Nearly 700 new elite “HK TECH Tiger” students set to start on their future leadership path were welcomed at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) in a ceremony on 19 September.

Launched last year, HK TECH Tiger is a new CityU initiative that enables high-flying students to pursue excellence, develop their potential, and take courses taught by world-class STEM professors. The members of HK TECH Tiger are among the best students, including the top 10% of students from different colleges and first-year students who achieved excellent results in public examinations.

Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, congratulated the young talent for being part of HK TECH Tiger. “HK TECH Tiger students will participate in tailor-made courses and training under the guidance of world-class scholars to fully develop their individual talent and unique potential,” he said. “I hope these outstanding students will seize this opportunity and unleash the qualities like our University Mascot, the tiger, which is wise, vital, vigorous and proactive, becoming the elite of CityU and future leaders in society.”

Guests attending the ceremony included Professor Christian Wagner, Provost of CityU; Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Vice-President (Research and Technology); Professor Chan Chi-hou, Director of Talent Education and Development; Deans of Schools and Colleges; and Department Heads.

Hung Farrell, a member of “HK TECH Tiger” from Indonesia and a Year 2 student in the Department of Electrical Engineering, said, “I have been interested in mechanical engineering since I was a child. I hope to combine the STEM knowledge I am acquiring in my discipline to engage in research and development in robotics in the future. After attending a workshop on intellectual property offered by HK TECH Tiger, my entrepreneurial path was established.”

Natalie Ling Cheuk-laam, a Year 3 student in the Department of Economics and Finance, said, “HK TECH Tiger provides us with a lot of overseas study opportunities. For example, we can take courses at Columbia University, an Ivy League School in the US, to complete a double-degree programme. I look forward to broadening my global horizons and improving myself by applying for overseas exchanges through this programme in the coming year.”

This cohort of HK TECH Tiger comprises about 230 freshmen, 270 Year 2 students, and 200 Year 3 students from 25 countries and regions. At the ceremony, Professor Chan explained to the Tigers the featured activities of the programme, including multiple tailor-made activities, such as an entrepreneurship and start-up workshop, a leadership challenge workshop, an interview and presentation skills workshop, a multimedia production workshop, a prototyping workshop, featured talks, and sharing from industrialists and start-ups.