Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation makes a generous pledge of HK$10 million to CUHK’s I‧CARE Programme. Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK (left), and Prof. Shing-tung Yau, Distinguished Professor-at-Large of CUHK (right), receive the donation from Mr. Peter Kar-shing Cheng, chairman of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has launched the I‧CARE Programme to promote students’ holistic development through social and civic engagements in Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas. The Programme has been well received by CUHK students and the community since its launch in September 2011. CUHK is pleased to announce today (14 February) that the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation has made a generous pledge of HK$10 million to inspire CUHK alumni to support this meaningful cause. Under this ‘Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation Alumni Challenge’, every dollar an alumnus gives will be matched dollar for dollar up to a sum of HK$10 million.

On 20 January, mathematician Prof. Shing-tung Yau (1969/Chung Chi/Mathematics), Distinguished Professor-at-Large and outstanding alumnus of CUHK, appealed to all alumni to donate the extra money they receive from the HKSAR Government’s ‘Scheme $6,000’ to their alma mater in support of the newly launched I‧CARE Programme, for the holistic development of students through social and civic engagements in Hong Kong, mainland China and overseas. In response to Professor Yau’s appeal, Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, together with all Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Faculty Deans joined hands to each donate a red packet of $1,000 to the I‧CARE Programme at the Spring Media Reception on 30 January. They expressed their hopes that 10,000 alumni will follow suit to donate HK$1,000 each, which will inject another $10 million into the I‧CARE Programme.

Mr. Peter Kar-shing Cheng, chairman of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, said, ‘The Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation has been a staunch supporter of the educational projects of the Chinese University. A donation was made to its Faculty of Medicine for the setting up of the “Chow Tai Fook – Cheng Yu Tung Surgical Stem Cell Research Centre” last year, promoting the use of stem cell in the clinical therapy of organ degeneration and trauma related diseases. The foundation identifies with the vision of the I‧CARE Programme and is impressed by the alumni’s fundraising initiatives. We are pleased to make a donation pledge of HK$10 million to match with the alumni’s donation on a dollar-to-dollar basis, with the hope that more CUHK alumni can support this meaningful cause.’

Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung is grateful for the recognition and support from the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation. ‘The donation is particularly significant with the recent proposal of the Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government that the sixth round of the Matching Grant Scheme will be expected in July this year. The University will apply for the matching fund, with donation cheques received by end of June and the donation from the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, on the commencement day of the Matching Grant Scheme. Therefore, this campaign is particularly meaningful as every $1 donated by our alumni will actually be worth $3 ($1 from CTF Foundation and $1 from HKSAR Government matching fund).’

Prof. Shing-tung Yau concluded, ‘On this joyous Valentine’s Day, I hope our alumni will rapidly respond to our appeal, and make a donation in support of I‧CARE Programme as a token of appreciation to our alma mater.’ He said he would send a ‘Valentine’s message’ to CUHK alumni all over the world to wish everyone happy Valentine’s and to solicit their support for CUHK.