UChicago event commemorates five-year anniversary of Hong Kong campus

The University of Chicago commemorated the five-year anniversary of The Hong Kong Jockey Club University of Chicago Academic Complex – The University of Chicago Francis and Rose Yuen Campus in Hong Kong during a daylong event on Oct. 28 that highlighted academic scholarship and also celebrated the 125th anniversary of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

In a video message played at the commemoration, President Paul Alivisatos underscored UChicago’s presence in Hong Kong as a “cornerstone of our global engagement.”

“Since its opening in late 2018, the campus in Hong Kong has allowed the University of Chicago to become a key player in the East Asian academic and intellectual ecosystems, bringing our expertise to bear where relevant and learning in turn from our colleagues here. This has allowed us to draw an uninterrupted line between our efforts and priorities in Chicago and East Asia.”

The celebration also highlighted ongoing scholarship on the Hong Kong campus, especially with the newest cohort of Chicago Booth’s Executive MBA - Asia students.

“We are delighted to reconnect in person with our Asia-based community, including Booth alumni, students, and local partners, to commemorate both the Hong Kong campus’ fifth anniversary and Chicago Booth’s 125 years of offering a transformative global business education,” said Madhav Rajan, dean of Chicago Booth and the George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting.

The campus in Hong Kong opened in November 2018 as a hub in the Asia-Pacific region for leaders, researchers, and students in science, technology, medicine, research, law, the arts, and other areas of study. It hosts Chicago Booth’s Executive MBA (EMBA) - Asia program and nearly 75 percent of Chicago Booth students at the campus in Hong Kong travel from across the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the campus’ iconic Mount Davis location is also home to the Hong Kong Jockey Club University of Chicago Heritage Courtyard and Interpretation Centre, which invites the Hong Kong community to learn about the site’s historic importance through guided tours and rotating exhibitions.

Mark Barnekow, executive director of the campus in Hong Kong, opened the Oct. 28 celebration by highlighting the campus’ transformation into a thriving hub of creativity and intellectual inquiry.

“We are committed to fostering and cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship that empowers trailblazers to shape the future of business in Asia and beyond at our campus that is on the doorstep of some of the fastest-growing and most populous economies in the world,” he said.

The daylong program also included far-ranging discussions with UChicago scholars. Booth Prof. Harry L. Davis spoke about leadership as a story of human progress; Prof. Robert Rosner discussed the potential of a carbon-free energy grid; Prof. Erik Hurst spoke about the future of the labor force; and Prof. Boaz Keysar highlighted his research on the differences between native and second languages in risk taking and decision making.

In addition to presentations by UChicago faculty, four social sector leaders who participated in Hong Kong Jockey Club Programme on Social Innovation offerings shared insights on their experiences, navigating challenging environments and what role attendees could play in effecting positive change. The Programme, operated by Chicago Booth’s Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, aims to build capacity, share knowledge, and connect leaders in Hong Kong’s business and social sectors.

The Hong Kong anniversary marks the start of a year celebrating UChicago’s legacy of global engagement, which has been a hallmark of the University since its founding. In the coming year, UChicago will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Chicago House in Luxor, Egypt; the 10th anniversary of its Center in Delhi, and the opening of the John W. Boyer Center in Paris.