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MTR Academy holds its Inaugural Graduation Ceremony and continues to Nurture Talents and Develop Professionals for the Railway Industry (2019/01/18)


Marking a milestone in its development, the MTR Academy (“the Academy”) today (18 January 2019) held its inaugural graduation ceremony for over 60 graduates of its accredited programmes, including the Advanced Diploma in Railway Engineering and the Diploma in Transport Studies. Guests of honour Hong Kong SAR Government Secretary for Education Mr Kevin Yeung, Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Dr Raymond So and Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation Mr Lincoln Leong presided over the graduation ceremony, together with Acting President of MTR Academy Ms Margaret Cheng, on the Academy’s campus in Hung Hom.

With support from the Hong Kong SAR Government, academic community and professional institutions, the Academy was established in November 2016 with the aim of passing on the MTR Corporation’s 40 years of experience of railway construction, operation and management to the younger generation and nurturing railway talents and professionals for Hong Kong to ensure that customers continue to enjoy high-quality railway service.

Over the past two years, the Academy has introduced a range of accredited programmes at various levels and organised over 100 short courses and school programmes, attracting over 1,800 students who were interested in the railway industry to enrol.

“The Education Bureau launched the Qualifications Framework (QF) in 2008 to promote continuing education and lifelong learning. It is a 7-level hierarchy specifying qualifications in accordance with the levels of difficulty to assist learners in developing their competencies progressively. The MTRA programmes, completed by the graduates here today, are recognised as at QF Levels 3 and 4 respectively. I encourage the graduates to further their studies and choose from the courses that have been quality-assured and recognised under the QF so as to attain higher qualifications and make further achievements in the future,” said the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung.

“The Government has all along adopted railway as the backbone of the public transport system, and is actively taking forward new railway projects according to the Railway Development Strategy 2014. It is expected that there will be greater demand for railway professionals. I encourage students to make good use of their professional knowledge and skills in contributing to the railway development of Hong Kong,” said Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Dr Raymond So.

“Thanks to the contributions and efforts of MTR’s `Railway People’, our company has been recognised as a global leader in the provision of high-quality railway services. I am very pleased to see the MTR Academy sharing this wealth of expertise with a new generation of talents. I hope the Academy’s graduates will undertake the role of `Railway People’ in the future, and contribute to the railway and transport industries in Hong Kong and around the world,” said Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation Mr Lincoln Leong.

Apart from nurturing local railway talents, the Academy also aspires to become a globally recognised railway management and engineering centre of excellence to support the further development of the railway industry in the Mainland of China and internationally. It has been cooperating closely with various strategic partners, overseas railway authorities and rail operators. To support the Belt and Road Initiative, the Academy is providing corporate training courses, including Executive & Professional Programmes as well as Customised Training Programmes, to cater for the needs of different rail operators and authorities in the Mainland of China and overseas. In the past two years, more than 400 professionals from 22 countries and regions including the Mainland of China, Indonesia, Qatar, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Singapore have attended these corporate courses.

Photo Caption:

1. Guests of honour Hong Kong SAR Government Secretary for Education Mr Kevin Yeung (2nd right), Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Dr Raymond So (2nd left) and Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation Mr Lincoln Leong (1st right) presided over the inaugural graduation ceremony, together with Acting President of MTR Academy Ms Margaret Cheng (1st left), on the Academy’s campus.

2. In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation Mr Lincoln Leong expresses his hope that the Academy’s graduates will undertake the role of "Railway People" in the future, and contribute to the railway and transport industries in Hong Kong and around the world.

3. Mr David Leung, Dean of MTR Academy, presents the Academy Prize to one of the awardees, a graduate of the Advanced Diploma in Railway Engineering (Signal & Communications).

4. Hong Kong SAR Government Secretary for Education Mr Kevin Yeung (2nd right) and Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Dr Raymond So (3rd right) visit the teaching facilities in the Academy.