(Left) Ms Irene Man, Trustee of UK Friends of HKU
(Right) Mr Martin Gilbert Barrow, Director of Matheson & Co Limited and Former Legislative Member
"UK Friends of HKU" was officially launched at a cocktail reception co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London on June 18, 2019, with former Chancellor Lord David Wilson, Director-General of the HK Economic and Trade Office Ms Priscilla To and Dean of Architecture Professor Chris Webster joining the occasion.
"The University of Hong Kong has changed enormously since I was a student there. It has continued to change and to develop at a rapid pace since I was Chancellor, it's hugely dynamic. No wonder HKU ranks so high amongst Asian universities. It deserves to. And it deserves friends as well," said Lord Wilson, former Chancellor and alumnus of The University of Hong Kong (HKU).
"Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in England and Wales, UK Friends of HKU's mission is to support the advancement of education connected with HKU", said Mr George Payne, Chairman of UK Friends of HKU, business graduate of 2009. It will facilitate donations from individuals and organisations in the UK to the University. Donations via UK Friends of HKU are eligible for UK tax relief (UK Gift Aid).
The first gift received through UK Friends of HKU was from a beloved member of the HKU Family, the late Professor Ian Davies, former Vice-Chancellor of HKU (2000–02). With his £1 million bequest, the Ian Davies Professorship in Ethics has been created. It reflects the late professor's life-long dedication to upholding good ethics in the workplace. Professor Simon Lam Sing-Kwong from the Faculty of Business & Economics was named the first Ian Davies Professor in Ethics. Professor Lam will embark on a new research project analysing ethical leadership in China.
The University welcomes charitable gifts from across the globe. Donations from the US via "Friends of HKU" http://usfriends.hku.hk/ and Canadian donors are also eligible for tax deduction/relief in their respective countries. For details, please visit: http://www.giving.hku.hk/en/How-To-Give/Gifts-From-Overseas.html
