Plenty to be thankful for...

When we are saying good bye to the first decade of the new millennium, we cannot help but feel blessed and thankful.

I want to thank the Hong Kong SAR Government for the vision to create a conducive environment for the development of sub-degree programmes at the beginning of the decade and for the recent advancement of the concept of private universities. As a result, over 60 percent of high school graduates can enjoy post-secondary studies. With a high quality workforce, Hong Kong will remain one of the best cities in the world.

I want to thank my predecessors for successfully securing the land grant six years ago so that we can now have the benefits of a new campus in Tseung Kwan O.

On behalf of the two colleges, I want to thank our donors such as Mr Baldwin Cheng, the Lam Family, and the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, just to name a few, for their generous support. We have raised close to 30 million dollars towards the construction and betterment of our new campus.

I want to thank those dedicated staff for their continuous devotion to helping our students learn. We have always been known for our "software". Now, and we finally have the hardware to match our "software".

I want to thank our students for their patience and understanding. Not all students can enjoy our improved facilities but we shall not stop finding ways to improve our learning and teaching facilities in all campuses. As a matter of fact, we shall not rest until we have acquired the piece of land adjacent to CBCC's new campus for Francis Hsu College.

I want to thank our alumni not because of all the awards they won or achievements they made professionally, but for their contribution to society as upstanding citizens. Their Alma Mater is mighty proud of them.

I want to thank our sponsoring body - Caritas, Hong Kong, for their financial support in our daily operation as well as in our quest to becoming constituent colleges of the first Catholic university in Hong Kong.

Finally, and the most important of all, we must thank the Lord for His guidance and Love. Indeed, we have plenty to be thankful for in the past 12 months and plenty more to look forward to in 2010. May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy year!

Professor Reggie KWAN