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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) received a generous donation of HK$1 million from China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). The donation will be dedicated to supporting international exchange scholarships for CUHK undergraduate students, in particular those from the mainland China.

Mr Fu Cheng Yu, the President of CNOOC and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CNOOC Limited, and the Directors of the Board of CNOOC attended the donation presentation ceremony and exchanged views with academics of the University on campus. At the ceremony, Mr Fu restated the commitment of the company to the community. Over the years, the company has supported numerous campaigns to relieve poverty and promote education. CNOOC and its staff donated liberally to aid victims of the tsunami in South Asia in 2004, and the tropical cyclone Katrina in the United States last year. "As a responsible corporate citizen, CNOOC has an annual giving of RMB ￥20 million to support social, educational and environmental protection programmes in the community."

Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK expressed his deep gratitude to CNOOC for their generous gift. He mentioned that CUHK is the leading university in Hong Kong that has forged academic links with mainland universities since the 1970’s, that has started admitting mainland undergraduate students since 1997, and that established a liaison office on the mainland with a view to forging closer links with mainland institutions. Last year, CUHK pioneered the direct admission of undergraduate students from nationwide joint university entrance exam in the mainland China. "We anticipate that the total number of mainland students on our campus will steadily increase in the coming decade, and many of them will be able to benefit from the ample opportunities of overseas exchange realized by generous sponsors such as CNOOC," said Professor Lau.

Indeed, CUHK is the first university in Hong Kong that established student exchange programmes with overseas partners since 1965. Now, CUHK partners with around 190 institutions in 23 countries worldwide. This year, CUHK has over 600 incoming exchange students and close to 500 outgoing exchange students.

After the establishment of the Fung Ying Seen Koon for Taoist Studies Scholarship in 2002, the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Taosit Fung Ying Seen Koon joined hand again to set up the Centre for the Studies of Taoist Culture, with the hope of promoting Taoist culture and studies.

Over a hundred Taoist Masters and followers, government officials, scholars and guests from Hong Kong, mainland China and Macau attended the inauguration ceremony held at Cho Yiu Hall on CUHK campus today. Officiating at the inauguration ceremony today were Mr Qi Xiaofei, Vice-Director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Dr Patrick C.P. Ho, Secretary for Home Affairs of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Master Ren Farong, President of Chinese Taoist Association, Master Lai Hin Wa, Permanent Chairman of Taoist Fung Ying Seen Koon, and Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University.

At the ceremony, Prof. Lawrence J. Lau of CUHK and Master Lai Hin Wa of Taoist Fung Ying Seen Koon exchanged the agreements on the collaboration signed earlier. Prof. Lai Chi Tim, Professor of the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies and director of the new centre, said the centre will focus on advancing academic research on Taoist studies, promulgating knowledge of Taoist culture to the general public, developing Taoist education in local secondary schools and enhancing cultural and academic exchanges among Taoist organizations in Hong Kong and on the mainland. He also thanked the Taoist Fung Ying Seen Koon for their generous support to the centre.

CUHK is committed to the promotion of Chinese culture. The Department of Cultural and Religious Studies has launched various research projects and offered a number of courses on Taoist culture at doctoral and master’s levels some years ago. The new Centre will take the initiatives to release publications on the research of Taoist culture and studies, produce teaching materials for the use of secondary schools, and publish newsletters and academic journals. The Centre also plans to introduce a certificate programme on Taoist culture for the general public and organize summer intensive courses and field trips for Taoist masters and followers.