Dr Lee Shau Kee, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

This kick-off ceremony has been years in the making. It is not just the kick-off of our campus development but the kick-off for a bigger dream. During the past 18 years, we have gone from being a hope to being a help to our economy.

In our first 18 years, HKUST has remained physically unchanged, except for the addition of the Enterprise Center. This ceremony marks the first major growth of our campus, to meet the needs of the 4-year degree program, and to fulfill our bigger mission. If you like, you can call this becoming an adult in size. With this expanded campus, we are taking a giant leap forward in size and ambition.

This bold leap forward would not have been possible without the generous support from our friends, in particular, Dr Lee Shau Kee, for whose enormous generosity this new campus is named. As they say, big dreams don't come cheap. We are grateful that as HKUST becomes the most recognizable university of science and technology in Asia, we are recognized by leaders in our community as a leader in our city's scientific future.

An increase in size must be accompanied by a corresponding increase in quality. Quality precedes possibility. As we grow bigger, we must try harder to open more doors for our students and faculty by being the best. This is a mission whose success depends on the dedication of all members of this university.

But today, after years of toiling over details in the blueprint, we are here to hammer down the nail. We are also here to pay tribute to Dr Lee, a man who helps to make our dream come true, as he takes his first shovel of soil. For those of you who are too lazy to exercise, you now have no excuse. You have Dr Lee to thank for the bigger campus to give you your daily quota of power walking to keep you in shape.

Thank you.