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The University of Hong Kong (HKU) held an inauguration ceremony today (August 26) for the academic year 2026-27, welcoming a new cohort of undergraduate students into the HKU family.

This year's ceremony adopted the theme, "Excellence with Purpose: Shaping Tomorrow's Leaders Today." In his welcoming address, Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, inspired the incoming students to pursue academic excellence whilst upholding strong moral values, demonstrating courage, and embracing their responsibility to society.

Professor Zhang highlighted HKU's leadership in AI education as the first university in Hong Kong to integrate AI literacy as a compulsory component of the undergraduate curriculum, ensuring students are equipped with essential future skills. He urged students to embrace artificial intelligence and emerging technologies whilst remaining anchored to the enduring core mission of education.

“We aim to nurture you all to become future leaders of this world. If you commit to making a difference with empathy you will always be irreplaceable. That is the true essence of excellence with purpose,” Professor Zhang remarked. He further encouraged students to seize every opportunity for learning and exploration at HKU, cultivating the creativity, curiosity, empathy, and leadership required to become purposeful change-makers of the future.

The Honourable Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council and a distinguished HKU alumna, delivered an address as the Guest of Honour. Drawing on her rich experiences as a student, Mrs Ip encouraged students to embrace lifelong learning, remain adaptable, and pursue their passions with confidence.

"Your journey will be just as unpredictable. Do not be afraid to take the road less travelled. Do not be afraid to change direction when circumstances demand it. Above all, do not regard your degree as the destination of your education. The future belongs to those who are prepared to embrace change, reinvent themselves and make a difference," Mrs Ip said.

Mrs Ip also reflected on Hong Kong's remarkable transformation over the past decades, noting that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, frontier technologies, and the shifting global landscape require the next generation to cultivate foresight, adaptability, and an interdisciplinary mindset to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

About 1,500 students attended the ceremony at the Grand Hall or watched a live stream of the event in a nearby lecture theatre at the Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre. During the ceremony, students took part in HKU's traditional Robing Ceremony, where they donned the University's iconic green gown under the leadership of Professor Zhang, formally marking their entry into the HKU community.