Honorary Degrees & Distinguished Visitors

This article catalogues the various honorary titles conferred by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the distinguished visiting scholars it has hosted. We draw strict distinctions between: Honorary Doctorates (the highest honour), Honorary Fellowships (recognising service to the University and society), Distinguished Professors-at-Large (long-term substantive appointments), Wei Lun Visiting Professorships/Lectures, and the SHKP Nobel Laureates Distinguished Lectures (visiting speakers). For details of Nobel-calibre scholars, see ./nobel-and-awards.md.

# I. Honorary Doctorates

# 1. Overview

An Honorary Doctorate (Doctor honoris causa) is the highest honour CUHK bestows upon individuals of outstanding achievement in scholarship, the professions, public service, or service to the community. Degrees are normally conferred at the University's Congregation for the Conferment of Honorary Degrees. The categories include Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Science, Doctor of Social Science, Doctor of Laws, and others.

# 2. Recent Recipients: International Scholars

Per CUHK press releases: Jeffrey Sachs was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Social Science on 3 October 2023, in recognition of his contributions to sustainable development and the fight against economic inequality^※; mRNA vaccine pioneer Katalin Karikó was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science on 4 August 2023^※.

# 3. The 96th Congregation (December 2025)

According to a CUHK press release, the University held its 96th Congregation for the Conferment of Honorary Degrees on 11 December 2025, awarding honorary doctorates to five distinguished individuals spanning public policy, medical innovation, scientific research, and the arts^※.

# 4. Alumni Receiving Honorary Doctorates from their Alma Mater

CUHK has also conferred Honorary Doctorates upon its own distinguished alumni. For instance, it has been reported that Michael Hui Koon-man (許冠文) — the master of Hong Kong comedy cinema and an alumnus of the Sociology department at United College — was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Social Science by CUHK in 2026^※. An alumnus receiving the highest honour from his alma mater is a classic case of the 'alumnus–honorary doctor' dual identity.

# II. Honorary Fellows

# 1. Overview

According to the CUHK Honorary Fellowships website, the title of Honorary Fellow is conferred upon distinguished individuals who have made outstanding achievements in their respective professions and significant contributions to CUHK and the community^※. Unlike an Honorary Doctorate, an Honorary Fellowship places greater emphasis on recognising long-term contributions to the University's development and to society (such as donations, service, or advancing university administration) and is not a purely academic honour. It is normally conferred at the Honorary Fellowship Presentation Ceremony.

# 2. Recent Ceremonies

Per a CUHK press release, the University held its 24th Honorary Fellowship Presentation Ceremony, conferring Honorary Fellowships upon four distinguished individuals^※. The Honorary Fellowship scheme is a permanent recognition system at CUHK that makes awards on an annual basis.

# III. Distinguished Professor-at-Large — the highest-level substantive appointment

Distinguished Professor-at-Large is one of the highest academic honours CUHK can bestow, reserved for world-class academic leaders. Appointees engage in teaching and research over the long term and visit the campus regularly to give lectures. This is a substantive academic appointment, a far closer relationship than that of a visiting speaker. Verified Distinguished Professors-at-Large include:

For the precise nature of each individual's relationship with CUHK — start dates, concurrent College headships, etc. — see ./nobel-and-awards.md.

# IV. Wei Lun Visiting Professor / Wei Lun Lecture

According to CUHK materials, the Wei Lun Visiting Professorship / Fellowship scheme was established with a donation from the Wei Lun Foundation, and aims to invite distinguished scholars from around the world to visit CUHK and deliver lectures^※. Separately, CUHK also has Wei Lun Professorships — named chairs awarded to permanent teaching staff (e.g., Wei Lun Professor of Statistics, Wei Lun Professor of Economics, Wei Lun Professor of Surgery). According to a CUHK press release, the inauguration ceremony for the Choh-Ming Li and Wei Lun Professorships, together with the presentation of teaching and research awards, was held in March 2024^※.

Note: A Wei Lun 'Visiting Professorship / Lecture' (a visiting scholar delivering a talk) and a Wei Lun 'Professorship' (a permanent named chair) are two different titles; the former is a visiting arrangement, the latter is a substantive post. The distinction must be maintained.

# V. SHKP Nobel Laureates Distinguished Lectures (Visiting Speakers — the weakest link)

CUHK co-organises the 'SHKP Nobel Laureates Distinguished Lectures' with Sun Hung Kai Properties, inviting Nobel laureates from around the world to speak on campus. The aim is to promote knowledge and academic exchange to the wider public.

# VI. Quick-reference Summary (Categorisation by Status)