CityUHK Chinese Judge Programmes celebrate the 2025 commencement with national legal experts
The City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) School of Law held the Opening Ceremony for its Doctor of Juridical Science Programme for Chinese Senior Judges, the Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges, and the Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges on 16 September. Renowned legal experts from mainland China and Hong Kong attended the ceremony to extend their congratulations.
The officiating guests included Mr Paul Lam Ting-kwok SC, GBS, JP, Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR Government; Ms Chen Chunmei, Vice-President of the National Judges College; Mr Zheng Rujun, Secretary of Committee for Discipline Inspection Commission of the National Judges College; Mr Liu Chunhua, Director-General of Legal Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Ms Zhou Qian, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR; Mr Michael Ngai, Council Chairman of CityUHK; and Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President of CityUHK.
The ceremony was also officiated by The Hon Martin Liao Cheung-kong, GBM, GBS, JP, Non-official Member of the Executive Council and Legislative Council Member of the HKSAR; Ms Linda Lam Mei-sau, SBS, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission; Mr Roden Tong Man-lung, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong; Ms Eva Sit Yat-wah SC, Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association; Ms Liu Changchun, Chairman of China Legal Services (Hong Kong) Limited; Professor Kevin Downing, Secretary to Council of CityUHK and Professor Lin Feng, Dean of the CityUHK School of Law.
In his speech, Mr Lam expressed his gratitude to CityUHK for organising training programmes for mainland judges, and emphasised that the Department of Justice will continue working with law schools and the legal service sector in Hong Kong, supporting the country on foreign-related construction of rule of law. He said, “Over the years, CityUHK, in particular the School of Law and the Research Engagement Centre for Judicial Education and Research cum Identification of Hong Kong Law, has collaborated with the Supreme People’s Court, the National Judges College and other institutions to organise training programmes of various forms and scopes for mainland judges. The results are obvious to all and their experience is unquestionable. I express my appreciation and gratitude for this.”
He also expressed his congratulations on the successful opening of the CityUHK Chinese Judge Programmes and extended a warm welcome to the senior judges and judges from mainland China. He hoped that the new students would become a bridge between the legal systems of the two places after graduation.
Mr Ngai said, “CityUHK is honoured to contribute to country's judicial reform and law enhancement and development, and to the cultivation of legal professionals with international legal expertise. Through the close collaboration between the National Judges College and CityUHK, our Chinese Judges Programmes will undoubtedly keep pace with the times and strive for continuous improvement, cultivating more judicial professionals with knowledge of both common law and international law for the country.”
In his speech, Professor Lee thanked the Supreme People's Court and the National Judges College for their support and trust in CityUHK and encouraged the participants to explore new ideas and actively exchange perspectives during the training, thereby collectively improving their legal practice.
Since 2008, the CityUHK School of Law has collaborated with the Supreme People's Court and its affiliated National Judges College to offer the Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges. This initiative was followed by the introduction of the Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges and the Doctor of Juridical Science Programme for Chinese Senior Judges. Over the years, these programmes have facilitated legal exchanges among mainland China, Hong Kong and the rest of the world, while training more than a thousand judges from mainland China.
During the ceremony, three freshman representatives thanked CityUHK for the valuable training opportunities and expressed their aspiration to put their knowledge into practice.
Media enquiries:
Venus Doon, Communications and Institutional Research Office, CityUHK (Tel: 3442 6377)
The officiating guests included Mr Paul Lam Ting-kwok SC, GBS, JP, Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR Government; Ms Chen Chunmei, Vice-President of the National Judges College; Mr Zheng Rujun, Secretary of Committee for Discipline Inspection Commission of the National Judges College; Mr Liu Chunhua, Director-General of Legal Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Ms Zhou Qian, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR; Mr Michael Ngai, Council Chairman of CityUHK; and Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President of CityUHK.
The ceremony was also officiated by The Hon Martin Liao Cheung-kong, GBM, GBS, JP, Non-official Member of the Executive Council and Legislative Council Member of the HKSAR; Ms Linda Lam Mei-sau, SBS, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission; Mr Roden Tong Man-lung, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong; Ms Eva Sit Yat-wah SC, Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association; Ms Liu Changchun, Chairman of China Legal Services (Hong Kong) Limited; Professor Kevin Downing, Secretary to Council of CityUHK and Professor Lin Feng, Dean of the CityUHK School of Law.
In his speech, Mr Lam expressed his gratitude to CityUHK for organising training programmes for mainland judges, and emphasised that the Department of Justice will continue working with law schools and the legal service sector in Hong Kong, supporting the country on foreign-related construction of rule of law. He said, “Over the years, CityUHK, in particular the School of Law and the Research Engagement Centre for Judicial Education and Research cum Identification of Hong Kong Law, has collaborated with the Supreme People’s Court, the National Judges College and other institutions to organise training programmes of various forms and scopes for mainland judges. The results are obvious to all and their experience is unquestionable. I express my appreciation and gratitude for this.”
He also expressed his congratulations on the successful opening of the CityUHK Chinese Judge Programmes and extended a warm welcome to the senior judges and judges from mainland China. He hoped that the new students would become a bridge between the legal systems of the two places after graduation.
Mr Ngai said, “CityUHK is honoured to contribute to country's judicial reform and law enhancement and development, and to the cultivation of legal professionals with international legal expertise. Through the close collaboration between the National Judges College and CityUHK, our Chinese Judges Programmes will undoubtedly keep pace with the times and strive for continuous improvement, cultivating more judicial professionals with knowledge of both common law and international law for the country.”
In his speech, Professor Lee thanked the Supreme People's Court and the National Judges College for their support and trust in CityUHK and encouraged the participants to explore new ideas and actively exchange perspectives during the training, thereby collectively improving their legal practice.
Since 2008, the CityUHK School of Law has collaborated with the Supreme People's Court and its affiliated National Judges College to offer the Advanced Programme for Chinese Senior Judges. This initiative was followed by the introduction of the Master of Laws Programme for Chinese Judges and the Doctor of Juridical Science Programme for Chinese Senior Judges. Over the years, these programmes have facilitated legal exchanges among mainland China, Hong Kong and the rest of the world, while training more than a thousand judges from mainland China.
During the ceremony, three freshman representatives thanked CityUHK for the valuable training opportunities and expressed their aspiration to put their knowledge into practice.
Media enquiries:
Venus Doon, Communications and Institutional Research Office, CityUHK (Tel: 3442 6377)