City University of Hong Kong selects Singaporean academic and inventor Freddy Boey as next president
- University’s council approves Boey’s five-year appointment to succeed Professor Way Kuo
- Boey has also spearheaded National University of Singapore’s collaborative agreements with several municipal governments in mainland China
City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has appointed prolific Singaporean academic and inventor Professor Freddy Boey as its next president, following a year-long global search.
The university’s council on Tuesday approved Boey’s five-year appointment to succeed Professor Way Kuo, who will retire from the presidency after 15 years in May 2023.
Boey is currently deputy president for innovation and enterprise at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and is known for his contributions in the application of functional biomaterials for medical devices.
The university described Boey as an “accomplished leader” with “a strong focus on world-class education, research and innovation”, who possessed substantial experience in higher education management at a senior level.
Boey has also made a name for himself as an inventor, establishing several companies to capitalise on his designs for cardiovascular, ocular and other implants. His customisable hernia mesh for repairing tears in the abdominal walls was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
For his achievements, he received Singapore’s highest scientific award, the President’s Science and Technology Medal, in 2013.