2026 UGC Teaching Award honours excellent teachers
The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
The University Grants Committee (UGC) held a presentation ceremony for the 2026 UGC Teaching Award today (September 29) to honour academics from UGC-funded universities for their outstanding teaching performances and achievements, as well as their leadership and scholarly contributions to teaching and learning within and outside their campuses.
Through a rigorous process, the Award Selection Panel selected the following three recipients from among over 20 outstanding nominees for the Award:
General Faculty Members
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Professor Helen Geng, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Division of Science, Lingnan University
Early Career Faculty Members
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Dr Michael Rivera, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Hong Kong
Collaborative Teams
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Eye Learn, I.CARE: Joint-University Eye Care Ambassador Training Scheme, led by Professor Kelvin Chong (Professor (Clinical), Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)), with Professor Arthur Tsang (Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty of Education, CUHK), Dr Sharron Leung (Head of Nursing Education and Programme Director of Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Hong Kong Baptist University) and Ms Stephany Tai (Research Assistant, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK) as team members.
The citations of the awardees are in the Annex.
The Chairman of the UGC, Mr Tim Lui, congratulated the awardees, finalists, and nominees for their remarkable achievements and expressed gratitude to all UGC-funded universities for their support of the UGC Teaching Award. He said, "The UGC remains firmly committed to investing in quality teaching and learning, andencourages institutions to collaborate more closely and share effective practices, so that successful ideas can generate impact beyond individual projects or campuses. Through this collective effort,we can further enhance the quality of teaching and learning, broaden the reach of pedagogical innovation and reinforce Hong Kong's position as a leading international hub for higher education."
The Chair of the 2026 UGC Teaching Award Selection Panel, Chair of the Quality Assurance Council (QAC) and member of the UGC, Mr Dieter Yih, remarked, "The panel was deeply impressed by the awardees' outstanding pedagogical innovation, dedication, and impact. Professor Geng has made a meaningful contribution to sustainability and experiential education locally and beyond and empowered students to translate knowledge into purposeful action through her learner-centred teaching approach. Dr Rivera's care for students and passion for anthropology establish him as an outstanding early-career educator with remarkable impact. The Eye Learn, I.CARE Team enabled students to connect academic knowledge with authentic healthcare settings and exemplifies how tertiary education can generate tangible societal impact while nurturing lifelong learners committed to empathy, compassion, and social responsibility."
The presentation ceremony was attended by members of the UGC and the QAC, council chairmen and senior management of UGC-funded universities, as well as nominees for the Award.
The UGC has also produced a series of short video clips to promote best teaching practices by showcasing the teaching approach of the 2026 UGC Teaching Award recipients. The clips, together with the selection criteria and the composition of the Selection Panel, as well as the list of other finalists, are available on the UGC websitewww.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/activity/ugc_teaching_award/result.html.
The Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Mr Tim Lui (centre), today (September 29) presents the 2026 UGC Teaching Award for Collaborative Teams to the Eye Learn, I.CARE: Joint-University Eye Care Ambassador Training Scheme. The team is led by Professor Kelvin Chong of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) (second left), with Professor Arthur Tsang of the CUHK (second right), Dr Sharron Leung of Hong Kong Baptist University (first left) and Ms Stephany Tai of the CUHK (first right) as collaborative team members. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Mr Tim Lui (right), today (September 29) presents the 2026 UGC Teaching Award for Early Career Faculty Members to Dr Michael Rivera (left) of the University of Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Mr Tim Lui (right), today (September 29) presents the 2026 UGC Teaching Award for General Faculty Members to Professor Helen Geng (left) of Lingnan University. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
