Youders’ Story – Prof. Mee Kam Ng伍美琴教授
Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships of Overseas Studies in 1988/89
尤德爵士紀念基金海外研究生獎學金1988/89年得獎者
Prof. Mee Kam Ng wanted to be a teacher since she was a child and she was intrigued by the knowledge in Geography. She was the recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships for Overseas Studies 1988/89. Currently, she is Vice-Chairperson of the Department of Geography and Resource Management, CUHK. She developed her interests in urban planning when she worked as a volunteer in her community after she graduated from university, especially with regards to the work of balancing the interests of different stakeholders in society. It marked the beginning of her career as an urban planner. Now, apart from being a prominent scholar in the field of urban planning, she has also paid high regard to the sustainable development of our city and the mental health of its citizens.
Prof. Ng finished her secondary education at Queen Elizabeth School. Due to her interest in Geography, she decided to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography at the University of Hong Kong. Upon graduation, she became a secondary school teacher for a year. However, the hectic teaching schedule left her insufficient time to further her studies. Moreover, she reckoned she did not have enough knowledge and experiences as she had merely completed a Bachelor’s Degree. Hence she decided to pursue a Master Degree. At that time, she hoped to utilize her knowledge to contribute to China, which had just commenced its reforms and opening up process. Accordingly, she decided to pursue a Master Degree in urban planning.
Prof. Ng became an Administrative Officer after she had obtained the Master Degree. Nevertheless, she realized that a government job was not suitable for her. Then, she applied for the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships of Overseas Studies under the encouragement of one of her friends. She was awarded the fellowship and she went to the University of California, Los Angeles to study a PhD in urban planning. Her thesis was about the Port and Airport Development Strategy in Hong Kong as the “Rose Garden Project” was in full swing back then. She studied the planning and the location of the airport, as well as the project’s impacts on Hong Kong.
After two years of studies in the USA, one of her undergraduate Geography professors at HKU asked her to be a temporary lecturer when he was on sabbatical leave. She returned to Hong Kong to take up the job when she worked on her dissertation. After that, the Center of Urban Planning and Environment Management at HKU asked if she would like to join the center as a lecturer. She spent about two decades at HKU and around 10 years ago, she joined the CUHK. She is currently the Vice-Chairperson of the Department and directs the urban studies programme that teaches students to understand and solve various urbanization problems sustainably.
Prof. Ng had many memorable moments in her almost 30-year teaching experience. She is very proud that her past students have been contributing to the sustainable development of different places all around the globe. Some of her former students are now her colleagues, and they together nurture the future generations of urban planners. In addition, Prof. Ng enjoys working with like-minded individuals inside and outside the university to push forward changes in society. Many years ago, she worked with social workers to demand conducting social impact assessment in the urban renewal process. Recently, the Town Planning Board planned to remove the mining village in Ma On Shan for private real estate development. Having considered the environmental impacts and the need for industrial and cultural heritage conservation near the mining site, Prof. Ng has proactively persuaded the Board to suspend the project to conserve the integrity of the Ma On Shan Iron Mine landscape and to maintain the tranquility of the Ma On Shan Country Park.
In recent years, urban development and planning in Hong Kong have been much criticized. As a leading scholar in urban planning, Prof. Ng considers that there are still edges in planning in Hong Kong. For example, the Planning Department has been rather open of its information when compared to other government departments, and the opinions of different stakeholders are consulted in the planning process. Nevertheless, she considers that the importance of planning has always been underestimated by the government and even the entire community. For example, the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, a plan proposed by the government after “The Big Debate: Land Demand in Hong Kong” in 2018, to reclaim 1,700 hectares of artificial islands from sea to increase land supply. However, in 2021, the government unexpectedly proposed another 30,000-hectare Northern Metropolis plan. These two dramatically different approaches announced within a short period of time cast doubt on the resolution of the government to better this city’s urban planning. In short, she opines that the decisions of the government seem to privilege the interests of certain beneficiary groups at the expense of the long-term sustainability of society.
