On December 26, a ceremony was held at Nanjing University Xianlin Campus to present the 19th Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation (FYTEF) Higher Education Youth Science Award and Education and Teaching Award. Wu Yan, Vice-Minister of Education, Tan Tieniu, Chair of NJU CPC Council and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Tan Zhemin, President of NJU and Academician of the CAS, Fok Zhenhuan, CEO of Fok Ying Tung Group and Chairman of FYTEF, and Fok Zhenting, Vice Chairman of FYTEF and Chairman of the Fok Ying Tung Group attended the ceremony.
In his speech, Wu Yan stated that President Xi Jinping's speech at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland has pointed out the direction for deepening the exchange and cooperation between the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao in education. He said that in the 38 years since its establishment, the FYTEF has made important contributions to the development of higher education in China. He hoped that the Foundation would inherit and carry forward Mr Fok's patriotic sentiments and make greater contributions to building a modern education powerhouse and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He encouraged the awardees to practice the spirit of educators and strive to pioneer in scientific research.
Tan Tieniu stated that President Xi Jinping's expectations in his letter to NJU young scholars returned from abroad has become the common goal of all of us at NJU. He expected that with the guidance from the Ministry of Education and support of the FYTEF, NJU will further strengthen the cultivation of young teachers, deepen exchanges and cooperation with Hong Kong, thus advancing the construction of an education powerhouse and contributing to Hong Kong's stable and long-term development.
Fok Zhenhuan confirmed that the FYTEF will uphold Mr Fok's original intention of nurturing talents for the development of the country, by woking with state departments and major universities and research institutions to help achieving our nation's aspiration of educational development and scientific and technological innovation.
Professor Xie Shou'an from Northwest A&F University pledged on behalf of all the awardees to uphold the spirit of educators and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Participants watched a short film in memory of Mr. Fok Ying Tung.
Awardees of the First Prize of Education and Teaching Award
Awardees of the First Prize of Youth Science Award
Awardees of the Second Prize of Education and Teaching Award
Awardees of the Second Prize of Youth Science Award
The FYTEF was established with Fok Ying Tung's endowment of HK$100 million, with the aim of promoting the development of education and cultivation of talents, and awarding young lecturers who have made outstanding achievements in teaching and research. Over the past 38 years, the FYTEF awards have become one of the most highly regarded prizes in China's higher education sector, and have been an important honour and boost for many young teachers at the start of their teaching and research careers. As of 2024, the Foundation has provided grants and awards to more than 300 universities and 4,300 young teachers nationwide, with an endowment of more than HK$300 million. Among them, a total of 27 NJU teachers won the relevant prize, and 29 NJU teachers received the sponsorship. This year, after strict selection, a total of 165 teachers from 124 higher education institutions across China won the awards.
