EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin Receives 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award by Professional Validation Council of Hong Kong Industries
Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, President of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), has been honoured with the 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award by the Professional Validation Council of Hong Kong Industries (PVCHK), in recognition of his sustained contributions to educational development, teacher education, and industry–academia collaboration.
PVCHK established the “Outstanding Achievement Award” in 2004 to honour individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to their professional fields. Past recipients include Professor Sir Charles Kao, the first Hong Kong ethnic Chinese Nobel laureate in Physics, commonly known as the “Father of Fiber Optics,” as well as Professor Tsui Lap-Chee, a world-renowned molecular geneticist and former President of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.
In awarding Professor Lee, PVCHK commended his dedication to advancing educational policy research and professional teacher training, making significant contributions to curriculum design, teacher development, and educational innovation. The Council also highlighted Professor Lee’s active efforts to integrate education with society and industry while fostering knowledge transfer and application, leaving a profound impact on Hong Kong's educational and societal development.
The 2026 Honorary Fellowship and Fellowship Presentation Ceremony was held today (3 September) at EdUHK’s Tai Po Campus. Ms May Leung Lai, President of PVCHK, said the ceremony - now in its 13th year, aims to recognise and affirm the professional contributions of Hong Kong’s industrial leaders.
Officiating at the ceremony, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education, said, “The event's philosophy aligns fully with the Education Bureau's policy on promoting the Qualifications Framework. Covering academic, vocational and professional, and continuing education, the Framework establishes a flexible and accessible progression pathway for practitioners from diverse backgrounds. The Education Bureau will, as always, support PVCHK and industry leaders across different sectors in deepening the application of the Framework, enabling every diligent practitioner to realise their self-worth and chart a clear path forward.”
In his acceptance remarks, Professor Lee said, “Although education and industry belong to different fields, they share the same mission—nurturing talent and shaping the future. Education not only transforms individual destinies, but also serves as a vital force driving social progress and national development. In the face of technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and intensifying global competition, cultivating talent equipped with professional knowledge, innovative capability, proper value and practical skills has become a matter of global concern.”
EdUHK has actively promoted lifelong learning and retraining in recent years to enhance employability, while strengthening strategic partnerships with industries. Through the UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), the University advances research, exchange, and cooperation in vocational and technical education and training, and regularly hosts international conferences with policymakers and industry leaders worldwide to discuss topics such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, sustainable development, and lifelong learning.
On the curriculum front, EdUHK not only offers the Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Professional and Vocational Education programme, but also promotes micro-credential programmes with professional organisations, enabling learners to progressively articulate into higher-level, credit-bearing courses or qualifications that ultimately lead to academic degrees or professional certificates. Such initiatives help nurture diverse talent with global vision and innovative thinking, injecting new momentum into Hong Kong’s future development.
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EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin Receives 2026 Outstanding Achievement Award by Professional Validation Council of Hong Kong Industries
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