A History of Major Gifts at PolyU: From Li Ka-shing's HK$100 million to Named Institutes and Endowed Chairs

In 1956, a donation of HK$1 million built a campus in Hung Hom. Seven decades later, a single HK$100 million gift established two research institutes outright. The donation history of one university is, in many ways, a record of how Hong Kong's philanthropic culture itself has evolved. This article traces the landmark donations received by PolyU across the years in chronological order. For mini-biographies of individual benefactors from a naming-rights perspective, see benefactors-and-donors.md.

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# 1. Why PolyU merits support: founding ethos and early industrial backing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University traces its roots to the Hong Kong Polytechnic, established in 1972, with an earlier lineage going back to the Government Trade School founded in 1937. PolyU's DNA is deeply entwined with Hong Kong's industrial sector, and it drew committed support from industrialists and trade bodies right from its earliest days. According to Chinese University of Hong Kong education histories and PolyU's own archives, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA) donated HK$1 million to the then Hong Kong Technical College in 1956. This gift, combined with a government land grant and funding, enabled the construction of the campus on the present-day Hung Hom site, which was inaugurated by Governor Sir Alexander Grantham (葛量洪) in 1957 – making it one of the earliest verifiable major social donations in PolyU's campus history. That gift launched a decades-long bond between the CMA and PolyU. In 2014, the University named a building "CMA Building" to commemorate this history CMA Building naming ceremony^※; the CMA additionally contributed a further HK$30 million to support student whole-person development programmes at that time.

After the Hong Kong Polytechnic was formally granted university status in 1994, its new institutional standing markedly increased both the willingness and the scale of donor support—moving from the funding of laboratory equipment to naming entire buildings and, eventually, standalone research institutes.

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# 2. Pao Yue-kong and Chiang Chen: the naming pioneers of the 1990s

Around the time of university status, the names of two heavyweight benefactors had already appeared on the campus, ushering in the era of naming rights.

Pao Yue-kong Library: According to the PolyU Library "History" page^※, the University Library was officially named the "Pao Yue-kong Library" on 20 December 1995, in gratitude for a generous donation from the family of the late Sir Yue-kong Pao (1918–1991), founder of the Worldwide Shipping Group. Often called the "World's Shipping King", Pao and his family have deep ties with multiple higher education institutions in Hong Kong. The precise donation amount has not been publicly disclosed by any official source; this article records only the naming fact and the year.

Chiang Chen Industrial Centre and Chiang Chen Studio Theatre: The industrialist Chiang Chen (1923–2022), founder of Chen Hsong Holdings, long supported engineering talent development through the Chiang Chen Industrial Charity Foundation. PolyU named its Industrial Centre and Studio Theatre after him, as listed in the PolyU Foundation "Appreciation" directory^※. Again, the specific amounts have not been disclosed individually by an official source. The Chiang Chen Industrial Centre has long served as the base for hands-on practical training for students, entirely in keeping with PolyU's historic polytechnic and applied orientation.

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# 3. 2000: Li Ka-shing's HK$100 million – "the largest personal contribution ever received"

The most widely known milestone in PolyU's major-gift history is the turn-of-the-century donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.

According to the Foundation's official press release^※, on 1 June 2000, Li Ka-shing, founder of Cheung Kong Holdings, attended a ceremony in person and handed a cheque for HK$100 million to the Chairman of the PolyU Council and the Vice-Chancellor. The Foundation explicitly described this as "the largest personal contribution ever received by the Institution". The gift was directed towards advancing self-financed professional and continuing education activities, providing services for small and medium enterprises, and supporting what were then SPEED (School of Professional Education and Executive Development) and IfE (Institute for Enterprise).

According to another Foundation press release (dated 19 September 2001)^※, in 2001, PolyU officially named an 18-storey building with a gross floor area of about 22,500 square metres, situated at the heart of the campus, the "Li Ka Shing Tower". The then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Poon Chung-kwong, was quoted at the ceremony as saying: 「我們以李博士之名命名此樓，以銘記他的慷慨貢獻。來自像李博士這樣有遠見的社會領袖的支持，給了我們巨大的鼓舞。」("We name this building after Dr Li to recognise his generous contribution. Support from visionary community leaders like Dr Li is giving us tremendous encouragement.") The Tower, which houses computer rooms, classrooms, lecture theatres, administrative offices and a staff canteen, was the centrepiece of PolyU's Phase 6 development.

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# 4. 2006: Lee Shau Kee's HK$45 million and the matching grant lever

In the 2000s, the government's Matching Grant Scheme became a powerful lever for stimulating large gifts. According to a South China Morning Post report dated 10 May 2006^※, Henderson Land Development founder Lee Shau Kee donated HK$45 million to PolyU. This gift allowed the University to receive a dollar-for-dollar matching grant under the first phase of the scheme, and together they funded the construction of the 14-storey Lee Shau Kee Building (Block Y) at the northeastern tip of the campus. Housing advanced research laboratories, lecture theatres and conference rooms, the building's naming ceremony was held on 8 May 2006, officiated by then Vice-Chancellor Professor Poon Chung-kwong. The Lee Shau Kee Building is now the main teaching facility for departments including Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, and Health Technology and Informatics. In the second phase of the Matching Grant Scheme, PolyU raised over HK$190 million, with more than 60% coming from the business and industrial sectors, a clear sign of the matching mechanism's significant leverage on private giving.

