Citation delivered by Professor CHAN Lung Sang, Deputy Director and College Principal

Dr Darwin Chen is a true lifelong learner and moreover someone who has devoted a significant amount of his career to lifelong learning and to HKU SPACE, and its predecessor the Department of Extra-Mural Studies, in particular. Dr Chen is also an exemplar to all of us having followed several careers.

He is well known for his work in the arts, as Manager of the new City Hall in the 1960s and later Director of Cultural Services. He is the former Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He has also been honoured by the Academy for Performing Arts as well as by HKU. His later civil service responsibilities included service as Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs (responsible for planning the legal and administrative arrangements for the change of Hong Kong's sovereignty in 1997), Commissioner for Labour and Director of Buildings and Lands.

Following his retirement from the Civil Service, he served as Chief Executive of the Community Chest from 1993 to 2000. He is still active in international charity organisations. He is perhaps less well known for his connection with HKU SPACE, first as a student in the Diploma in Management Studies where he was one of the early graduates and later as a member of the Board for Extra-Mural Studies and its successor, the Board of the School of Professional and Continuing Education. He still serves the Board as Senior Advisor, having been a director and Chairman of the Board in the past. He is also a member of Board for Continuing and Professional Education and Lifelong Learning, the University Senate committee responsible for the School’s academic awards.

In so many ways therefore Darwin has served the community, tirelessly and with humility and he has been an important figure for the development of HKU SPACE. He has been honoured by the award of the SBS and in a number of ways, it is now appropriate that he becomes one of the first recipients of the newly established HKU SPACE Fellowships for his contribution to the community and to HKU SPACE.