City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has nurtured more than 100,000 graduates by providing quality professional education to the community for 25 years. To recognise the outstanding achievements of our alumni and their contribution to their professions, alma mater and society, the University set up the Distinguished Alumni Award this year and presented the accolades to Dr John Chan Chun-tung and Mr Andrew Fan Ka-fai during the Anniversary Banquet on 6 December.

Dr Norman Leung Nai-pang, CityU’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the selection panel for the award, has long been associated with the University and witnessed its development over the past 25 years. “Dr Chan and Mr Andrew Fan have been outstanding performers throughout their career. They also dedicate themselves to community service and the alma mater’s development. They are good examples of CityU’s achievements in professional education. I hope they can continue to utilise their strengths to serve the community and the alma mater,” said Dr Leung. He also thanked alumni for their participation and support and extended his sincere gratitude to the other five judges for taking part in the selection process in spite of their busy work schedule.

Dr Chan, Chairman of Chifa Holdings, is a successful entrepreneur who has taken up various public posts over the years. Besides being a committee member of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, he is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a member of the Hong Kong Government’s Central Policy Unit. After receiving his Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from CityU in 2006, he pursued a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with the College of Business and was among the first cohort of graduates this year. He said he had only wanted to study the programme as a trial, but he soon became totally involved. “The programme taught me about management theories that help to rectify my deficiencies in this area and it helped me make appropriate business decisions,” said Dr Chan.

Dr Chan applied the research methodology learned during the DBA programme to develop sales and marketing strategies in brand building and compiled an academic paper based on his many years of work experience. With the objective of promoting long-term development of the industry, he hoped the paper could serve as a reference for practitioners in the industry. He is also enthusiastic about his alma mater’s development. He served as an adjunct professor for the College of Business some years ago to share with students his extensive experience in starting a business and working in the fashion industry. He also collaborated with the College of Business to allow students in the Master of Business Administration programme to visit his companies. He made donations to his alma mater to set up scholarships that recognise and honour students for outstanding academic performance.

Andrew Fan can claim many firsts and achievements. He was a graduate of the first cohort of the Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies programme, an Elected Councillor in the first and second CityU Students’ Union, Chairman of the second Students’ Union Council. He was appointed Chairman of the Provisional Standing Committee of the Convocation and member of the Council of CityU in 2007. Currently the Regional President of Greater China of Nu Skin Enterprises, Andrew manages about 8,000 staff members at 50 direct sales centres in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and most major cities and provinces across the mainland. He said the management and leadership skills developed at CityU had proved useful in his current job.

Over the years, Andrew has been heavily involved in social services and promoting public awareness of children’s heart diseases. He has also donated part of his income to CityU every year since 1997. To encourage young students he has set up two scholarships, namely the “Top Outstanding CityU Student Leader Awards” and the “Academic Improvement Awards for Student Leaders”.

“I hope to set an example that can encourage CityU graduates to support the alma mater.” After being selected for the Distinguished Alumni Award, Andrew promised to make more contributions for the benefit of the alma mater.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is organised by the Alumni Relations Office and will be held every two years with the objective of honouring alumni who have recorded remarkable achievements in their professions and in contributing to social services and the alma mater, to encourage students and alumni to improve themselves and support CityU. The panel of judges for the first Distinguished Alumni Award was chaired by Dr Norman Leung Nai-pang, CityU’s Pro-Chancellor. Other members included Dr Raymond Chi’en Kuo-fung, Chairman of the MTR Corporation, Dr Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Eleventh National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, Mrs Stella Lau Kun Lai-kuen, Headmistress of Diocesan Girls’ School, and Dr Dennis Sun Tai-lun, Chairman and Managing Director of Fuji Photo Products Company.