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# 5. 2008: A bequest of HK$30 million from Anita Chan Lai Ling

In 2008, PolyU received a major donation in the form of a bequest. According to the PolyU official archive^※, on 18 June 2008, the University held a naming ceremony for the "Anita Chan Lai Ling Building" in memory of Dr Anita Chan Lai Ling, who had devoted her life to education and community service. The donation amount was HK$30 million, designated for "supporting PolyU's long-term development and augmenting teaching and innovative research resources." That Dr Chan chose to support the University through a personal bequest exemplifies a tradition in Hong Kong's philanthropic culture of giving back to society with one's posthumous wealth.

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# 6. 2013–2014: Cheng Yu-tung's HK$10 million lab and the HKJC's HK$249 million Innovation Tower

The 2010s brought two donations of very different character but equal weight.

Cheng Yu-tung and the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation: HK$10 million for a drug development laboratory According to a PolyU news item^※, on 4 November 2013, a naming ceremony was held for a 537 m² laboratory space on the seventh floor of the Lee Shau Kee Building, designated the "Henry Cheng Research Laboratory for Drug Development", to acknowledge a HK$10 million donation to drug development research from Dr Cheng Yu-tung, Honorary Chairman of the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation. The laboratory is equipped with advanced apparatus such as flow cytometers and confocal microscopes, providing a collaborative research platform for chemistry and biology experts.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust: HK$249 million for a Zaha Hadid landmark The single largest donation received by PolyU to date came from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust^※. The Jockey Club donated HK$249 million for the construction of the "Jockey Club Innovation Tower (JCIT)", designed by the late Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid. Construction work began in 2007 and the building was completed in 2014. Standing 15 storeys and covering approximately 15,000 square metres, it is Zaha Hadid's first permanent architectural work in Hong Kong. The gift also supported the establishment and initial operating costs of the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (J.C.DISI). The JCIT now houses PolyU's School of Design headquarters, accommodating over 1,800 students and staff, with design studios, labs, exhibition galleries and multi-purpose classrooms.

Note: "—" indicates no official public figure available; "ca." indicates naming year estimated from commissioning period.

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# 7. 2017: The Chan Chak Fu family and the School of Hotel and Tourism Management building

The Hong Kong hotel-industry pioneer Mr Chan Chak Fu had been active in helping PolyU establish hotel and tourism management training programmes as far back as the 1980s. According to PolyU's "Thanks to Supporters" page (2017)^※, on 15 December 2017, PolyU held a naming ceremony at 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, to name the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) building—occupying approximately 6,400 m² and accommodating around 3,000 students—as the "Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Building", in recognition of the contributions of Mr Chan and his wife, Ms Wong Chi-lan. The donation also established an "Endowed Professorship in International Tourism" and a scholarship endowment fund. The then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Timothy W. Tong, said at the ceremony: 「大學需要像陳卓甫家族這樣志同道合的夥伴的支持。」("the University needs the support of like-minded partners such as the Chan Chak Fu family.") The specific donation amount has not been publicly disclosed by the University.

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# 8. 2018: Otto Poon's HK$100 million – "the largest amount from a personal foundation in the recent decade"

In 2018, Dr Otto Poon Lok-to, founder of Analogue Holdings (ATAL Engineering Group) and a veteran engineer, donated HK$100 million^※ to PolyU through his Otto Poon Charitable Foundation. According to a PolyU press release dated 10 September 2018, the donation was described as "the largest amount from a personal foundation in the recent decade". The gift was used to:

• Establish two research institutes: the "Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI)" and the "Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE)";
• Create two endowed professorships: the "Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Endowed Professorship in Urban Informatics" and the "Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Endowed Professorship in Smart and Sustainable Energy".

Both institutes sit within PolyU's flagship interdisciplinary platform, the "PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR)". According to a EurekAlert report^※, at the donation ceremony, Dr Poon said: 「很高興有機會回饋我的母校。理大以推進科技前沿而聞名。」("I am glad to have the chance to contribute to my alma mater. PolyU is renowned for advancing the frontiers of technology.")

As reported in a PolyU press release from 2021^※, SCRI and RISE were formally named after the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation in that year. In 2025, with further support from the Foundation, PolyU established the "Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure (RICRI)"^※, further expanding the scope of collaboration between the Foundation and the University.

