CUHK
News Centre

A ground-breaking ceremony was held today (17 December) by The Chinese University of Hong Kong to kick off the construction of Morningside College, one of its newest colleges. Over 100 members of the University and supporters of the College attended the ceremony. Among them were Dr. Gerald L. Chan, member of the Planning Committee for Morningside College and Director of Morningside Foundation; Mr. Ronnie C. Chan, Director of Morningside Foundation; Dr. Edgar W.K. Cheng, Chairman of the Council, CUHK; Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor, CUHK; and Professor Sir James A. Mirrlees, Master-Designate of Morningside College.

“Undergraduate colleges have been a part of life at The Chinese University since our inception nearly four and a half decades ago,” noted CUHK Vice-Chancellor Professor Lawrence J. Lau. “The creation of a new college is thus an affirmation of an important dimension of our history and evolution as an institution, as well as an indication of our ability and willingness to change and innovate well into the future. We have very high hopes for Morningside College, and for its students and graduates.”

The new College is expected to accept its first students in the fall of 2010, and will accommodate a total of 300 students-in-residence each year at equilibrium. The College will have a distinctly international character, drawing on the strengths of residential college models developed in universities such as Cambridge and Yale while also being firmly rooted in the Chinese tradition of the scholarly academy.

All Morningside College students will reside and dine in the College, as will the College Master. The student body will be diverse, with students drawn from Hong Kong, mainland China, and other parts of the world and from all academic disciplines. There will also be frequent distinguished visitors to the College from all walks of life and all parts of the world. The College hopes to foster a level of intimacy among students and faculty, and a style of learning that is only possible in a small, cohesive community.

Professor Sir James A. Mirrlees, 1996 Nobel Laureate in Economics, will serve as founding Master of the College. “The College is not only for learning, though that is a great thing,” Professor Mirrlees observed. “It will also open the way to independent ideas and creativity. All our students have that potential. We mean to release it.”

MorningsideCollegewas created with generous gifts from the Morningside Foundation which was set up by the Chan Family. “At Morningside College, we seek to nurture the intellect of students who are all too accustomed to being asked merely to proffer text-book answers,” said Dr. Gerald L. Chan, Director, Morningside Foundation. “We want students to be prepared for the future they will face by being guided to think logically, critically, and creatively.”

Overseas study and service activities conducted by students will also be an important feature of the Morningside College experience. “Students at Morningside College will be encouraged not just to learn about the world but to serve it,” remarked Mr. Ronnie C. Chan, also Director of the Foundation. “Not only will the world be a better place for their efforts, but they themselves will live more meaningful, satisfying lives.”

To cater for the increased student enrolment of 3,000 upon the reversion to a four-year curriculum in 2012, CUHK needs more colleges to maintain the quality of education. With the generous support of benefactors, CUHK has established Morningside College, S. H. Ho College, C. W. Chu College, Wu Yee Sun College and Lee Woo Sing College. The establishment of new colleges is an important milestone in the University's development, one that demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the college system. In conjunction with the existing four colleges, Chung Chi College, New Asia College, United College and Shaw College, the five new colleges will provide a spectrum of choice for undergraduate students.