Dear Colleagues and Students,
The University Council (UC) agreed at its 3rd meeting of this academic year to the conferment of honorary degrees proposed by the UC members and the Senate. It was agreed to Doctor of Law honoris causa on Mr Qiao Xiaoyang, Doctor of Education honoris causa on Ms Lau Sin Peng, Doctor of Science honoris causa on Professor Dennis Lo Yuk Ming, Doctor of Business Administration honoris causa on Dr Roy Chung Chi Ping. In accordance with Item 2 of Article 13 and Sub-item 13) of Item 1 of Article 18 of the Charter of the University of Macau, the UC recommended to the Chancellor of the University the four candidates for the award of honorary degrees. The Chancellor approved, on 13 June 2019, the above proposal for the conferment of honorary degrees. To recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the four honorary degree recipients in their areas, the University will hold a ceremony for the conferment of honorary degrees by the end of this year.
Yours sincerely,
Ka-Veng Yuen
Secretary, Honorary Degrees and Titles Committee
Introduction to the Four Honorary Degree Recipients
1. Mr Qiao Xiaoyang
Introduction
Mr Qiao Xiaoyang was born in Daye town, Hubei province in 1945. His father, Qiao Xinming, was one of the first major generals of the People’s Liberation Army appointed after the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. After Mr Qiao left senior high school in 1964, he went to the University of Havana to study Spanish. He was called back to China during the Cultural Revolution and then graduated from the Spanish Department of Beijing Language Institute. He has served as deputy head of the Asia, Africa and Latin America Section, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, secretary of the General Office of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), deputy director of the Office of the Committee of Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, and director of the Administrative Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC).
Mr Qiao served as appointed member of the Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from December 1995 to July 1997. He was also appointed as member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in June 1997. He was vice-chairman of the Legal Committee of the NPC from March 1998 to March 2003 and member of the Preparatory Committee for the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) from May 1998 to December 1999. Mr Qiao was appointed as chairman of the MSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in 1999. He was promoted to deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee and chairman of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in 2003. Mr Qiao has served as chairman of the Legal Committee of the 12th NPC since 2013. He also served as member of the 10th, 11th, and 12th NPC Standing Committee and delegate of the 15th and 16th CPC National Congress.
Mr Qiao participated in or was in charge of the drafting or amending of dozens of laws, including the Amendment to the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, Organic Law of the Local People’s Congresses and Local People’s Governments of the People’s Republic of China, Electoral Law of the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses of the People’s Republic of China, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels, Legislation Law of the People’s Republic of China, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Supervision by the Standing Committees of the People’s Congresses at All Levels, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Administrative Penalty, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Administrative Supervision, Administrative Permission Law of the People’s Republic of China, Administrative Compulsion Law of the People’s Republic of China, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Administrative Reconsideration, Anti-Secession Law, Law of the People’s Republic of China on National Defence, Military Service Law of the People’s Republic of China, Law of the People’s Republic of China on Officers in Active Service, Reserve Officers Law of the People’s Republic of China, Martial Law of the People’s Republic of China, Education Law of the People’s Republic of China, Teachers Law of the People’s Republic of China, Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of Privately-run Schools, Trade Union Law of the People’s Republic of China, Labour Law of the People’s Republic of China, and Securities Law of the People’s Republic of China. Mr Qiao has also served as adjunct professor at the National Academy of Governance and Tsinghua University, and honorary director of the Academic Committee of the Center for Hong Kong and Macao Research at Tsinghua University.
In relation to the promotion of and education on the Macao Basic Law, Mr Qiao presented to Macao people, especially students, the importance of the landmark Amendment to the Constitution, and explained the relationship between the Constitution and the Basic Law. He spoke on the subject in three aspects, that is, the core principles and basic characteristics of the Constitution, the content and impact of the Amendment, and how the Constitution regulates the implementation of the Basic Law. He hoped that the young people in Macao would study the Constitution and the Basic Law in depth and gain a good understanding of them. They should also adhere to the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle and the Basic Law. By doing so, they can contribute to the prosperity and stability of Macao, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Mr Qiao has a special bond with the new campus of UM. From 2008 to 2013, Mr Qiao was responsible for studying and handling the legal issues regarding the central government’s approval on building a new campus for UM on Hengqin Island. To facilitate the decision-making by the NPC Standing Committee, he led six group conveners of the NPC Standing Committee on a field trip to Hengqin for them to understand the actual situation. In addition, he convened the relevant government officials of Zhuhai and the MSAR to study the related issues and plans, which led to the preliminary delimitation of the campus. Subsequently, the NPC Standing Committee deliberated the issue and decided to grant the MSAR the jurisdiction over the new campus of UM on Hengqin Island, and Mr Qiao was responsible for preparing the relevant documents. He also accompanied the national leaders to attend the groundbreaking ceremony and inspection of the new UM campus. Mr Qiao is a contributor to the legislation for the reform and opening up of China, and also a key facilitator of the new campus construction of UM.
