HKU president assumes office

The 16th president and vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, Zhang Xiang, assumed office on July 17.

Addressing the media, Zhang said that he was honored to serve HKU, which has a great tradition and history.

He said that HKU is not only an institute to train and prepare the next generation of leaders, but also to make a societal impact in Hong Kong and even the world.

Zhang said that he looked forward to working closely with diverse stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff and alumni to build sustained momentum and support.

Zhang is a renowned scholar in micro-nano engineering. His current research focuses on materials physics, metamaterials and nano-photonics.

Prior to joining HKU, he was the inaugural Ernest S. Kuh Endowed Chair Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and the director of the Nano-scale Science and Engineering Center.

Zhang, 54, was born in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate program at Nanjing University, and he also has a master's degree in science from the University of Minnesota.

He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1996.

He was appointed as the president and vice-chancellor of HKU for a term of five years in December.