|
Dear members It is with mixed feelings—profound gratitude accompanied by mild nostalgia—that I present you now with my final message as your President. It has indeed been my privilege to serve this Institution, to represent you in various capacities, and to witness up close how our profession reinvents itself constantly. As my term is nearing its end, I hope this last report will bring you even closer to what we do here at the HKIE. Early in May, I had the honour of leading the Institution’s delegation to Australia, where we engaged with our counterparts at Engineers Australia, visited research institutes and major infrastructure sites, and held meaningful exchanges with academic leaders and members stationing in Sydney and Melbourne. These encounters reaffirmed the value of international collaboration in engineering education, professional recognition, and innovation. I was especially pleased to see our younger members—through the YMC Overseas Delegation—actively absorbing new knowledge and sharing Hong Kong’s story with confidence and pride. Like this delegation, the one to the Middle East that I joined later in the month, led by the Chief Executive, also showcased Hong Kong engineers’ unique strengths as both “super-connectors” and “super-value-adders” in the global arena. Amid these outward-facing efforts, we have also been focused inward—on the Institution’s own evolution. One of the central undertakings this Session has been the Governance Review Study. With the assistance of an appointed consultant and the collective input of members, the review examined our governance structure, Committee operations, membership admission mechanisms, and disciplinary procedures. Its series of recommendations were aimed at modernising our decision-making processes, upscaling transparency and accountability, and ensuring the Institution remains agile, inclusive, and future-ready. Members are encouraged to read the Executive Summary of the Governance Review Study at https://www.hkie.org.hk/gr_exesum/GovernanceReview_ExecutiveSummary.pdf. Several of these recommendations have already resulted in proposed amendments to our Constitution. To this end, I would like to make a special appeal to all Corporate Members to attend the upcoming Special General Meeting (SGM) and Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 24 June 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The SGM at 6pm, which will precede the AGM at 7pm, will consider motions that touch on important areas such as delegation of Council authority, Vice President election terms, and the introduction of a new membership class, namely Adjunct Fellow. Many of these reflect the thoughtful proposals originating from the Governance Review, and members will be doing the Institution a great service if you could join the meetings and consider those ideas with us. Meanwhile, the AGM will see the election results of new Vice President and Elected Ordinary Members, and the installation of our next President. Your presence and participation—especially in exercising your voting rights—are essential to the Institution’s healthy functioning and its continued alignment with members’ expectations. Now about to hand over the Presidency, I find myself returning to the Theme that has guided this Session: “Grow the Nexus, Link the Links”. Over the past year, I have seen how this idea has taken root. We have strengthened our outreach regionally and globally, expanded our dialogue across generations and Disciplines, and reaffirmed the HKIE as a platform that connects—not only engineers with engineers, but engineers with society. Leadership is never a solo act. My sincere gratitude goes to the Council, the Executive, the Secretariat, and every member who has given something of himself or herself—whether through service, feedback, or a firm belief in the Institution’s mission. I am confident that, under the leadership of the incoming President, the HKIE will continue to grow as a Nexus of expertise and trust. Thank you all for everything—but most of all, for the honour of being able to serve as your President. Ir Eric MA Siu-cheung |
