The University of Chicago plants its roots in Hong Kong

The University of Chicago (UChi) announced the opening of a new academic centre in Hong Kong on November 21, made possible thanks to a HKD$234 million donation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Chicago Booth Academic Complex came into being as part of a “Social Impact Grant”, a 15 year commitment between the Jockey Club and the world-class University of Chicago Booth School of Business, ranked eighth in the world according to Financial Times. The commitment is expected to benefit Hong Kong’s social sector, and give a strong boost to local NGOs.

Robert Zimmer, president of UChi, believes the centre will prove a mutually fruitful endeavour for both the school, and Hong Kong as a city. “We think that our faculty and students will benefit a great deal and we expect we will be able to make a contribution the same way,” he says.

The facility will be named the Francis and Rose Yuen Centre in honour of University Trustee Francis Tin Fan Yuen, AB’75, and his wife, Rose Wai Man Lee Yuen. Construction is set to finish in approximately two years’ time. Once completed, the Yuen centre is expected to serve as an economic and educational hub for many years to come.

Zimmer says that the development of the centre is part of the university’s long-term effort to become and remain actively involved with Hong Kong and China; an effort which began in 2010 with the development of the school’s Beijing centre.

“We view the centre in Hong Kong in conjunction with the centre in Beijing as a demonstration of a major, long-term commitment to work in China and Hong Kong,” explains Zimmer. “We have tremendous colleagues and alumni who work here.”