HONG KONG, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Hong Kong (HKU) held the HKU Entrance Scholarships Award Ceremony on April 19 (Friday) to recognise outstanding academic and non-academic achievements of students admitted to the University in the 2023-24 academic year.

This year, more than 430 students admitted from Hong Kong and about 40 countries or regions were awarded, with a total scholarship amount of nearly HK$46 million contributed by donors, the HKSAR government, and the University.

The Acting President of HKU, Professor Richard Wong, gave an opening remark at the Ceremony. He said: "As one of the leading universities in Asia and the world, HKU believes in nurturing and empowering individuals who possess not only intellectual brilliance but also the passion to make a positive impact on society. Today, we celebrate not only students' academic achievements but also their potential to become the leaders who will shape the future of our world. We will continue to provide our students with a world-class education that will empower them to become the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow."

Benefactors of the 'Hon Ping Entrance Scholarship for Nigerian Students', 'Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman's Scholarship' and 'Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship', 'Lee Shau Kee Scholarships' and 'Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship', 'M. W. Lo Memorial Scholarships for Outstanding Mainland Students', and 'Rosita King Ho Scholarship', as well as Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), were also among the guests of honour and presented awards to the students.

Representatives from ten Consulates-General attended the event to extend their warm wishes to the student awardees from their respective countries or regions. Representatives from 20 local secondary schools were also present to celebrate with their former students.

The students awarded have excelled in a variety of fields. They included 22 President's Scholars. Other scholarships awarded include the 'Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman's Scholarship', for students with exceptional academic achievements; the 'Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship' for outstanding young athletes admitted to HKU through the 'Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme'; and the 'Belt and Road Scholarship', which recognises outstanding students coming from the Belt and Road countries.

In addition to expressing their happiness at receiving the scholarships, the awardees are also looking forward to their university life and future career endeavours.

Penelope Septier, who received an HKU Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Talents, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree at HKU as part of her dual degree programme with the French university Sciences Po. Penelope was grateful to both institutions for their close partnerships which encourage the East-West cultural collaborations and highlighted HKU's role in fostering knowledge exchange and providing rich academic resources. She also shared her experience interning at a local NGO specialising in human trafficking law, which allowed her to apply her learnings from her Psychology and Criminology at HKU, paving the way for her future career in international criminal law.

Receiving the Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship, Carina Cheung Ting Ting, who is studying for a Bachelor of Science degree, thanked the scholarship donors for providing financial stability and enabling her to pursue her passion as a nutritionist. The scholarship aims to recognise students who have achieved excellence while demonstrating resilience and strength of mind to overcome adversities or challenges in life and support these students' undergraduate studies in Hong Kong. Carina emphasized her participation in various volunteer projects and the scholarship's role in allowing her to attend a summer school programme at another prestigious university.

Rocky Gu Lok Hei, an HKU Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship for President's Scholars recipient pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, shared his experiences in anatomy dissection classes and his commitment to advancing the medical field through research and innovation.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Communication and Public Affairs Office, HKU
Ms Melanie Wan (Tel: 2859 2600 / Email: melwkwan@hku.hk)
Ms Jaymee Ng (Tel: 3910 3612 / Email: ngjaymee@hku.hk)
Mr Kenneth Choi (Tel: 3917 2607 / Email: khkchoi@hku.hk)