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# 9. 2023: The Seal of Love Foundation's HK$45 million and a new health research building

The second-largest building-naming donation of recent years arrived in 2023. According to a PolyU press release (15 December 2023)^※, on 8 December 2023, PolyU held a naming ceremony to rename its then BC Wing as the "Seal of Love Foundation Building". The donor was the Seal of Love Charitable Foundation Limited, founded by Mr Chan Man-kit, and the donation amount was HK$45 million, designated to establish the "Seal of Love Charitable Foundation Health and Service Impact Fund". The fund's first five-year project is a mental health programme, "The Resilience Students Training Hub (ReST Hub)", with the goal of building a mental health ecosystem across university campuses in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia. The Chan family's connection with PolyU can be traced back to the 1980s, through the foundational support for the School of Hotel and Tourism Management from Mr Chan's father, Mr Chan Chak Fu.

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# 10. Endowed professorships: expanding the disciplinary map from engineering to the humanities

Beyond the naming of buildings, the "Endowed Professorship" is another mechanism for permanently embedding donor recognition within the academic landscape. The number of endowed professorships at PolyU grew significantly after 2018, reflecting systematic efforts to recruit top interdisciplinary scholars following the establishment of the PAIR platform. According to a PolyU press release on the 2024 Endowed Professorship Inauguration Ceremony^※, on 13 September 2024, the "5th Inauguration of Endowed Professorships and 2nd Inauguration of Endowed Young Scholars" took place, installing nine professorships (including five new ones). Representative new professorships included:

• Kuok Group Endowed Professorship in Mathematical Science – donated by the Kuok Group;
• Kuok Group Endowed Professorship in Nature-Inspired Engineering – a second chair from the same group;
• Sin Wai Kin Foundation Endowed Professorship in Humanities and Technology – donated by the Sin Wai Kin Foundation;
• Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professorship in Precision Engineering – named after Sir Sze-yuen Chung, the first Chairman of the Polytechnic's Council (1972–1986);
• Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professorship in Renewable Energy – a second chair from the same source.

Spanning mathematics, engineering, the humanities and energy science, these chairs illustrate how giving can broaden PolyU's disciplinary reach horizontally, rather than merely reinforcing its traditional strengths in applied engineering. The Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professorship in Precision Engineering is currently held by Professor Yung Kai-leung, and is a textbook case of a named chair connecting the institution's founding history to contemporary research. See 06-people/faculty-and-leaders-2.md for more.

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# 11. Three decades of evolution in giving patterns: from "one building, one name" to "institute + chair + dedicated fund"

Laid out chronologically, the cases above reveal a three-stage evolution in PolyU's donation ecosystem:

Phase 1 (1970s–1990s): Government-led, with smaller top-ups from industry In the early decades, government funding was the mainstay, and private donations were mostly smaller sums for equipment, scholarships, and industrial sponsorship. The CMA's million-dollar campus gift (1956), the Pao family's library naming (1995), and the naming of the Chiang Chen Industrial Centre all belong to this phase—relatively modest in amount, with facilities rather than research institutes as the named entities.

Phase 2 (2000s): The era of building naming after university status The grant of university status in 1994 markedly increased the appetite for philanthropic support for PolyU. HK$100 million from Li Ka-shing (2000), HK$45 million from Lee Shau Kee (2006), and HK$30 million from Anita Chan Lai Ling (2008) followed in quick succession. The core model was: donate a certain sum, and have a building named after the donor by the University. The government's Matching Grant Scheme played a powerful leveraging role in this period.

Phase 3 (2010s–present): Institutionalised, research-oriented, long-term From the 2010s onwards, institutional partners (the HKJC's HK$249 million for the Innovation Tower, 2014) and family foundations (Otto Poon's HK$100 million for research institutes, 2018; the Kuok Group's multiple endowed professorships) became the main players in major giving. The target of naming shifted from a "standalone building" to a composite package of "research institute + endowed professorship + dedicated five-year programme". PAIR, the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research, formally established in 2022, became the central platform for aggregating donated research resources.

This evolution broadly aligns with the trends in giving culture at other UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong, but PolyU's historic DNA in engineering and applied sciences means local industrialists (Chiang Chen, Otto Poon, Chan Chak Fu) have always constituted a notably high proportion of its donor base.

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# 12. How have donations reshaped the academic landscape?

The impact of donations on PolyU goes well beyond "building with an extra name". Synthesising the cases above reveals three clear paths of disciplinary reinvention:

Path 1: Establishing new research frontiers at institute level Otto Poon's HK$100 million to set up the Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and the Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) is a classic case of "a gift creating a new frontier"—before the donation, PolyU had no standalone institute in smart cities or sustainable energy. The money brought not only research funding but also the recruitment of world-class scholars (the two endowed professorships), creating a virtuous flywheel effect.

Path 2: Building world-class hardware for an applied school The HKJC's HK$249 million Innovation Tower enabled the School of Design to leap from scattered rented spaces to a world-class design school housed in a signature Zaha Hadid building, directly providing the physical infrastructure that would boost the School's global rankings.

Path 3: Multi-generational institutionalisation of a discipline The Chan Chak Fu family's support for the SHTM building naming and endowed professorship (spanning from the 1980s to 2017, over three decades) exemplifies a donor family's sustained, cross-generational commitment to a specific discipline. This has been instrumental in cementing the School of Hotel and Tourism Management's position as one of the very top institutions of its kind worldwide.

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