Elite Athlete Friendly University Fund launched to promote long-term development of local sports

As an extension to the University’s pledge in 2018 to be an “Elite Athlete Friendly University” in Hong Kong, EdUHK announced the establishment of the Elite Athlete Friendly University (EAFU) Fund in August 2021. The fund was established to promote the long-term development of local sports by proactively engaging stakeholders and canvassing wider community support. The fund provides scholarships for EdUHK’s Olympians as well as for University ambassadors to promote a friendly environment in support of athletes’ pursuit of a dual career. In December, the EAFU Fund received a generous donation of HK$2 million from the Friends of Hong Kong Association (FHKA).

Extending his sincere gratitude to FHKA, EdUHK Council Chairman David Wong Yau-kar said, “With the historic success of Hong Kong athletes at the Tokyo Olympics and the Government's recent efforts in developing the sports industry, I believe more talents will be attracted to pursue careers in sport. Thanks to the generous support from FHKA, the University will be able to further promote lifelong learning and the diversified development of local athletes.”

FHKA President Dr Henry Tang Ying-yen said, “The success of Hong Kong athletes does not come about by chance. It is indeed the result of our athletes and their coaches’ hard work, the Government’s long-term investment, and local universities’ research and development. As an important yardstick of social progress and development, the sporting success of our country embodies our overall national strength and social civility; it is also an essential manifestation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

At a ceremony held for the establishment of the EAFU Fund on 31 August 2021, the table tennis pair, Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching, both students of the Bachelor of Health Education (Honours) (BHE) programme, received scholarships provided by EAFU and presented by President Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung in the presence of Mr Carlson Tong, Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), and Dr Trisha Leahy, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Sports Institute.

“Our athletes have endured hardships and made sacrifices in representing Hong Kong. We are delighted to support their further studies, as part of our commitment to promote the rounded development of sportspeople. I believe they will benefit from university education in their pursuit of career paths. As President, I am pleased to see the many achievements of EdUHK’s elite athlete students and graduates after retiring from sport. Perseverance has made them successful in their different endeavours, which include sports coaching and promotion, entrepreneurship, university teaching, and furthering their studies,” said Professor Cheung.

Dr Andy Tse Choi-yeung, Associate Professor and Acting Head of the Department of Health and Physical Education, said, “These athletes have continued to stretch their potential in sports. Being a dual career student-athlete is never easy. We are more than pleased to support them in every possible way. By awarding scholarships to these elite athletes, we are recognising their dedication and efforts to excel in sports while at the same time pursuing their academic studies at EdUHK.”

To maximise their potential in both fields, EdUHK provides support packages to meet the needs of elite athletes. Apart from awarding them scholarships, EdUHK also aids elite athletes by offering them a comprehensive support system coordinated by the Elite Athlete Development Officer, as well as the provision of a special admission scheme and special study arrangement.

Four elite athletes were recently appointed as EAFU Ambassadors: squash player Leo Au Chun-ming, windsurfer Cheng Kwok-fai, and rowers Chiu Hin-chun and Lee Ka-man. They all graduated this year from either the Master of Social Sciences in Sports Coaching and Management (MSocSc(SCM)) programme or the Bachelor of Health Education (Honours) (BHE) programme, with outstanding academic performance apart from their sports achievements. These appointments come in addition to last year’s appointment of former World Champion cyclist Wong Kam-po and Hong Kong karate team member Lee Chun-ho as EAFU Ambassadors. The appointed ambassadors are expected to be role models committed to promoting the holistic development of local athletes.

Since 2010, the University has admitted more than 100 elite athletes to its different academic programmes, especially BHE programme run by the Department of Health and Physical Education. In 2014, EdUHK was the first UGC-funded institution to sign a collaborative agreement with the Hong Kong Sports Institute, followed by a memorandum of understanding with The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) in 2021, which introduced a special admission scheme for athletes who have retired or are planning to retire.

Over the years, medallists who have enrolled through the University’s special admissions route include Olympic bronze medallists Sarah Lee Wai-sze, Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching, as well as three-time Asian Games cycling champion Wong Kam-po and two-time Asian Games gold medal gymnast Shek Wai-hung.

At the Tokyo Olympics, two EdUHK students and one graduate from the BHE programme were among the seven medallists who won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals for Hong Kong. The following are the recipients of the new scholarships that recognise their contributions to sports and athlete-friendly initiatives:

For more details on what the work of an Elite Athlete Development Officer entails, please read the related story: “Walking with elite athletes at EdUHK”.