On 14 June, 2025, the Inauguration Ceremony of CUHK(SZ) Duan Family College was held at the SIN Wai Kin International Conference Centre in the Administration Building. Mrs. Carrie Lam, former Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Professor Dennis Lo, Chairman of Governing Board of CUHK(SZ) and President of CUHK, Professor Xu Yangsheng, President of CUHK(SZ), Professor Yao Jianfeng, Dean of Duan Family College and School of Data Science, senior officers, college staff and student representatives, as well as distinguished guests from various sectors gathered to witness the establishment of the university’s seventh college-Duan Family College. Mr. Li Xialin, Director of Office of Institutional Advancement, served as the master of ceremony.
The collegiate system is an educational tradition upheld by CUHK(SZ). Currently, over 12,000 outstanding students from around the world are studying at CUHK(SZ), with each student belonging to a college. Colleges break down barriers between schools and disciplines, providing numerous whole-person education opportunities to help students fully develop their potential. To commemorate Mr. Duan Yongping’s significant support for the university’s development, the university has named its seventh college the Duan Family College. The establishment of Duan Family College marks an important step forward in the university’s efforts to promote whole-person education and carry forward CUHK’s collegiate system.
At the ceremony, Professor Xu delivered the opening speech. He stated that the university upholds CUHK’s collegiate education tradition, emphasizes whole-person education, and is committed to nurturing future leaders with broad-mindedness, humanistic qualities, and a sense of responsibility toward society, country, and the world. He expressed confidence that Duan Family College would create a warm, inclusive environment that inspires potential, and build a community where ideas collide, character is honed, and culture is passed down. He hoped that faculty and students of the college would maintain an “ordinary mind,” work hard, and ultimately achieve extraordinary things!
Subsequently, Mrs. Lam, Professor Lo, Professor Xu, Professor Yao, and other guests unveiled Duan Family College together. Professor Xu presented Professor Yao Jianfeng with the appointment letter as Dean of Duan Family College.
Professor Yao is a Presidential Chair Professor at the School of Data Science at CUHK(SZ). His research primarily focuses on random matrix theory, high-dimensional statistics, econometric models, and other fields. He is an international leader in these areas and has received numerous domestic and international research honors.
In his speech, Professor Yao expressed sincere gratitude for Mr. Duan’s generous support. He stated: The college is an important vehicle for university development and student cultivation. Duan Family College will honor this support and affection by building college culture with both feet on the ground, teaching students to be upright, to improve daily, and to be responsible and accountable. Mr. Duan Yongping often emphasizes “doing the right things and doing things right”. The establishment of Duan Family College is undoubtedly the right thing to do, and we will work together to make Duan Family College right and good.
The college is an important platform for achieving whole-person education, as well as fertile ground for innovation that breaks down professional barriers, enables the collision and integration of different ideas, and allows teachers and students to learn from each other. Duan Family College will provide students with practical and meaningful activities, create a loving and innovation-encouraging college community environment, help students transform their research careers and self-discovery, and empower every student on their journey of growth.
