FATHER FLIES IN FROM HONG KONG FOR DAUGHTER’S GRADUATION, 35 YEARS AFTER HIS OWN 
15 December 2021
Graduation is a time for great celebration, not only for those who get to cross the stage in the Sir William Whitla Hall but for their parents and family members – and indeed Queen’s staff – in the audience, and those watching online around the world.
Among those graduating and celebrating this winter was Wai Ki Vicky Chan (BSc Actuarial Science and Risk Management) from Hong Kong, who was watched by her proud father and fellow Queen’s alum, Carlin Chan (BSc Electronic and Information Engineering, 1986), who returned to campus for the event.
Speaking about his daughter’s graduation, Carlin said:
“It was indeed a very enjoyable day with the graduation event in the morning and then joining the Queen’s INTO reception in the afternoon. It was particularly lucky for us that the weather was extremely good for this time of the year."
Carlin originally came to Queen’s in 1981 to study Medicine before switching to Electrical Engineering in 1983. Forty years on, he recalls that there were ‘very good and caring lecturers in both the Medical School and also the Engineering Faculty’ at the time, just one of the reasons both he and daughter Vicky, enjoyed their time at Queen’s.
“Northern Ireland is convenient to reach from Hong Kong simply by transiting through London. Once here in Belfast, there are many shops and stores close to Queen’s accommodation to buy the daily essentials.
“The study environment at Queen’s, where there aren’t too many distractions means that one can be more focused on his/her studies. Another point is the comparatively lower living costs in Belfast than other UK cities, which can greatly reduce the financial burden on most parents.”
Vicky actually completed her studies at Queen’s in 2020 but due to the pandemic was only able to graduate this year. In the interim, she attended Cass Business School in London (renamed the Bayes Business School in September 2021) to do a Master’s in Actuarial Management, graduating in June of this year. She currently has a job in the capital as an Actuarial Consultant with RNA Analytics.
What did it mean for Carlin to be present at his daughter’s graduation?
“I think it is probably the same for all parents – to see that their child has completed her University degree and is moving on to a new chapter of her life,” said Carlin.
To find out more about INTO – who help thousands of students from around the world each year to achieve their dream of studying in the UK, US and China by working with universities to create specialist programmes designed specifically for international students – please visit https://www.intostudy.com/en/about-into.
For general enquiries about this story, or to submit graduate news items, please contact the Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast.
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