Prof. Stephen J. Toope

Professor Wei Shyy, President

Professor Yang Wang, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement 
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

25 January 2021 

Dear Professor Shyy and Professor Wang,

I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to HKUST on its 30th anniversary on behalf of the University of Cambridge.

An anniversary like this is a great opportunity to reflect on the road already travelled and look into the future. Although a young university, HKUST’s achievements in the last thirty years are remarkable. It is not only one of the leading universities in Asia, but also has a global reputation. Times Higher Education ranked HKUST No.1 in the world’s young universities in 2020. This is achieved through the efforts and hard work of all staff, students, supporters and a growing network of partners. I would like to express my full respect to all on this accomplishment.

2020 was a most unusual year. The Coronavirus pandemic has posed great challenges to universities in research, education, and partnerships. Our resilience and innovative ways to respond to a crisis have been tested to an unprecedented extent. I am pleased to see that both Cambridge and HKUST have made extraordinary efforts to respond to the challenges and ensure the excellence of research and education.

Universities have an important role to play to serve our societies locally and globally. This is especially the case now, as we confront global challenges of a magnitude and complexity rarely seen in history. The University of Cambridge is committed to continue to work with our global partners. We believe that partners, such as HKUST, will play a crucial role as we seek to tackle global challenges and achieve the University’s mission of contributing to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.

With my best wishes to colleagues at HKUST as it continues to thrive and increase its global impact.

Professor Stephen J. Toope

The Vice-Chancellor