The Glorious History of the University ofHong Kong
2 min readThe University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong.Its motto isSapientia et Virtus”in Latin,meaning”wisdom and virtue”,and”mingdegewu”in Chinese.Theofficial language of instruction is English.
The University is referred hy QuacquarelliSymonds as a”world-class comprehensive researchuniversity”.In 2010,it was ranked 23rd in the QSWorld University Rankingsand lst in their AsianUniversity Rankings.In another ranking,the 2010-ZlI Times Higher Education World UniversityRankings cooperatingwith Thomson Reuters as thenew data supplier since2010,the university wasranked 21st in theworld and Ist in Asia.
The University of HongKong traces its origins to the former Hong Kong College ofMedicine for Chinese,founded by the London Missionary Society in 1887 and would laterbecome the Medical Faiculty of the University of Hong Kong.The College is noted for beingChina’s Father of the Nation Sun Yat-sen’s alma mater.
The University wasfounded in 1911 when Governor Sir Frederick Lugard proposed toestablish a university in Hong Kong.Lugard felt an urgent need to establish a university in Asiato compete withthe other Great Powers establishing universities in China,most notably Prussia,Which had just opened Tongji University in Shanghai.The colonial Hong Kongers shared Britishrycs and allowed Britain to expand its influence in southern China and consolidate its rule inHong Kong.
Parsi businessman Sir Hormusiee Naorojee Mody learned of Lugard’s plan and pledged towhate HK$150.000 towards the construction and HK$30,000 towards other costs.The Hong”oing Government and the business sector in southern China,which were both equally eager tolearn”secrets of the West’s success”(referring to technological advances made since the IndustrialRevolution),also gave their support.The Swire Group also contributed funds,wishing to repair itscorporate image following an industrial accident that had injured many Chinese sailors.Along withother donors including the United Kingdom government and companies such as HSBC,Lugardfinally had enough to build the university.
Lugard laid the foundation stone of the Main Building on 16 March 1910 and hoped that theuniversity would educate more Chinese people in British”imperial values”,as opposed to those ofother Western powers.
