HKIAS Distinguished Lectures expand the borders of knowledge
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At a time when humanity is facing unprecedented challenges, the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) of the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) provides a unique platform for leading academics from various disciplines to address some of society's most pressing issues.
Senior Fellows include Nobel Laureates
In addition to establishing an internationally-recognised high-impact dissemination platform for interdisciplinary research, the HKIAS has put in place appropriate procedures to recognise and reward interdisciplinary research and education. Notably, the HKIAS is constantly evolving. When the Institute was established five years ago, there were 10 Senior Fellows. Today the number has grown to 34, including three Nobel Laureates, while the majority of Senior Fellows are members of national academies or of equivalent stature. By inviting internationally recognised academics in their fields, the HKIAS fosters intellectual exchange across disciplinary fields.
With support, in part, provided by the Kwang Hua Educational Foundation, over the coming months, HKIAS Senior Fellows will deliver lectures highlighting the latest developments from their research fields covering the Institute’s full range of specialist research areas. These include mathematics, natural sciences, materials science, and biomedical sciences. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, during the 2020/21 academic year, Distinguished Lectures will be conducted online through Zoom. The expansion of virtual outreach enables collaboration and access to Institute scholarship in novel and exciting ways. Virtual outreach means a range of academic seminars and public events will now be available to audiences around the world in real-time.
Powerful endorsement for a bright future
Providing a valuable contribution that will enable HKIAS to continue its goals, earlier this year, the Institute received a significant donation of HK$15 million from the estate of one of Hong Kong’s most influential figures - the late Dr Chung Sze-yuen, GBM, JP (1917–2018). The extraordinary gift will support HKIAS endeavors to establish Fellowships for worldwide distinguished scholars. It will also enable the Institute to recruit and retain leading scholars and promising early-career talent, enabling them to explore new horizons of knowledge and further expand academic and knowledge frontiers.
By building on its well-established strengths that celebrates collaboration, HKIAS will continue to develop new insights to benefit society, technology and scholarship. At the same time, importance will continue to be focused on providing extensive opportunities for mentorship. Furthermore, in addition to the groundbreaking research on campus, as HKIAS continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge through interdisciplinary collaboration and intellectual risk-taking, the reach of the HKIAS will be expanded this year through several interactive digital channels that will reinforce and leverage the creativity of the global community of scholars.