HKU appoints Wallace Lau as interim dean of medicine

The University of Hong Kong has named Wallace Lau, its chair of rheumatology and clinical immunology, as interim dean of medicine.

Lau, who is also a government pandemic adviser, will take up the post on August 1, when outgoing head Gabriel Leung leaves for a senior role at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

In an email to HKU staff and students, the university’s president, Zhang Xiang, said Lau will take on the role while the school launches a global search for Leung’s replacement.

“Widely recognised for his specialty in rheumatology, Professor Lau possesses in-depth knowledge about the faculty and the Hospital Authority…I would like to thank Professor Lau for his willingness to take on the interim deanship,” Zhang wrote.

“I also wish to take this opportunity to thank the current dean, Professor Gabriel Leung, once again for having led the faculty for nine years with great achievements.”

Writing to HKU’s medical faculty, Lau said his appointment is “the proudest moment” of his academic life.

“No words are enough to describe what Gabriel has done for us during his tenure. The best way to thank him is to continue to build on what he has founded and to scale the faculty to newer heights,” he wrote.

In a separate message, Leung extended his congratulations to his successor, saying he’s “absolutely delighted”.

“There is no better qualified and more appropriate successor than [Lau]. I have full confidence that he will take HKUMed from strength to strength, building on the momentum of the past decade,” he wrote.

Leung resigned as dean of medicine in November last year.

He is formally stepping down at the end of this academic year, before joining the Hong Kong Jockey Club as its executive director for charities and community later this year.