For 61 years, The Hongkong Bank Foundation has been empowering talented youths from different academic and socioeconomic backgrounds to pursue a life of purpose through the HSBC Scholarship Scheme.
The highlight of the year is undoubtedly the Scholars Day, when HSBC honors the achievements of outstanding students by granting them HSBC Scholarships, while fostering a sense of camaraderie amongst the newly minted HSBC Scholars and the alumni community.
In essence, the Scholars Day is a day of purpose, reminding us all that true success can be achieved through making a positive contribution to the community by leveraging our respective skills and knowledge.
The Hongkong Bank Foundation Empowering Youth to Unlock Their Potential
Themed under “Unbox Your Future”, this year’s Scholars Day convened HSBC Scholars with an imperative message: Life is a thrilling, unpredictable journey, much like a magnificent mystery box. However, with the support from The Hongkong Bank Foundation, HSBC Scholars can confidently explore every facet of their journey.
Importantly, this year’s Scholars Day also encouraged the new scholars to discover their passion, unlock their potential, and contemplate the social impact they want to create, with the support of an ever-growing community of HSBC Scholars.
Held at the HSBC Main Building to honor the 120 recipients of the 2026 HSBC Scholarships, the riveting event was kicked off by the emcees, Jolie Yung, recipient of 2024 HSBC Overseas Scholarship, and Mudassar Muhammad, recipient of 2024 HSBC Overseas Scholarship and 2025 HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship, who reminisced about his first volunteering experience after playing a short video capturing various past scholars’ sharing on what it means to be part of the Hub for the Futurecommunity.
Dr. Peter Wong: Success is More Meaningful When It Strengthens the Society Around Us
Commencing his speech with a congratulatory note, Dr. Peter Wong, Chairman of The Hongkong Bank Foundation, said, “Becoming an HSBC Scholar is a real achievement. You have earned it through your passion, your progress, and the clear goals you have set for yourselves. I hope you will keep charting your own path. Seek experiences that stretch you. Learn as much as you can. Then bring that energy and perspective back to Hong Kong, and help write the city’s next chapter.
“We also believe achievement and service should go hand in hand. Since the community service requirement was introduced in 2025, HSBC Scholars have contributed over 1,400 service hours supporting those in need. That’s something you should be proud of. It’s a simple idea. Success is more meaningful when it strengthens the society around us.”
To help the new scholars find impactful ways to utilize the scholarships, King Lau, Scientific Officer at Hong Kong Observatory and recipient of 2021 HSBC Innovation and Technology Scholarship, Kristen Lei, Founder and Chairman of the Hong Kong Society of Psychological Innovation and recipient of the 2025 Innovation and Technology Scholarship, and Jessie Fung, Physiotherapist and Dance and recipient of the 2021 HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship, spoke at a fireside chat moderated by Ray Chan, Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate and M&A, HSBC, and recipient of the 2015 Hong Kong Scholarship.
Here, the panellists shared the challenges that their respective scholarships helped remove for them, their notable achievements since receiving the scholarships, and their advice for the 2026 HSBC Scholars.
“I was grateful that I was able to travel to the US for my studies during COVID with the support of the scholarship”, said King Lau. “The experience gave me an opportunity to travel and live abroad independently.”
Recalling her proudest achievement, Kristen Lei said, “I founded the Hong Kong Society of Psychological Innovation at 15. The scholarship encouraged me to innovate and incorporate technology in the organization’s services and to focus on the needs of young people.”
With unanimous advice for the 2026 Scholars to challenge themselves and be open to new experiences, the panellists and moderator concluded the fireside chat with blessings for the new cohort of changemakers.
Hub for the Future Members Volunteering in Support of the Scholars Day
Off-stage, 13 Hub for the Future Members and former HSBC Scholarship recipients rolled up their sleeves and got to work. In addition to greeting and guiding the guests inside the lobby of the HSBC Main Building, supporting the distribution of certificates to new scholars and name badges to the guests, the HUB volunteers also oversaw the operation of three HUB Booths with designated purposes.
At the first booth, new scholars were introduced to the Hub for the Future community comprising past and current HSBC Scholars, and the mentorship, leadership, growth, and skills acquisition opportunities accessible through the membership.
The second booth offered information on the Mentoring Program, slated for later in autumn, and the Starting Your Impact Journey Leadership Training, scheduled for 8 September, both of which are designed to equip new scholars with leadership skills and personal and professional development opportunities.
To ease the new scholars’ fulfillment of the scholarship’s community service requirement with truly impactful initiatives, the third booth encouraged HSBC Scholars to register on the Time Auction platform to keep track of their minimum 16 hours of volunteering.
Interactive games were incorporated into each booth to help the new scholars gain a better idea of the Hub for the Future community, upcoming events, and the community partners we collaborate with, such as Eldpathy, Sovereign Art Foundation, Soap Cycling, and House of Joy and Mercy.
Perhaps just as excited as the new scholars, the HUB volunteers derived much joy from contributing to the Scholars Day.
Said Gladys Charm, recipient of the 2025 HSBC Social Work Scholarship: “I enjoy mingling with professors and other scholars, and engaging new scholars to sign up as a HUB member. The biggest takeaway from this volunteering experience is understanding diverse types of activities organized by Hub for the Future, engaging with new scholars, and mingling with professors with my academic background.”
Also finding it a gratifying experience to interact with current and past HSBC Scholars was Jack Hua, recipient of the 2024 HSBC Overseas Scholarship. “The biggest takeaway about being a volunteer at the Scholars Day is that I met some past and present HSBC scholars during the event, and I introduced Hub for the Future to them as a member of Hub for the Future, which increases my sense of belonging to the community.”
As the secretariat of the HSBC Scholarship Scheme and the coordinator for Hub for the Future – a community of past and current recipients of HSBC Scholarships – Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) works to transform the Hub community into a force for good. Since July 2024, we have provided the Hub community with opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, skills acquisition, and community service activities. Learn more about our youth empowerment work here.
