President-elect of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Timothy Wong has pledged to improve the university's fundraising performance and leadership in technological development.

The 20 university council members attending yesterday's meeting voted unanimously for the appointment of 55-year-old Wong, the sole candidate and currently the dean of engineering and applied sciences school at the George Washington University, USA, to be the new president of the PolyU.

He will succeed Poon Chung-kwong, the university's current president who has been serving in the position for 18 years, as of January 1, 2009.

Wong will serve a five-year term, but he has expressed hope to extend it to 10 years.

Wong is renowned for his fundraising ability. He increased annual external research funding by about 40 percent for the engineering school at George Washington University, helping the school to rebound from its difficult financial situation by raising US$50 million in donation.

The school currently has 230 faculty members and 2,500 students, of which 80 percent are postgraduates.

Tong also has provided consultancy services to major cooperations, such as Motorola.

Wong told students that he will focus on fundraising and developing the PolyU into a leading institution that stresses on economic, business and technological advancement.

Wong did not specify his fundraising targets, but added that private donation is necessary for the university's future development.

"Fundraising is very important. I will communicate with community members who support the university's development," he told reporters.

"Donation is crucial to the establishment of new laboratories and scholarship," he added.

Tong was born and raised in Hong Kong. He pursued his tertiary education in the US after completing his secondary education at Christian College, Hong Kong.

The PolyU deputy president Alexander Tzang said Tong is familiar with Hong Kong's development and committed to promoting the university's vision.

Terry Chan, president of the university's student union, said Tong has pledged to meet regularly with students after taking up his position.

Chan said Tong has also told students that the PolyU will strengthen cooperation with mainland institutions.

But Chan said the students were worried that Tong will not pay attention to humanities development at the PolyU.

"Tong said he will focus on economic, business and technology development," he said. "It seems that humanities will not be recognized."

But Tong responded that he will not ignore cultural development of the university.

(HK Edition 04/22/2008 page1)