Reasons for nomination
‘The Constitution reflects the common understanding of the absolute majority of the people on the fundamental systems and the basic principles of the nation. It has been confirmed in the form of fundamental law and serves as the code of conduct for all the activities of the state.’
-- Qiao Xiaoyang
Mr Qiao became member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in 1997. He served as vice-chairman of the Legal Committee of the NPC in March 1998 and joined the Preparatory Committee for the MSAR in May of the same year. Mr Qiao was appointed as chairman of the MSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in 1999. He was promoted to deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee and chairman of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee in 2003.
Mr Qiao has made relentless effort in the promotion and education of the Macao Basic Law. He presented to Macao people, especially students, the importance of the Amendment to the Constitution. He spoke on the subject in three aspects, that is, the core principles and basic characteristics of the Constitution, the content and impact of the Amendment, and how the Constitution regulates the implementation of the Basic Law. In addition, he explained the relationship between the Constitution and the Basic Law, hoping that the young people in Macao would study the Constitution and the Basic Law in depth and gain a good understanding of them. They should also adhere to the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle and the Basic Law. By doing so, they can contribute to the prosperity and stability of Macao, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Mr Qiao has a special bond with the new campus of UM. From 2008 to 2013, Mr Qiao was responsible for studying and handling the legal issues regarding the central government’s approval on building a new campus for UM on Hengqin Island. He also led six group conveners of the NPC Standing Committee on a field trip to Hengqin. In addition, he convened the relevant government officials of Zhuhai and the MSAR to study the related issues and plans, which led to the preliminary delimitation of the campus. Subsequently, the NPC Standing Committee deliberated the issue and decided to grant the MSAR the jurisdiction over the new campus of UM on Hengqin Island, and Mr Qiao was responsible for preparing the relevant documents. He also accompanied the national leaders to attend the groundbreaking ceremony and inspection of the new UM campus. Mr Qiao is a contributor to the legislation for the reform and opening up of China, a forerunner in promoting the Macao Basic Law, and a key facilitator of the new campus construction of UM.
Since Hong Kong and Macao were returned to China, Mr Qiao has been leading the effort of the two places to build a favorable foundation for practising the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle and to implement the Basic Law. He helped create a platform for stability and development in Hong Kong and Macao after their handovers.
Mr Qiao has made significant contributions in advancing the rule of law in China and promoting patriotism and love for Macao.
2. Ms Lau Sin Peng
Introduction
Ms Lau was born in Shiqi town, Zhongshan city, Guangdong province in 1934. She came to Macao for the first time in 1939 and then went back to mainland China, before settling in Macao in 1950. She completed her secondary education in Macao in 1952 and started working in the education sector. Since then, her education career has spanned over half a century. When she was a senior high student, she started teaching part time at the workers' evening school. She has taught students at various grades, serving as subject teacher, class teacher and guidance master. She became the headmistress of Seono Fan School under the Macao Chamber of Commerce in 1984 and retired in 2000. In addition, she was awarded the master of education by South China Normal University in 1993, the Medal of Cultural Merit by the Governor of Macao in 1990, and the first Medal of Merit – Education by the MSAR government in 2001.
Ms Lau started writing when she was still a student. Between the late 1950s and the mid-1960s, she published her serial novellas in Macao Daily under such pennames as Baoqing, Jiazhen and Changfeng, and her short novels included Love Song of the Youth, The Flowers of Guia, The Courtship of a Gentleman, The Broker’s Marriage, and The Girl of Seventeen. After retiring in 2000, Ms Lau has spent more than a decade visiting different places in China and other countries, joining various education conferences and publishing papers in national periodicals. In addition, she has been writing extensively for major newspapers in Macao, the government and local publications. She has written at least 200 articles or some two million characters on the topics of education, culture, history and language. Ms Lau has also been invited to contribute entries to The Education Dictionary by Shanghai Education Publishing House; A Dictionary of Academies in China and The Encyclopedia --- Education in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan by Zhejiang Education Publishing House; and The Encyclopedia of Macao.
