The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) successfully held its annual Staff Retreat on 28 May 2025, providing a valuable opportunity for faculty, administrative, and technical teams to reflect, strategize, and strengthen collaboration. The retreat served as a key moment to align goals and explore new initiatives that drive SEE's continued excellence.

The retreat began with a warm welcome from Dean Prof. Benjamin Horton, setting the stage for a productive day. This was followed by a dynamic SWOT analysis session, where faculty and staff engaged in an open exchange of ideas. The collaborative discussion helped assess SEE’s strengths, opportunities, and challenges, laying the groundwork for strategic initiatives and future growth.

SEE was honored to welcome two distinguished guests to the retreat. Prof. Shirley Chong, Director of Communications and Institutional Research (DCIRO) shared practical insights on how SEE can continue to enhance its visibility and performance in global university rankings. Her clear and actionable presentation was deeply appreciated by all participants.

Prof. Thomas Ng, the Chairman, Associate Vice-President and Chief of (Campus Development, Facilities and Sustainability, CDFS), also joined the retreat to provide an important update on the University’s ongoing campus development and space planning. His presentation gave the SEE community a better understanding of upcoming infrastructure improvements and how they will support teaching, research, and collaboration.

Throughout the day, SEE faculty members presented key updates on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, research achievements, outreach and internationalisation efforts, and administrative developments. A major highlight of the afternoon was a farewell tribute to Prof. Guohua Chen, former Dean of SEE, who concluded his term in June this year. The SEE community expressed their sincere gratitude for Prof. Chen’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, which laid a strong foundation for the School’s ongoing growth.

The retreat concluded with the presentation of the Research Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions in research and innovation. Prof. Wei Wu received the SEE Excellent Innovation Award 2025, while Prof. Jian Wang and Prof. Xue Wang were honored with the SEE Excellent Young Researcher Award 2025. The event wrapped up with closing remarks from Prof. Horton, reinforcing SEE’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and lasting impact.