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CUHK Faculty of Social Science – University Sustainability Index Launch
Strong Performance by Asian Institutions, 3 HK Universities Ranked Among Global Top 20; Global Universities Still Have Room to Improve in Implementing Social Responsibility
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 May 2026 – As sustainability issues continued to attract widespread attention, society has come to expect more of universities in fulfilling their social responsibilities. “Institutional social responsibilities and sustainability” has been listed as one of the key performance indicators in the University Grants Committee (UGC) University Accountability Agreement, reflecting the importance placed on the role of higher education institutions in advancing sustainable development. Committed to advancing university sustainability, the Faculty of Social Science at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), led by the Faculty and undertaken jointly by the Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC) and the Centre for Business Sustainability (CBS), released Hong Kong’s first systematic global University Sustainability Index (USI). The research was led by Prof. Carlos Wing Hung LO, Director of the Public Policy Research Centre at CUHK, and conducted a holistic assessment of the social responsibility and sustainability performance of 151 universities worldwide, with the aim of driving continuous improvement in university social responsibility (USR) performance.
While Europe and the Americas pioneered the promotion of USR, Asian tertiary institutions stood out notably in this assessment, nearly half of the universities ranked in the “Global Top 20” were from Asia, including 3 from Hong Kong. Overall, global universities recorded relatively weaker scores in the “Practice” and “Impact” dimensions, reflecting that the implementation of social responsibility among universities was still in a developing stage.
Driving Universities From Theory to Practice, Quantifying Social Responsibility in University Sustainability
USI aimed to encourage higher education institutions to adopt USR as a core management model of sustainable development. Through establishing benchmarks for regional and international references, supporting institutions in seeking continuous improvement on their practices, encouraging the transparency of relevant information, and tracking and recognizing institutions with excellent sustainability performance. The USI aspired to transform theory into practice, break the ivory tower image of academia, and build a bridge between universities and society.
Prof. LO stated, “The value of this research lies in breaking the perception that academia is disconnected from the real world, building a bridge between universities and society, and translating abstract academic theories into concrete social practices. Through the assessment model we have developed, we quantify and explicitly define universities’ substantive contributions to sustainable social development beyond pure academic research, allowing higher education institutions to better understand how to take concrete action toward social change, while also providing policymakers with objective data reference.”
Building on the team’s ongoing research into USR in higher education institutions, including a series of preliminary assessments conducted between 2016 and 2022, the research team published the first Greater China University Sustainability Index in 2023, and expanded the scope of assessment to cover global and Asia-Pacific universities this time. The research team applied the “Value-Process-Impact” (VPI) framework, which was grounded in USR performance, as the assessment model. It used data to quantify the USR practices of 151 universities globally# across seven key stakeholder groups, including Student, Employee, Communities, Environment, Government/Funding Bodies, Peer Universities, and Suppliers, thereby providing a comprehensive measurement of each institution’s sustainability performance. The index integrated annual reports and sustainability-related materials publicly published by institutions, invited assessed universities to complete questionnaires, and engaged SGSHK, a third-party body, to conduct sample verification of the assessments.*
#The three sub-indices collectively covered 151 universities, some universities were included in more than one sub-index.
*For the Index methodology, please refer to the Appendix.
USI comprised three regional indices, with the following selection criteria for assessed institutions:
- Global USI: 113 institutions selected from the top 150 of the QS World University Rankings 2024, with the availability of USR, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and sustainability data in English or Chinese as the exclusion clause
- Asia-Pacific USI: Comprised of 58 member institutions of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)
- Greater China USI: Comprised of 30 institutions, including all 8 UGC-funded institutions in Hong Kong
Global Universities Excelled in Value and Management, Room to Grow in Practice and Impact
The 2025 results showed that, across the dimensions of the VPI framework#, the “Value” dimension achieved the highest scores, followed by “Management,” while “Practice” and “Impact” recorded relatively lower scores. From a regional perspective, Oceanian institutions achieved the highest overall scores, followed by Europe. Among universities ranked in the “Global Top 20,” nearly half were from Asia, including 3 from Hong Kong.
#Under the VPI framework, the “Process” dimension was subdivided into “Management” and “Practice”.
Prof. LO noted, “USR was first promoted by Europe and the Americas. However, based on the results of this assessment, while Asia started promoting USR later than Europe and the Americas, its level of engagement and performance at this stage improved considerably and even placed it among the top performers, reflecting the emphasis of Asia’s higher education community on sustainable development and its proactive implementation.”
