City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has dedicated a student residential hall to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in appreciation of its generous donations to support the Student Hostels Project.

A major charity in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust donates an average of more than $1 billion each year to fund a host of community and charitable projects. In support of CityU’s mission to nurture the talents of students, the Trust has donated over $180 million to the University’s development, including over $125 million towards the construction of the three-phase development of the Student Hostels Project.

Speaking at the Jockey Club Harmony Hall naming ceremony today (26 October), Mr Chung Shui-ming, Chairman of the University Council of CityU, said upon completion of the first three phases of the Student Hostels Project, the University was able to provide accommodation for some 2,900 students in nine blocks of residence. The Project not only represented a milestone that was transforming CityU into a residential University, it also added a new dimension to learning that facilitates greater whole-person education.

Mr Chung said CityU was grateful to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its unwavering support.

Mr T Brian Stevenson, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said the Club appreciated the efforts CityU was making to groom future leaders through the provision of quality higher education of international standing. “The provision of quality residential facilities goes far beyond the simple need to accommodate students on campus. It enables the University to open its doors to more students from abroad and, most importantly, create a learning hub for students’ intellectual, social and emotional development,” he said.

Professor H K Chang, CityU’s President, pointed out that the planning for the construction of the Phase Four hostel was also underway. “Our student hostels have already reached their full capacity. Only by going ahead with the Phase Four development can we accommodate the demands generated by the implementation of the four-year undergraduate curriculum and a greater mix of local and international students,” he said.

By hosting both undergraduate and postgraduate students that enable exchange opportunities among students from different disciplines, Jockey Club Harmony Hall defines its uniqueness among the nine residential halls. Another significant feature of the Hall is its provision of suites and studios which was deliberately designed to cater for the diverse backgrounds and varied needs of the students.