'Father of fibre optics' to retire
Professor Charles Kuen Kao retires next month from his post as Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong after nine years in charge.
The university council has appointed Professor Kao, who in 1966 published a paper on the revolutionary use of optical fibre for communications, as honorary professor of engineering. Professor Kao is known as 'the father of fibre optics'.
The university is setting up the Charles Kuen Kao Fund for the promotion of research, overseas links and student activities. A building at its science centre will be named after him.
During his vice-chancellorship, Professor Kao fostered exchanges with institutions and research centres in China and overseas.
Speaking at Professor Kao's last council meeting as vice-chancellor, chairman Sir Quo-wei Lee thanked him for successfully steering the university's development.
'We can say the goals that Professor Kao set for himself and the university have been accomplished one after the other. The substantial progress made in the university's overall development and its much-improved academic standing locally and internationally are largely due to Professor Kao.' Under Professor Kao, the Chinese University established two new faculties - education and engineering - and introduced new academic programmes. Seven research institutes were set up and the university's management reorganised.