The research findings also indicated that global universities showed weaker performance in the “Practice” and “Impact” dimensions, reflecting that the implementation of social responsibility among universities was still in a transitional stage of development. However, patterns and priorities have emerged across the VPI dimensions. “Students” and “Environment” are most valued by universities in the “Practice” dimension, while in the “Impact” dimension, institutions across the Global, Asia-Pacific, and Greater China indices placed the greatest emphasis on “Peer Universities”. Prof. LO believed that the value of a university should not be measured only by its academic research performance. Universities should also give duly attention and responsibility to various stakeholders to further advance sustainable development in society.
Bringing Scholars Together, Building an International Network for University Sustainability
Prof. LO stated that if Hong Kong institutions strengthened their efforts in the “Practice” and “Impact” dimensions, their overall performance had the potential to improve further. The research team would consider sharing the results with the UGC and relevant government departments, and proposed evidence-based recommendations to promote sustainable development among universities in Hong Kong and make an impactful contribution to social progress.
The research team established an International Advisory Committee, comprising senior scholars from Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and other regions. The Committee’s functions included reviewing and providing recommendations on the research methodology, data, and findings, serving as a bridge between the research team and institutional stakeholders and assisting in engaging sustainability departments in data collection. Members also regularly attended Committee meetings and related events, assisted in drafting research reports, and promoted the USI through their respective institutions to enhance its international influence.
The USI will be compiled annually to continuously track the progress of institutions across the various dimensions of sustainable development. The research team will hold a forum on USR and sustainability in the second half of this year, inviting relevant stakeholders to share practical experiences and research findings through thematic speeches and panel discussions. Representatives from assessed institutions will also be invited to attend, with the aim of fostering exchange and collaboration on sustainable development within the higher education community.
Through a cross-regional academic network, the research team not only encouraged universities worldwide to more actively fulfill their social responsibilities, but also quantified universities’ substantive contributions to social progress beyond academic research. Prof. LO hoped that the project would help universities clearly define their role in sustainable development, while providing policymakers with objective data to drive higher education institutions to become driving force for social change, thereby benefiting society.
High-resolution photo and press releases HERE
The full report and results HERE
Appendix: USI Methodology
Compilation of the University Sustainability Index:
- Annual USR performance assessment, which reflects the performance for the most recent calendar year with available information
- Builds on the VPI model, which provides a comprehensive assessment framework focusing on the Value-Process-Impact cycle of institutions
- Stakeholder perspective, which includes the evaluation of USR practices towards 7 key stakeholder groups, including Student, Employee, Peer Universities, Communities, Environment, Government/Funding Bodies, and Suppliers
- Open information with validation, which relies on publicly available information disclosed in the university’s ESG/CSR/sustainability report/official website
Prudence Measures:
- Invited by email to individual index universities to complete a questionnaire on the University Sustainability Index platform
- Index universities concerned were requested to review the questionnaire completed by our researchers on data accuracy and provide supplementary information
- Sampling check and audit were conducted by the SGS HK after initial assessment scores for individual index universities were compiled
- All assessment scores and rankings were reviewed and hence endorsed by an International Advisory Committee
Disclaimer: The scores for individual index universities are calculated using the VPI assessment model based on publicly available information and data related to sustainability/social responsibility of the index university concerned. Thus, the accuracy of the index depends on the sufficiency and accuracy of the publicly available information and data from each index university.
Hashtag: #CUHK #SocialScience #Education #Sustainability
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
CUHK Faculty of Social Science
The Faculty of Social Science at The Chinese University of Hong Kong is dedicated to education, research, and community engagement across diverse disciplines, including Architecture, Urban Studies, Economics, Geography and Resource Management, Governance and Policy Science, Journalism and Communication, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Gender Studies. Through actively promoting professional, interdisciplinary research, the Faculty fosters knowledge transfer and strengthens societal connections, contributing to social advancement.
Faculty Website: https://socsc.cuhk.edu.hk/
Hashtag: #ZuelligPharma #EliLillyandCompany #Cialis #Healthcare #MensHealth #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals
https://www.zuelligpharma.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/zuellig-pharma
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About Zuellig Pharma
Zuellig Pharma is a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, and our purpose is to make healthcare more accessible to the communities we serve. We provide world-class distribution, commercialization, and clinical trial support services, underpinned by a strong culture of innovation to support the growing healthcare needs in this region. The company was founded a hundred years ago and has grown to become a multibillion-dollar business covering 18 markets with over 12,000 employees. Our people serve more than 200,000 medical facilities and work with over 450 clients, including the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world.
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Licensed Watch Dealer Times Avenue Marks Five Years amid Singapore’s Pre-Owned Watch Market Growth
As the global watch industry slows and fraud risks in the secondary channel draw public attention, Times Avenue is among Singapore’s secondhand luxury watch specialists seeing sustained growth on the back of shifting buyer preferences and tightening consumer scrutiny
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – Times Avenue by Horology Maison marks its five-year anniversary in 2026, as Singapore’s pre-owned luxury watch market expands amid a broader slowdown in the global watch industry.
