9 June 2025 

The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) welcomed Professor Fanny Cheung, a 2025 Honorary Doctor at HSUHK, as well as a distinguished psychology scholar, to be a distinguished speaker at the “Visionary Wisdom: Honorary Doctorate Lecture Series” held last Friday (6 June). Professor Cheung delivered an insightful lecture titled “Bridging Tradition and Progress: Leveraging Chinese Cultural Values in Equal Opportunities Initiatives”, in which she explored the integration of Chinese cultural values with contemporary egalitarian principles. The lecture was moderated by Professor Jeanne Fu, Vice-President (Learning and Student Experience) at HSUHK.

As a pioneer in cross-cultural studies, Professor Cheung explained how the differences between Eastern and Western cultures affect the accuracy of psychological assessment tools. She recalled her early years studying psychology in the United States and obtaining her doctoral degree, then returning to Hong Kong to work. Professor Cheung discovered that clinical psychologists assessed patients’ mental and behavioural states by translating the famous English assessment tool Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with over 500 items into Chinese on the spot, which lacked standardisation. Therefore, she translated the MMPI and further standardised this assessment tool. She found that certain behaviours considered depressive in the United States were in fact normal in Hong Kong. The impact of such cultural differences prompted Professor Cheung to develop a localised version of assessment tool suitable for Chinese culture, pioneering the localisation of psychological studies and inspiring the creation of culturally appropriate scales in regions such as Africa and the Middle East. She also shared that during her translation and data analysis work, she discovered numerous cultural differences, such as in interpersonal relationships, where Western cultures place greater emphasis on individualism, while Chinese people are generally influenced by Confucius thoughts, exhibiting a mentality characterised by a “round outside and square inside” behaviour mode.

During her lecture, Professor Cheung also shared that her clinical practice at the United Christian Hospital’s psychiatric department enabled her to understand various issues faced by women in Hong Kong, which profoundly shaped her commitment to addressing women’s societal challenges. She collaborated with foreign women’s organisations to conduct advocacy and educational work in the community, established the Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres, and founded the first Gender Research Centre in Hong Kong and Greater China at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Cheung stressed that gender is diverse, and she does not wish to marginalise any gender or even create confrontation among them.

Professor Cheung is also an advocate for equal rights. During her tenure as the Founding Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Hong Kong from 1996 to 1999, she played a pivotal role in the enactment of various anti-discrimination policies including the Sex Discrimination Ordinance and Disability Discrimination Ordinance. During her lecture, Professor Cheung also illustrated how evidence-based research informed anti-discrimination policies. In initiatives addressing sexual violence prevention and workplace equality, she skilfully reconciled the Chinese cultural emphasis on interpersonal harmony with universal human values.

The lecture was followed by a Q&A session. Professor Cheung engaged in in-depth discussions with attendees on topics such as the accuracy of personality tests and gender differences.

In his opening remarks, Professor Simon Ho, President of HSUHK, praised Professor Cheung for her efforts in promoting equal opportunities and advancing gender studies. President Ho also highlighted Professor Cheung’s leadership in various professional associations and teams to implement projects, which has had a profound impact on society, including the personality assessment tool developed by Professor Cheung, which has benefited the entire Chinese community.