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The Inauguration Ceremony of the Academy of Visual Arts of the Hong Kong Baptist University

Speech of Dr Alice Lam, GBS, JP
at the Inauguaration Ceremony of the Academy of Visual Arts of
The Hong Kong Baptist University
On 13 January 2006

Dr Ho, Dr Wu, Professor Ng, Students, and Guests,

The opening of the Academy of Visual Arts today is a significant milestone for the Hong Kong Baptist University. For almost half a century, the Baptist University has been at the forefront in introducing new academic programmes to meet the changing needs of our community. The University does not live on its laurels - it introduces new innovative programmes to meet the needs of our society. In this way the Baptist University is staying young.

Here we have a campus loaded with heritage. Few people might have thought of using this for arts and education. But Baptist University was different, and dared to take up the challenge and to give this building a new lease of life as the Academy of Visual Arts. Unlike its former life as a place for the Royal Air Force and later a Detective School, the building now becomes a place for the pursuit of cultural and economic advancement of the society. I am sure that the students and the knowledge which come out from this building will withstand the test of time even better than the building itself.

The teaching and appreciation of the visual arts can take many forms. I think Baptist University has achieved an excellent balance in its course design for this programme. Not only will students learn how to appreciate and undertake the visual arts and culture, they will also have this firmly rooted in applications which they can use for exciting and meaningful careers. Hong Kong and the region - are crying out for designers and artists with real talent and knowledge. Students of this course will combine unique insights into Chinese and Western ideas on culture with state of the art understanding of computer graphic design. It is a wonderful opportunity. I hope you catch my excitement. I love the arts and strongly believe they should be intimately involved in daily life and business if Hong Kong is truly to be an international city.

Well, back to earth! It would be amiss of me if I did not thank Patrick Ho and his Home Affairs Bureau for permitting the use of this beautiful building. And thank all the other Government bureaux and departments involved. I also thank everyone at Baptist University for their effort and wisdom in bringing this programme to our students. And I wish all students an enjoyable and rewarding study here.

Thank you.

UGC Secretariat