Reasons for nomination
In the 1980s, the education system of Macao was undergoing major reform. The government, the education sector and local education associations were working together for the development of local education. On behalf of the Chinese Educators Association of Macau (CEAM), Ms Lau often made suggestions of amendment to the government proposals on education. She spared no effort in contributing to education. She also attached great importance to students’ education, teachers’ rights and the development of private schools. Her insightful inputs on many education topics were invaluable to the sector. Ms Lau started to serve on the board of the CEAM in 1967 and has taken up other positions like director of the education promotion department, editor-in-chief of Macao Education, and deputy director-general of the association. From 1994 to 1998, she served as director-general of the CEAM, overseeing all the activities organised by the association. She represented the association to serve as member of the advisory committee for the recognition of qualifications of Macao, member of the Council of Education of Macao (an advisory body for local education), and convenor of the compulsory education workgroup of the council. Over the years, she has dedicated herself to serving the community and volunteering with youth associations and education associations. The word ‘retirement’ simply does not exist in her dictionary. She shines at every phase of her life. Now in the autumn of her years, Ms Lau is still writing and publishing. Her works have been compiled into more than ten books. One of her works A History of Education in Macao, published in 1999, has laid the foundation for the studies on the history of local education.
3. Professor Lo Yuk Ming, Dennis
Introduction
Prof. Lo Yuk Ming, Dennis is the Li Ka Shing Professor of Medicine and Professor of Chemical Pathology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is also the Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine and the Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences at CUHK. Prof. Dennis Lo’s main research interest is the study of cell-free DNA and RNA molecules which exist in the plasma of human subjects. He discovered in 1997 that an unborn fetus would release its DNA into the blood plasma of a pregnant woman. This finding has opened up a new approach for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. He has also applied a similar strategy to the detection of cancers which are common in Hong Kong, including nasopharyngeal cancer and liver cancer.
Prof. Lo received his preclinical medical training from the University of Cambridge. He then moved to Oxford University where he pursued his clinical medical training. Following qualification, he further obtained his Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Medicine degrees from Oxford. Prof. Lo began his academic career in Oxford as a Junior Research Fellow in Natural Sciences at Hertford College, followed by appointments to a University Lecturership in Clinical Biochemistry and a Fellowship at Green College. Prof. Lo was an Honorary Consultant Chemical Pathologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, the main teaching hospital of Oxford Medical School. He returned to Hong Kong in 1997 and joined the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK. Prof. Lo is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh and London) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (U.K.). He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK), the Hong Kong College of Pathologists, the Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Emmanuel College (Cambridge). He is a Past President of the Hong Kong Society of Clinical Chemistry and is a Member of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council.
Prof. Lo has published over 400 scientific papers in international journals. His outstanding work in research has also brought him numerous awards and honours such as: Winner of Inaugural Future Science Prize (Life Sciences); King Faisal International Prize in Medicine; Fellow of Royal Society; Foreign Associate, US National Academy of Sciences; Founding Member and Director, Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong; Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences; Thomson-Reuters Citation Laureate in Chemistry; Cheung Kong Achievement Award; International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) - Abbott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Molecular Diagnostics; U.S. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Distinguished Scientist Award; Senior Medical Research Fellowship, Croucher Foundation; State Natural Science Award, People’s Republic of China; Honoree, Outstanding Young Persons of the World, Junior Chamber International; Awardee, Outstanding Young Persons Selection (Hong Kong); Professors’ Prize, Association of Professors of Academic Departments of Chemical Pathology; and Leader of the Year Award, Technology Category organised by SingTao Daily (only winner in two years: 2000 & 2017).
Reasons for nomination
Prof. Dennis Lo is the Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, the Li Ka Shing Professor of Medicine and Professor of Chemical Pathology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is also the Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK. Dennis Lo received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge and the Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Oxford.
Prof. Lo was the first to discover the presence of fetal DNA in maternal plasma in 1997 and to translate this discovery into a platform of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). His scientific achievements lay the foundation for developing NIPT for important chromosomal and genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, thalassaemia, haemophilia, etc, in a non-invasive way. The diagnostic methods have changed the practice of fetal screening and are now being used worldwide by millions of pregnant women. NIPT is now the standard of practice recommended by many professional societies. Prof. Lo is widely and affectionately referred to as the “Father of NIPT”.
He has also pioneered a number of approaches to cancer liquid biopsy, especially for the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and genome-wide approaches for screening multiple types of cancer.
Prof. Lo’s achievements and contributions have been acknowledged by many prestigious awards nationally and internationally, including the King Faisal International Prize in Medicine in 2014 and the Future Science Prize – Life Science Prize in 2016. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of UK and a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences.
He has been named the “Top 20 Translational Researchers of 2016 and 2017” by the world- renowned scientific journal Nature Biotechnology. Nature Biotechnology ranked top translational researchers in biotechnology based on the number of patents granted in 2016 and 2017 and the most-cited patent for the past 5 years. Prof. Lo received this honour in two consecutive years and he was also the only Hong Kong scientist on the lists. Prof. Lo was also named as a Thomson-Reuters Citation Laureate in Chemistry in 2016, based on citation analysis. Many of Thomson-Reuters Citation Laureates subsequently went on to receive Nobel Prizes.
