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The University of Hong Kong (HKU) held the HKU Entrance Scholarships Award Ceremony on April 11 (Friday) to recognise outstanding academic and non-academic achievements of students admitted to the University in the 2024-25 academic year.

This year, more than 550 students admitted from Hong Kong and 50 countries or regions were awarded, with a total scholarship amount of over HK$67 million contributed by donors, the HKSAR government, and the University.

The President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Xiang Zhang, gave a welcoming remark at the Ceremony. He said, “Equipping students to cope with this ever-changing world is one of our important missions. HKU is at the forefront of integrating AI applications to enhance research, teaching, and societal impact. Our interdisciplinary approach ensures that our students are well-versed in cutting-edge technologies and prepared to lead in this digital era.” Professor Zhang also encouraged the student awardees to be future leaders, “Your journey at HKU is just beginning, and we are here to support and guide you every step of the way. I have no doubt that you will continue to excel and make us proud as part of the HKU community.”

Benefactors of the ‘HKU Foundation Entrance Scholarship’ and ‘HKU Foundation Entrance Scholarship for Future Leaders of the Year’, ‘Hon Ping Entrance Scholarship for Nigerian Students’, ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman’s Scholarship’, ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship’ and ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Undergraduate Scholarship’, ‘Jardine HKU Scholarship’, ‘Lee Shau Kee Scholarships’ and ‘Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship’, as well as Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) and Professor Bennett Yim, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and International Student Exchange, were also among the guests of honour and presented awards to the students.

To strengthen HKU’s position as a global university and facilitate international collaboration, this year, 15 overseas government officials and representatives who are responsible for education initiatives or scholarship programmes in their respective countries or regions, such as Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, were specially invited to the HKU campus to join the Ceremony. In addition, eight representatives from the Consulates-General in Hong Kong, including India, Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, the Philippines, Russia, and Vietnam, attended the event to extend their warm wishes to the student awardees from their respective countries or regions. Representatives from nearly 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 21 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 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.

Sarah Jody Siquig Castañeto, a student pursuing a Bachelor of Journalism and recipient of the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund, emphasised the transformative role of the scholarship in her life. Growing up in a rural province of the Philippines, Jody has developed a profound commitment to educational equity and established a youth-led organisation aimed at raising awareness of societal issues in peripheral areas of the country. She expressed gratitude to the donors for enabling her higher education journey at HKU and empowering her to continue advocating for the underprivileged as a future journalist.

Awarded the HKU Scholarship for Future Leaders and currently pursuing the Science Master Class, Simay Yuksel from Turkey shared her achievements in biological sciences during high school, where she obtained a patent on an AI model for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases. Excited about her upcoming summer research projects and highlighting the opportunity to engage in in-person conversation with the 2021 Nobel Prize winner Benjamin List, Simay was grateful for the invaluable resources HKU provides to realise her dream of pursuing a research-oriented career in molecular biology, translating scientific discoveries into sustainable real-world solutions.

As a recipient of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship, Nelia Siu Ching Yu resonated deeply with the ethos of the scholarship and recounted her journey of overcoming adversities as a student with invisible disabilities. Pursuing a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Nelia believed that the programme provided the essential building blocks to achieve her aspirations of becoming an academic and advocate, leveraging multidisciplinary insights to tackle complex issues faced by marginalised groups.

Geoff Wong Shue Hei, awarded the HKU Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship for President’s Scholars and pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, recounted a transformative experience while volunteering for elderly patients at an engagement project, which solidified his commitment to continue serving the local community through volunteer efforts. Geoff thanked Professor Zhang for his recognition and pledged to practice medicine with patience and understanding.

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