Yew Chung founded one of the first kindergartens in Hong Kong some 90 years ago, when Early Childhood Education (ECE) was virtually unknown. Later in the 1970s, we began pioneering what were then radical ECE concepts, such as learning through play, liberating young children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and thirst for knowledge.

Our first bachelor’s degree signifies both a full circle moment for the Yew Chung Education Foundation, as well as the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.

Yew Chung has long been known for our ECE programmes, catering for children as young as six months old. With YCCECE, our education provision now spans from “B to P” (Baby to Postgraduate) and, more importantly, we now have the opportunity to share our philosophy and pedagogy much more widely through teacher training and continuing professional development, academic and practitioner research, parent/community education and outreach, particularly to young children and families who are disadvantaged.

Building on the legacy of Yew Chung’s founder and my mother, Madam Tsang Chor Hang, and staying true to our pioneering spirit, we now hope to democratise quality early childhood education. We strive to position YCCECE not only as a centre of excellence in nurturing passionate, innovative ECE professionals and advocates, but also as a specialist College that fully embraces the expansive and interdisciplinary field of ECE – covering the full spectrum of children’s holistic development from birth to age 8, including health and nutrition, and meeting the diverse needs of families and communities. We aspire to advance the field in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the Asia-Pacific region, creating a virtuous cycle of human and societal development, thereby changing the world for a better future.

Established by the non-profit Yew Chung Education Foundation with its long history in pioneering ECE in Hong Kong, the College is governed and led by prominent community leaders and scholars, including world-renowned ECE experts. It is currently home to around 400 students from diverse socio-economic, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds, and a truly international faculty. The students – majority on scholarships and bursaries – present a wonderful mix of nationalities from Hong Kong and other Asia-Pacific region.

Here we grow People, Education, Yew Chung, Hong Kong – Our Future.

Here we go, YCCECE.

Dr. Betty Chan Po-king is a globally renowned pioneer in Early Childhood Education and International Education. In recognition of her many decades of groundbreaking work and consistent advocacy for excellence, Dr. Chan was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2010, followed by the Honorary Fellowship by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (now Education University of Hong Kong) in 2014, and an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Bath in 2015.