Lingnan University to confer honorary doctorates upon three distinguished individuals
Lingnan University will confer honorary doctorates upon three distinguished individuals, namely, Dr Philip Chen Nan-lok, GBS, JP; Prof Liu Yi-chang, BBS, MH and Prof Frederick Ma Si-hang, GBS, JP in recognition of their outstanding achievements in their respective professions and valuable contributions to the well-being of society.
As a seasoned business executive with more than 30 years of management experience, mostly in the aviation industry covering Hong Kong, Mainland China and beyond, Dr Chen has been playing an active role in promoting education in Hong Kong and overseas. He was a member of the University Grants Committee from 2004 to 2012, and the chairman of its Quality Assurance Council from 2008 to 2012. He also served on the Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Business School, the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and is a Trustee of Friends of Tsinghua University Law School Charitable Trust. Dr Chen will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Business Administration honoris causa.
Prof Liu is a renowned Chinese novelist known for his significant contributions in nurturing local literary talent and promoting cultural development in Hong Kong. A graduate from Saint John’s University in Shanghai, Prof Liu had a long career in journalism in Chongqing, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. He began writing novels in 1930s and has published more than 30 books. In 1985, he founded Hong Kong Literature, a monthly magazine that introduces trends and works of Western literature and art, and promotes literary writing in Hong Kong, and served as its editor-in-chief until 2000. He is Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Writers, Expert Adviser on Literary Arts of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR Government, and an Honorary Professor of the Open University of Hong Kong. Prof Liu will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature honoris causa.
A graduate of The University of Hong Kong with double major in economics and history, Prof Ma had worked in the banking and financial sector for nearly 30 years with substantial contributions to public finance, financial services and economic development of Hong Kong. He had served as the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government. Prof Ma was appointed Honorary Professor of the School of Economics and Finance at the University of Hong Kong in October 2008, a Professor of Finance Practice of the Institute of Advanced Executive Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in July 2012, and an Honorary Professor of Business Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in August 2013. Prof Ma will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa.
The honorary doctorates will be awarded at the 45th Congregation of Lingnan University to be held at the Chan Tak Tai Auditorium on campus on Monday, 20 October 2014.