City University of Hong Kong (CityU) conferred honorary doctorates on two distinguished persons on 5 November in recognition of their significant contributions to education and the well-being of society.

The distinguished persons are:

• Professor Gérard Mourou, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2018, Professor Haut-Collège and Director of the International Center for Zetta-Exawatt Science and Technology at the école Polytechnique; and
• Dr Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung, GBM, SC, JP, former Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR Government and currently Senior Counsel.

Dr Chung Shui-ming, Pro-Chancellor, presided over the ceremony. Mr Lester Garson Huang, Council Chairman, President Way Kuo of CityU, and Mr Charles Chin Ying-on, Council Treasurer, were also in attendance.

In his address, President Kuo said Professor Mourou and Dr Yuen would serve as excellent role models for our students as we advance towards our future goals. 

“Our two honorary awardees this year represent two sides to CityU’s operations.
Professor Mourou embodies all that we have set out to achieve in research into science
and technology,” he said. “Meanwhile, Dr Yuen’s life philosophy aligns with CityU’s values in that we inspire students to pursue excellence with integrity, determination and commitment in their chosen fields of study and embrace diversity, learning to appreciate life from different perspectives.”

In his address to the congregation, Professor Mourou pointed out that climate change presents consequences that are far more terrifying than Covid-19 if we fail to look after the health of the planet, adding that scientists are proposing a new kind of nuclear energy.

“Universities, particularly CityU, should play a vital role in the research, teaching and training needed to support this (nuclear energy) proposal,” he said. “The critical mass in universities such as CityU will facilitate the development of the kind of ideas that we are proposing for securing the survival of future generations.” 

Dr Yuen said in his address that the conferment of the honour on him reflects the great importance that CityU steadfastly attaches to the rule of law. 

“The maintenance of the rule of law is not the work of one person or one institution. Nor can it be achieved in one day. The Government has its role. The legal profession has its role. Universities and their law schools have their roles. Indeed, each of us has our respective role to ensure that we have a body of appropriate legal rules that can meet the needs of our society, an independent judiciary that can administer justice without fear or favour, and after all a community that appreciates and respects the rule of law,” he said.

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