A Growing Secondary Market and the Case for Regulated Dealers
The Bloomberg Subdial Watch Index, which tracks the 50 most-traded references by transaction value, recorded its best half-year performance since early 2022 in the first half of 2025, reflecting a broader shift in buyer preference towards the secondary channel.
The growth of the pre-owned segment has been driven by a combination of factors, including tighter supply of popular references at authorised dealers, record gold prices lifting new watch retail costs, and a shift among buyers towards immediate availability and market-reflective pricing.
Founded in 2020, Times Avenue has grown alongside this trend, transacting more than 3,000 authenticated timepieces from its Beach Road boutique over its first five years of operation. The boutique’s inventory is weighted towards luxury Swiss timepieces including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor and Cartier, with a focus on sought-after references that are typically subject to long waiting lists in the primary market.
At the same time, authentication and fraud risks in the secondary channel have drawn public attention, including the recent prosecution of an Italian national who attempted to trade a “fake” Rolex GMT Saru at a Singapore retailer. Both developments underline the importance of sourcing from licensed, regulated dealers.
Licensed secondhand goods dealers like Times Avenue operate under frameworks that impose customer due diligence, transaction reporting, record-keeping, and stock movement obligations. Exempted by the Singapore Police Force and a fully regulated dealer under the Ministry of Law, Times Avenue ensures that every watch sold undergoes rigorous in-house authentication before it reaches the client, and each piece is covered by an in-house warranty, giving buyers assurance of authenticity for every transaction.
Times Avenue also offers in-person buying from the public, trade-ins, consignment, and authentication, alongside retail, covering both the acquisition and resale ends of the secondary market.
Clients and prospective buyers can view current inventory, arrange private viewings, or request a sourcing consultation at https://horologymaison.com/contact-us/.
Hashtag: #TimesAvenue #PreOwnedWatches #LuxuryWatchesSingapore #WatchCollector #HorologyMaison
https://horologymaison.com/
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carousell: https://www.carousell.sg/u/timesavenuesg/
telegram: 
https://t.me/timesavenue
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Times Avenue by Horology Maison
Times Avenue by Horology Maison is a Singapore-based luxury watch grey dealer established in 2021, offering authenticated new and pre-owned timepieces from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Cartier and other leading maisons. The company provides retail, buying, trade-in, consignment, sourcing and authentication services from its boutique at 371 Beach Road #02-55 City Gate, Singapore 199597. Times Avenue by Horology Maison is registered with the Ministry of Law as a Regulated Dealer (Registration No. PS20220002864) and holds SPF Exempted Second-Hand Goods Dealer status.
Over 200 industry leaders, trendsetters and cultural figures gather at The Orbit to celebrate the much-anticipated launch event
SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – De Beers Group unveiled the Desert diamonds campaign for Asia at West Bund Orbit in Shanghai. The immersive experience brought to life the authenticity, individuality and inner radiance embodied by Desert diamonds. Generating significant buzz across Shanghai, the event attracted distinguished guests, including government officials and ambassadors, retailers and industry partners, media and cultural influencers, artists and designers.
Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, the West Bund Orbit’s fluid, ribbon‑like form resonates with Desert diamonds’ narrative of individuality, naturalness and fluidity, offering a visually perfect setting for the launch. The highlight of the evening was a sacred gong‑striking ceremony, symbolising the opening of a new era for Desert diamonds. Officiating at the gong-striking ceremony were Lynn Serfaty, General Manager, Natural Diamonds, De Beers Group; Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group; Winston Chow, Deputy General Manager of Chow Sang Sang Jewellery Group and Tommy Tse, Deputy CEO at Tse Sui Luen Jewellery Group. The ring the bell ceremony is accompanied by Loletta Lai, VP, Natural Diamond Marketing, APAC, De Beers Group and Sean Lin, VP, Sales, De Beers Group.
Government and diplomatic leaders joined the celebration to offer their congratulations. Taking the stage for a group photo were Mr. Sohail Shaikh, UK Deputy Trade Commissioner to China, UK Government / FCDO; Mr. Tom Simpson, MD, China, China-Britain Business Council; Ms. Phuti Joyce Tsipa, South African Consul-General in Shanghai; Ms. Bertha Amakali, Minister Counsellor of Namibia to China; Mr. Lin Qiang, President of Shanghai Diamond Exchange Center; Ms. Xu Yilei, Managing Director of the Natural Diamond Council Greater China; Ms. Meng Xiaojun, Chief Economist of NGTC; Shridaran Pillay, VP Government Affairs, De Beers Group, underscoring the event’s cross‑cultural significance.
