The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) presented the "PolyU Mainland Programme Graduates Distinguished Achievement Award" on 13 October to twelve alumni to pay tribute to their remarkable professional achievements and contributions to their alma mater and the community.

The awardees, in alphabetical order of last name, are:

• Ms Huang Qing, Director of Enterprise Culture & Senior Engineer, AVIC Xi’an Flight Automatic Control Research Institute (Master of Science in Information Systems)
• Dr Li Yue, President, China Mobile Communications Corporation (Doctor of Business dministration)
• Mr Liang Jun, Postmaster, Xi’an Mail Centre (Master of Business Administration)
• Ms Liu Xiaoyan, Secretary-General, Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (Master of Business Administration)
• Mr Lu Ping, Director and General Manager, Gansu Electric Power Investment Jinchang Power Co. Ltd (Master of Business Administration)
• Mr Dickson Sezto, Chief Executive Officer, INSITE Asset Management Group Ltd. (MSc in International Real Estate)
• Mr Sheng Qiuping, Party Secretary, Yongjia County, Committee of the Communist Party of China (Master of Science in Quality Management)
• Professor Shi Bainian, Professor, China Youth University for Political Sciences (MA in  Social Work)
• Mr Wan Feng, Board Chairman, Centre Testing International (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Master of Business Administration)
• Dr Wang Xiaochu, Executive Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors & CEO, China Telecom Corporation Limited (Doctor of Business Administration)
• Mr Xin Jie, Chairman of the Board, Shenzhen Tagen Group Co. Ltd. (Master of Business Administration)
• Mr Jeremy Xu, Vice President, China National Travel Service (HK) Group Corporation (Master of Science in Hotel & Tourism Management)

The award presentation ceremony was held at InterContinental Hotel, Shenzhen, and officiated at by Ms Elsie Leung, Deputy Director of HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Former Secretary for Justice, HKSAR Government, and Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President. More than 250 guests, comprising mainland officials, friends and supporters from industries, the University’s Court and Council members, alumni and staff members attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Tong said, "The PolyU Mainland Programme Graduates Distinguished Achievement Award has well demonstrated our efforts in offering quality academic programmes on the Chinese mainland which will further enhance the University’s development in teaching, learning and research." 

With the strong support of the Ministry of Education and the Academic Degree Commission of the State Council, PolyU has been offering academic award programmes in different cities of the Chinese mainland since 1998. Over 6,000 graduates have gone through the devoted learning and knowledge acquisition process by studying professional training and degree programmes led by PolyU academics.

As one of the major celebratory activities of PolyU’s 75th anniversary, "PolyU Mainland Programme Graduates Distinguished Achievement Award" aims at honouring outstanding graduates of PolyU’s mainland programmes for their distinguished professional accomplishments and significant contributions to the community and their alma mater.

The eight-member Panel of Judges is chaired by Professor Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU. Other members include (in alphabetical order of English Surnames): Ir Professor Johnny Fan Siu-kay, President, Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations; Professor Lai Maode, Vice President, Zhejiang University; Ms Elsie Leung, Former Secretary for Justice, HKSAR Government; Dr Raymond Leung Siu-hong, Court member, PolyU; Professor Liu Yingli, President, Shenzhen Enterprise Confederation and Shenzhen Entrepreneur Association; Professor Lu Tianjian, Vice President, Xi’an Jiaotong University; Professor Kenneth Pang Tsan-wing, Council Member, PolyU; and Mr Wang Shuifu, Bauhinia Cup Awardee and Chairman of the Bauhinia Cup Outstanding Entrepreneur Association.