The Council of City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has approved the establishment of the School of Energy and Environment (the School), the first in Hong Kong and one of the few in the region, to lead teaching and research tackling two of the most pressing issues of our time.

The School is committed to improve environmental quality and support sustainable development in Greater China and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. It aspires to be one of the leading schools in the region, specialising in professional education and cutting-edge research in energy and environment, and addressing core environmental issues relating to energy sufficiency and security, climate change and air pollution.

Professor Way Kuo, President of CityU, said the initiative would focus on training high-calibre students to cater to the increasing need for professionals in these two fields, and on undertaking top-notch research to develop applications in these rapidly growing areas to serve the needs of society.

“The establishment of the School is in line with the mission of the University to provide professional education and create applicable knowledge that supports economic advancement and improves our quality of life,” Professor Kuo said.

According to Professor Johnny Chan Chung-leung, Acting Dean of the School and Chair Professor of the Department of Physics and Materials Science, who has been instrumental in setting up the School, energy and environment are two of the primary concerns of every country in the world. Countless companies are in dire need of expertise in these areas to meet regulatory requirements and the growing demands of consumers for environmentally-friendly and sustainable products and goods.

“The School will fill a substantial gap in the demand for graduates and researchers in the areas of energy and environment, and such a demand will only grow in the foreseeable future,” Professor Chan said.

As regards research, he said the initial focus of the School would be in the science and technology areas relating to renewable energy generation, energy storage, energy efficiency and conservation, green materials, climate change and air pollution, with a dual emphasis on global excellence and local/regional relevance.

“The School places a strong emphasis on science and technology research, which will attract companies and industries working in the areas of energy and environment technology to collaborate with us to improve their business and products,” added Professor Chan.

The first student admissions for the School will begin studies in the 2009-10 academic year, comprising a cohort of full-time PhD students, while a Master degree programme is planned for the 2010-11 academic year. The School is also considering a proposal to introduce an undergraduate programme in the next triennium and developing Executive Education and professional development programmes.