Prof. Ng was the recipient of the 1st Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships of Overseas Studies, which subsidized her PhD study in the United States. When she was in Los Angeles, Lady Youde personally visited her and they explored Los Angeles together. Years later, she was also a committee member to select the scholarship awardee and provide support to all the awardees to unleash their potential.
自小喜愛教書，亦對地理充滿興趣，尤德爵士紀念基金海外研究生獎學金1988/89年得獎者，香港中文大學地理與資源管理學系副系主任伍美琴教授在大學生涯 慢慢發現自己對城市規劃當中要平衡社會不同持分者的工作產生興趣，結下了不解之緣。今天，她除了是城市規劃界的著名學者外，更關注城市可持續發展和都市人的心靈健康。
伍教授畢業於伊利沙伯中學。出於對地理的喜好，她選擇到香港大學修讀地理的學士學位。之後，她短暫地成為了一名中學老師 ，但繁忙的教學工作使她沒有時間進修，加上她有感自己只完成學士課程，學識和閱歷不足，所以決定重返校園，升讀碩士。當時，她希望所學的知識能夠貢獻當時正改革開放的中國，所以她選讀了城市規劃的碩士課程。
碩士畢業後，她成為了政府的政務主任，但她覺得自己並不適合在政府工作，她便在朋友鼓勵下申請尤德獎學金。之後，她獲頒獎學金，到加州大學洛杉磯分校攻讀城市規劃的博士學位。伍教授的博士論文是關於香港的港口和機場發展戰略，當時正值玫瑰園計劃興建得如火如荼，她希望借此機會研究當時計劃的規劃及選址，以及對香港的影響。
留美兩年，碰巧她在香港大學地理系執教的前教授要休假研究，她便短暫地頂替他任教的科目和完成博士論文。之後，大學的城市規劃及環境管理中心邀請她執教，一轉眼便差不多是20年的光景。直至10年前，她獲邀加入香港中文大學的地理與資源管理系，擔任系副主任，負責城市研究課程，致力培養學生以可持續發展的途徑來認識和解決城市化的問題。
在學術界工作30年，伍教授經歷多個難忘時刻，當中最欣慰的莫過於看到自己的學生在世界各地致力推動社會的可持續發展，更有部份學生成為她的同事，培育下一代的城市規劃師。另一方面，當她與一眾大學內外的有心人一同推動社會改變，亦會感到十分興奮。多年前，她有份倡議市區重建引入社會影響評估，使當局能更全面評估重建對居民的影響。最近，她在馬鞍山礦村保育中出一份力。早前，城市規劃委員會計劃在馬鞍山礦村起樓，考慮到環保及礦場附近的一些工業遺產的保育，她積極與各方游說當局暫緩發展計劃，以保留馬鞍山鐵礦地景的完整性。
近年來，香港的城市發展及規劃備受詬病。作為城市規劃的翹楚，伍教授指出香港的規劃仍有可取之處，例如她認為規劃處的資訊透明度在眾多政府部門中較為理想，而在規劃及諮詢過程中亦容許不同持分者參與其中。但是，備受詬病的原因是香港政府乃至整個香港社會過往對規劃的不重視。她舉例，2018年的「土地大辯論」後政府提出明日大嶼願景，填海1,700公頃興建人工島以增加土地供應，但卻在2021年提出構建一個佔地30,000公頃的「北部都會區」，3年內推出截然不同的政策使大眾質疑到底政府是如何規劃。歸根究底，她認為政府的決定似乎經常側重某些利益團體，從而犧牲了社會長遠的利益。
伍教授是尤德爵士紀念基金第一屆海外研究生獎學金的得獎者。當時她的一位朋友鼓勵她一起申請尤德爵士紀念基金的獎學金，最終她獲得獎學金完成博士課程。在洛杉磯就讀時，尤德夫人更親身探望，與她一起同遊洛城。多年後，她成為基金會的委員，遴選一眾出身的獎學金申請人，為一眾得獎者提供支援，使他們能盡展所長。