at CityUHK.

President Boey emphasised that CityUHK will tackle the macroeconomic challenges together with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Hong Kong society, going through the ups and downs shoulder to shoulder. He also reiterated CityUHK’s core mission, that as the “Most International University in the World”, CityUHK is dedicated to leading the development and internationalisation of higher education, and innovating into the future.

CityUHK has been dedicated to expanding its international connections while creating a diverse learning environment for local students, leveraging the strong support of the Motherland, its base in Hong Kong, and global connectivity to equip students to become future leaders with a global vision.

Since President Boey took office, CityUHK has actively strengthened its connections with prestigious institutions worldwide. President Boey and his team have visited over 30 universities worldwide, from West to East, including those in the Belt and Road regions. These efforts will ensure that CityUHK students and faculty have unparalleled opportunities to pursue their career aspirations and collaborate with leading researchers globally.

In the past year, CityUHK established several new institutes: the CityUHK Academy of Innovation (CAI), the Institute of Digital Medicine (IDM), the College of Computing, the Hong Kong Institute of AI for Science (HKAI-Sci), and the College of Biomedicine. Moreover, CityUHK recently announced the establishment of the Institute for Materials Innovation, in collaboration with the école Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

CityUHK is recognised for its pioneering work in nanomaterials, biomaterials and smart materials, and was recently ranked 18th for Materials Science & Engineering in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2024, published by the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. EPFL is renowned for its rigorous academic standards and its emphasis on applied research, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology, robotics and sustainable energy. In the QS World University Rankings, EPFL was ranked 26th, and in the QS Subject Rankings for Materials Science, it was ranked 10th. It was ranked in the world’s Top Ten for the past three years.

The Institute for Materials Innovation will serve as a hub for innovative research, leveraging the unique strengths of both institutions. This collaboration aims to foster interdisciplinary cooperation among diverse scientific disciplines and facilitate interaction between industry, academic researchers and investors.

In addition, CityUHK has attracted over 70 academicians from 13 countries and regions. Under the Distinguished Visiting Professors Scheme, more than 50 renowned scholars work alongside CityUHK faculty and students to promote interdisciplinary scientific and academic research. They come from prestigious institutions, such as ETH Zürich, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National University of Singapore, University College London, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford.

All these factors demonstrate that CityUHK is committed to promoting interdisciplinary research, attracting top talent, and encouraging the exploration of cutting-edge technologies through its various research institutes and colleges, thereby driving innovation to boost the economy and contribute to society.

President Boey revealed that CityUHK will co-organise the Digital Health Summit 2025, in partnership with Times Higher Education, this September. This world-class summit will invite experts, researchers and policymakers from countries around the world to exchange views on various trends in digital health.

President Boey emphasised that investing in higher education is investing in the future of Hong Kong and its young people. “Expenditure on education should not be seen as ‘consumer’ expenditure, but as a crucial investment in the future. Education is closely related to the economic and social well-being of any city," he said. "CityUHK will continue to establish partnerships with top universities and institutions worldwide and actively attract top global talent to study in Hong Kong to maintain Hong Kong’s international competitiveness and attractiveness, aligning CityUHK’s goals with the HKSAR Government’s policy of developing Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education."

Before the closing of the reception, President Boey extended his sincere gratitude to the University management team, faculty and staff, students, alumni and media friends. He then joined Professor Kevin Downing, Secretary to Council; Professor Sunny Lee, Senior Director of the Office of the President; and Professor Matthew Tan, Adjunct Professor, to form the "CityUHK Beatles" and together perform three classic pieces, creating a lively atmosphere.

Other attending members of the CityUHK management team included Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President; Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise); Professor Anderson Shum, Vice-President (Research); Professor Li Wen Jung, Vice-President (Talent and International Strategy); Professor Lu Chun, Vice-President (Mainland Strategy); Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement); Miss Maggie Chau, Vice-President (Administration); and Ms Shirley Chong, Director of Communications and Institutional Research Office.