A Celebration of Journalism with Ying Chan marks the end of an era

Acknowledgement: Journalism and Media Studies Centre, HKU: A Celebration of Journalism with Ying Chan marks the end of an era 

Articles by Professor Ying Chan, founding Director of Journalism & Media Studies Centre; Honorary Professor of Technology-Enriched Learning Initiative, HKU -

• Hong Kong and the Realities of China's Rise in New York Times
• China: Investigative Journalism Struggles but Survives

To celebrate the first chapter of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC) under the leadership of its founding director Professor Ying Chan, more than 300 journalists, academics, local business leaders, students and alumni gathered on August 31 in HKU’s historic Loke Yew Hall. 

‘When I came home to Hong Kong and started at HKU in 1998, I thought I would spend two or three years here before going back to New York City, which had been my other home for more than two decades,’ Professor Chan said. ‘Now, here I am, 18 years later, with many new friends and colleagues I have come to know as we live through challenging times for journalism.’

Professor Chan, the first batch of Social Sciences graduate and an internationally acclaimed journalist with a George Polk Award for Journalistic Excellence for her coverage of the people-smuggling trade from China, returned to her alma mater in 1998 to begin work setting up the JMSC. Since then, almost a thousand students have graduated from one of the Centre’s four degree programmes as it has gone on to build an international reputation as Asia’s leading journalism school.

Some guests flew into Hong Kong for the event from as far away as Washington DC, Seattle, Toronto, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Seoul, and elsewhere.

Jim Laurie, former director of the JMSC’s Broadcasting Programme, hosted the show, which included videos from alumni and employers, along with a biopic of Professor Chan by Oscar-winning film director and JMSC Honorary Professor Ruby Yang.

HKU President and Vice Chancellor Peter Mathieson thanked the community and donors for supporting the JMSC, along with Professor Chan. ‘The success of the JMSC has been the result of Ying’s unwavering leadership and vision for nearly two decades, and on behalf of The University of Hong Kong, I want to thank you Ying for your dedication to the University,’ Mathieson said.

Incoming JMSC Director Keith Richburg also thanked Professor Chan for the foundations that she has built, referring to her nickname ‘Typhoon Ying’. ‘When a typhoon comes through what’s usually left is destruction, in this case creative destruction … but there’s always the foundation that’s left if you notice, and Ying has left for me a really good solid foundation at the JMSC,’ he said. ‘Let’s keep on going and writing the next chapter of the JMSC.’

The evening was brought to a close with Bloomberg TV anchor Angie Lau interviewing Prof Chan about her career, plans for retirement and where her passion for journalism comes from.

Signing off from her role leading the JMSC, Professor Chan said, ‘Follow your heart and do the right thing. … Being a journalist is about being a good person.’

Click here for more photos from the evening.