The HKBU has renovated parts of the building where students are already having lessons in painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, installation art and computer graphics.

Before joining HKBU, Professor Wan was a teacher at the University of Hong Kong for 16 years. He took up his new post at the HKBU on January 1.

Professor Wan received his bachelor's and master's degrees in fine arts from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, and studied under top Chinese painters Wu Zuoren and Li Keran.

He later studied art history at the University of Kansas in the United States.

Combining his Chinese background with American training, Professor Wan quickly emerged as an important figure in the field of Chinese art history. He is considered an authority on the late imperial and modern periods.

As a scholar, he has published 19 books and more than 120 articles in journals, revised Asian art entries in Encyclopedia Britannica (extended edition 2001), and presented many papers as well as delivered speeches at international conferences.

He has also hosted a number of solo and group exhibitions around the world. His paintings can be seen at museums and art galleries in Beijing and Hong Kong, including The National Art Museum of China, The Palace Museum, Hong Kong Art Museum and Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

'With his proven track record as a professional, Professor Wan will lead the academy in nurturing creative talent, building a visual arts academy of international reputation in tune with developments in the visual arts field and meeting the needs of the fast-growing, creative industries in the region,'

said HKBU president Ng Ching-fai.