The paper that he co-authored namely “Analysis of Plasma Epstein-Barr Virus DNA to Screen for Nasopharyngeal Cancer” was selected as one of the ten most “Notable Articles of 2017” by the New England Journal of Medicine. This is a landmark study on over 20,000 people which demonstrated that plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA analysis is useful for screening early asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The approach described by this paper is expected to dramatically reduce mortality due to NPC.
4. Dr Roy Chung Chi Ping
Introduction
Dr Roy Chung Chi Ping, GBS, SBS, JP, was born in Macao where he received his primary and secondary education in Yuet Wah College. He moved to live and work in Hong Kong when he was a teenager. There he started as a factory porter and worked his way up. As the co-founder of a joint venture with a German partner, Dr Chung has over 40 years of experience in electronics and electrical appliances. He has made himself an outstanding industrialist and entrepreneur in Hong Kong and is hailed as the King of Power Tools. The company founded by Dr Chung -- Techtronic Industries Company Limited -- is now one of the largest manufacturers of power tools in the world and a legend of the Hong Kong industry.
Over the years, Dr Chung has devoted himself to the public services and welfare of Hong Kong and Macao. He spares no effort to promote the industrial development and the vocational and professional education and training (VPET) of the two places. He was chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries and is currently honorary president of the federation. He has also served the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council (VTC) for many years, and is now chairman of the council. VTC has established a long-term and close partnership with Macao government departments and social institutions to promote VPET for young people.
Dr Chung is a lifelong learner and a role model for the youth. As a working student, Dr Chung received PhD degrees from the University of Warwick in the UK and City University of Macau. Further, he was appointed as professor of engineering by the University of Warwick in 2010. He received the honorary doctorates from Lingnan University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Newcastle, Australia (New South Wales) in 2015, 2007 and 2006 respectively.
Dr Chung also cares about the growth and development of the youth. A major patron of the WorldSkills competitions, he has supported the candidates of the games held locally, in mainland China and other parts of the world. Via the Bright Future Charitable Foundation, his donations have made it possible for VTC students to go on field trips to places like Antarctica, Africa and the Amazon. In 2015, Dr Chung launched the Bright Future Charitable Foundation Scholarship to support outstanding VTC graduates to pursue further studies. In addition to participating actively in the Yuet Wah College Alumni Association over the years, Dr Chung has also given various lectures in Macao to share with the young people his life experience and values.
The Talents Development Committee of the local government is building a professional network with the Macao people residing in other places. Upon hearing the news, Dr Chung helped the committee get in touch and meet with many successful Macao people who are living and running successful businesses in Hong Kong. In this regard, Dr Chung has contributed significantly to drawing Macao talents back to their hometown.
Reasons for nomination
A native of Macao, Dr Roy Chung Chi Ping received his primary and secondary education in Yuet Wah College there. When he was a teenager, he moved to Hong Kong and started working as a factory porter. Dr Chung worked his way up and has made himself an outstanding industrialist and entrepreneur, earning the title of the King of Power Tools. Techtronic Industries Company Limited, founded by Dr Chung, is now one of the world’s largest manufacturers of power tools and a legend of the Hong Kong industry.
Not only is he an outstanding industrialist and entrepreneur, Dr Chung has also devoted himself to the public services and welfare of Hong Kong and Macao. He spares no effort in promoting the industrial development and the VPET of the two places. Since 2018, he has served as chairman of VTC, which is a council in close partnership with Macao government departments and social institutions to promote VPET for young people.
Dr Chung is a lifelong learner and a role model for the youth. As a working student, he received his PhDs from the University of Warwick in the UK and City University of Macau. In 2010 and 2015, he was appointed respectively as professor of engineering and professor of industry by the University of Warwick. He was also conferred honorary doctorates by Lingnan University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Newcastle, Australia (New South Wales) in 2015, 2007 and 2006 respectively. Since 2017, Dr Chung has served as honorary chairman of the Court of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
In addition, Dr Chung cares about the growth and development of the youths. A major patron of the WorldSkills competitions, he has supported the candidates of the games held locally, in mainland China and other parts of the world. His donations via the Bright Future Charitable Foundation have made it possible for VTC students to go on field trips to different countries. In 2015, Dr Chung launched the Bright Future Charitable Foundation Scholarship to support outstanding VTC graduates to pursue further studies. Aside from engaging himself in the Yuet Wah College Alumni Association, Dr Chung has also given various lectures in Macao to share with the young people his life experience and values.
The Talents Development Committee of the local government is building a professional network with the Macao people residing in other places. Upon hearing the news, Dr Chung helped the committee get in touch and meet with many Macao people who are living and running successful businesses in Hong Kong. Dr Chung has contributed significantly to drawing Macao talents back to their hometown.
In consideration of his personal experience, academic achievements and contributions to Macao, therefore, Dr Chung was recommended to be a candidate for the University of Macau honorary doctorate.
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