Page 9 - SYU Prospectus

University History

The Hon. Professor Arthur K.C. Li, G.B.S., J.P., then Secretary for Education &
Manpower, HKSAR, officiated at the Topping-Out Ceremony of the new Residential and
Amenities Complex on 10th May 2004 and on 5th November 2005 Professor Li officially
opened the Residential and Amenities Complex amidst much fanfare.

The year 2006 marked the culmination of a process of institutional changes that had
started in 1996, when the College submitted a request to the Hong Kong Council for Academic
Accreditation (HKCAA) for accreditation as a degree-awarding institution. In the ensuing ten
years, the College underwent a series of institutional reviews and developed ten four-year
honours degree programmes, which were successfully validated by the HKCAA and introduced
between 2001 and 2005. In 2006, a specially convened Institutional Review Panel
recommended that, on the basis of its track record of offering high quality degree programmes,
Shue Yan College should be granted university title. Upon completion of legal formalities, the
title of Shue Yan University was granted by the Chief Executive in Council on 19th December
2006, and Shue Yan University became the first private university in Hong Kong. The then
Chief Executive, the Hon. Donald Tsang, G.B.M., also graciously agreed to join the university
community in celebrations to mark the attainment of university status on 14th February 2007.

In 2008, the Grand Bauhinia Medal was awarded to the University’s President, Dr. Henry
H. L. Hu, in recognition of his life-long dedication and contribution to public and community
service, particularly in broadening the tertiary education opportunities of the younger
generation by establishing Hong Kong Shue Yan University. The citation noted that Dr. Hu had
devoted substantial financial resources and personal efforts to continuously improve the
University and its students’ learning experience over the previous 36 years.

In 2010 the University launched its first post-graduate programme, the Master of Social
Sciences in Counselling Psychology, following successful validation by the HKCAAVQ.

A piece of land adjacent next to the Residential and Amenities Complex was granted to
the University by the Government in April 2011 for the construction of a new research complex
with additional student hostel, teaching and learning facilities.

In June 2012 the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology (PGDP) programme was
successfully validated by HKCAAVQ for launch in January 2013. In November of the same
year, three new Master’s programmes were accredited by HKCAAVQ for launch in late 2013.
The three programmes are: Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, Master of Social
Sciences (Transformation of Chinese Societies), and Master of Science in Marketing and
Consumer Psychology.

In 2014, the HKCAAVQ validated the Master of Social Sciences in Psychology to replace
the PGDP (above), as well as the Doctor of Psychology in Counselling Psychology; the
programmes were approved by the Executive Council for offering in January 2016 and

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