Tung Wah College (TWC) will confer honorary fellowships on three distinguished individuals for their outstanding professional achievements and exceptional contributions to the society.

The Honorary Fellowship recipients are Mrs. Viola Chan Man Yee-wai, BBS, Dr the Hon Edward Leong Che-hung, GBM, GBS, JP, and Professor Carl Leung Ka-kui. The conferment ceremony will be held on 18 March (Monday).

Following are brief profiles of the recipients:

Mrs. Viola Chan Man Yee-wai, BBS

Born in a distinguished family renowned and respected for its philanthropy and generous support for education, Mrs. Viola Chan and her eminent family members have long-standing ties with the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) for over half a century. Mrs. Viola Chan served as the Chairman of TWGHs in 2012/2013 and devoted herself altruistically to medical and healthcare, education and community services through TWGHs to meet societal needs. Mrs. Chan had a strong belief that providing young people with quality education can empower them to transform lives and shape a better future for individuals and the society as a whole. As the Founding Chairman of the Board of Governors and the Chairman of the College Council of Tung Wah College (TWC) continuously for 13 years from 2010 to 2023, Mrs. Chan has been instrumental in the founding and development of TWC since its establishment in 2010. With Mrs. Chan’s whole-hearted devotion, perseverance, and entrepreneurial mindset, TWC has set a clear and focused strategic direction at its onset and has quickly established its unique positioning in the higher education arena. Mrs. Chan’s visionary leadership has led TWC rapidly grown into a reputable self-financing tertiary institution widely recognised for its quality and practical nursing and healthcare education, while helping the underprivileged to receive education and training young talents to become caring professionals to serve the community. This meaningful mission is affirming those individuals who otherwise might be deprived of such opportunity, by offering them a chance to be accepted and to serve the society. Striving to her utmost with selfless dedication since the birth of TWC, Mrs. Chan has helped TWC lay a solid foundation upon which the College can build for its long term development and future achievements.

Mrs. Chan is the Executive Director of PuraPharm Corporation Ltd. and has always been passionate about promoting the development of Chinese medicine. As a firm supporter of higher education, she served on the Council of The Education University of Hong Kong (2013-2019) and the Board of Stewards of the EdUHK Foundation (2015-2024). She was on the Advisory Committee of the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University from 2010 to 2016. Mrs. Chan was a member of the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee (2017-2023) and the Betting and Lotteries Commission (2013-2019) and is currently sitting on the Commission on Poverty Community Care Fund Task Force of Hong Kong. She also leveraged on her management and communications expertise and served as a member of the Risk Communication Advisory Group of the Centre for Health Protection of the Health Department from 2013 to 2016. In addition, she was a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of Sichuan Province from 2013 to 2023.

Mrs. Chan was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2013 by the HKSAR Government to recognise her exemplary achievements and contributions to the community.

Dr the Hon Edward Leong Che-hung, GBM, GBS, JP

Dr. Leong is one of the most respected medical professionals and public health administrators in Hong Kong and Asia with remarkable achievements throughout his extraordinary career of more than 60 years. Dr. Leong is a well-known medical doctor in private practice. He pioneered organ transplantation and participated in the first kidney transplant in Hong Kong in 1969. He is the Hunterian Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, a Regent at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Founding President of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong, and he also served as the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine from 2000 to 2004.

Dr. Leong has been actively engaged in public services. He was elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1988 to 2000 and served as a Non-official Member of the Executive Council from 2005 to 2012. Dr. Leong has held many other key posts in the public service sector, including Chairman of the Hospital Authority, the Council on Human Reproductive Technology, the Elderly Commission, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Council, ICAC Complaints Committee, the Elder Academy Development Foundation, and the Committee on Standard Working Hours.

Currently, Dr. Leong is the Chairman of the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, Chairman of the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care, President of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society, and Chairman of the Advisory Council, Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease. In recognition of his exemplary achievements and contributions to the medical profession and society, Dr. Leong was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2010 by the HKSAR Government.

Professor Carl Leung Ka-kui

Professor Leung is the world’s first Chinese forensic dentist and a respectable pioneer in Forensic Odontology in Hong Kong, China, and Southeast Asia with a major influence in the training and development of Forensic Science in the region. Locally and regionally, he is a Forensic Odontology consultant to the Hong Kong Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia. Internationally, he is a member of the Senate Committee of the Chinese Forensic Medicine Association, a Forensic Odontology consultant to the International Committee of the Red Cross, an advisor of the Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences Institute of the University of London, and a member of the scientific committee of the INTERPOL. He has provided specialised victim identification support in investigating many mass disasters.

Professor Leung is a renowned general dentist in Hong Kong with a special interest in Implant Dentistry and Forensic Odontology and has enthusiastically participated in multiple prominent public services. He serves as the Senior Assistant Commissioner of the Auxiliary Medical Service, Director of the Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association (HKTBA), and President of the Hong Kong Society for Healthcare Mediation. He also serves on the governing committees of three public hospitals, the Chiropractors Council, the Social Workers Registration Board, the Senior Police Call Central Advisory Committee, a Chinese medicine clinic, an elderly home, a mediation centre, and rehabilitation services for drug addicts and ex-offenders. In addition to TWGHs Dental Service, he is also an advisor to Po Leung Kuk Dental Service and the Chairman of the Management Committee of HKTBA Rusy M. Shroff Oral Health Services Limited.

Professor Leung has served TWC as an Honorary Professor of Forensic Science since 2012. As a member of the School Advisory Board of the School of Medical and Health Sciences, Professor Leung has played an instrumental part in the founding, teaching, and developing of the College’s Medical Sciences programme since its launch in 2012.

Mrs. Viola Chan Man Yee-wai, BBS (Left), Dr the Hon Edward Leong Che-hung, GBM, GBS, JP (Middle), Professor Carl Leung Ka-kui (Right)