£5 million donation for global health programmes

Sir Ka-shing Li is to donate £5 million to the University of Oxford to extend and strengthen the University's global health research networks with Asia, and, in particular, China. The donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation will fund a series of partnerships, teaching and research projects that will see Shantou University in Guangdong, China become a full partner in Oxford University's Asia Research Network along with centres in Vietnam and Thailand. Sir Ka-shing Li is chairman of Hong Kong's Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited and Hutchison Whampoa Limited. He established the Li Ka Shing Foundation in 1980 to support activities in education, and medicine and healthcare. Infectious diseases, such as influenza, dengue, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, remain a very real threat across much of the developing world and account for almost half of all deaths. The emergence of new diseases and the rise of drug resistance are increasing problems, and Asia is a hotspot for both. The Li Ka Shing-University of Oxford Global Health Programme will help in developing the best responses to these global health challenges.