HONG KONG — The Hong Kong University (HKU) President and Vice-Chancellor Xiang Zhang has announced that he will step down in 2028 upon completing his ten-year term, according to an email sent to the HKU community early Monday.

In his message, Zhang said he recognizes the university’s need to embrace new ideas and that new leadership is required to guide its transformation.

Zhang, who describes himself as a scientist and professor, expressed his desire to return to laboratory work to contribute to society through research.

He said he is making the announcement early to give the university sufficient time to find a successor, and that he has informed the chair of the University Council of his decision.

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Reflecting on his tenure, Zhang called it the greatest honor of his life and said that has worked with the university community to strengthen HKU’s academic standing.

He concluded his email by thanking all HKU stakeholders, the University Council, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, and the central government for their support for both the university and himself, adding that sustained backing from all parties is needed to drive HKU to become a truly world-leading institution.

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Zhang assumed office as HKU’s president in July 2018, becoming the first president of the university not born in Hong Kong. When his term was set to expire in 2023, then-Chairman of the University Council Arthur Li announced Zhang’s early reappointment for an additional five years, extending his term to 2028.

Zhang, an internationally renowned scholar in nano-engineering, previously served as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the US National Nanoscience Center. His research focuses on materials physics, metamaterials, and nanophotonics. The world’s first optical “invisibility cloak”, invented by Zhang, earned him a place on TIME’s “Top 10 Scientific Discoveries” of 2008.