“Desert diamonds captures the untamed beauty and power of the desert,” said Lynn Serfaty, “In China, natural diamonds are not imports—their origins are deeply rooted in ancient civilisation. The desert itself resonates with the Chinese cultural appreciation for transcendence, resilience, and the harmony between heaven and humanity.”
“Today’s consumers seek individual expression, true self, and self‑reward,” she continued, “Each Desert diamond is a response to this desire. Every Desert diamond presents a uniquely warm, natural colour and carries the imprint of billions of years. It is this cultural resonance that is driving the growing interest and appreciation of Desert diamonds in the Chinese market, representing the values most precious in our time: authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.”
Departing from traditional jewellery launch formats, De Beers Group invited four “Real People” who embody the spirit of authenticity through their real‑life journeys to reveal the essence of Desert diamonds. The event opened with Desert diamonds “Real People” and sound healer Lear Tsui’s ethereal “Healing Trace” gong performance, guiding guests into a serene state of inner exploration. In the performance segment “Colour of Origin” that followed – Guo Yu’ang, a young Peking opera artist of the Mei School, honoured tradition with a graceful and elegant aria, conveying the beauty of heritage. The only female “Real People”, Shi Wei, China’s first F1 Academy female driver, made a stunning appearance wearing Desert diamonds jewellery at the “Blade of Resilience” segment. She shared with conviction: “True strength is often not outwardly expressed but built through intense focus. Just like the formation of natural diamonds—seemingly silent, yet enduring pressure over eons to achieve transformation.” Taking the stage at the finale “Ray of Refraction”, stand‑up comedian Liu Yang ignited the room with a series of humorous and heartfelt performances, and amidst the laughter, he led everyone into the moment of the very first reveal of Desert diamonds jewellery. Liu Yang shared: “True brilliance is not about being flawless, but about embracing every aspect of yourself, just as Desert diamonds reflects a unique individuality through the natural beauty of diamonds.”
At the heart of the celebration was a curated jewellery art exhibition, presenting Desert diamonds jewellery masterpieces by Chow Tai Fook, Chow Sang Sang and Tse Sui Luen, alongside De Beers Group’s iconic three‑stone collection and loose Desert diamonds. De Beers Group creatively partnered with bamboo weaving artist Xu Mingyu, who used the intangible cultural heritage of bamboo weaving to create immersive art installations throughout the venue. The Desert diamonds jewellery was placed amidst an intricate interplay of bamboo rhythms, sparking a poetic dialogue between contemporary jewellery design and millennia‑old craftsmanship. This distinctive Eastern aesthetic not only offered a fresh visual delight, but also interpreted the beauty of individuality, the authenticity of craftsmanship, and the radiance of time‑honoured tradition embodied by Desert diamonds from a local perspective, further underscoring De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitment.
To bring the experience to a memorable close, guests continued the journey through sensory party, where sound, scent and imagery combined to evoke the beauty at the heart of Desert diamonds. Interactive zones included a sand art experience allowing guests to co‑create with their fingertips, feeling the flow and eternity of the desert, a Gong Sound healing session using resonant frequencies to guide guests into a state of calm and introspection, and a Scents of the Desert fragrance experience blending warm amber and deep woody notes to outline the raw, pure beauty of the desert earth. Each experience acted as a different facet of a Desert diamond, collectively reflecting the themes of authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.
To delve deeper into the spirit of the theme, De Beers Group hosted a series of panel talks, offering different perspectives on the evolving role of natural diamonds in modern life. Consumers were invited to participate in Natural Diamond Masterclasses, where they learned about the rarity, uniqueness and enduring value of natural diamonds, and gained further understanding of how to distinguish natural diamonds from laboratory‑grown diamonds. In addition, enamel painting workshops allowed guests to explore the dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Desert diamonds opens a new chapter in the celebration of natural diamonds, honouring their deep‑earth origin, inherent rarity, and cross‑cultural significance as symbols of individuality, natural beauty and self‑reward. Today, consumers increasingly look for pieces that reflect not only who they are, but how they choose to live, celebrate and express themselves. Desert diamonds answers that desire with a natural diamond expression shaped by individuality, authenticity and inner radiance. Looking ahead, De Beers Group will continue to celebrate the enduring wonder of natural diamonds and inspire a new generation to discover their relevance in today’s world. Desert diamonds breathe new life into “A Diamond is Forever”—because natural diamonds belong not only to eternity, but also to the here and now.
Please follow the official accounts to find more information regarding Desert diamonds.
| De Beers Group Official Website www.debeersgroup.com |
Natural Diamond Instagram Page： @ADiamondisForeverhk |
Hashtag: #Naturaldiamonds #Diamonds #DeBeersGroup #Desertdiamonds #ADiamondisForever
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About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘
Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
