The University of Hong Kong

The Institute of Human Performance (IHP) was created in July 2002 through the merger of two previously separate units – the Centre for Physical Education and Sport (CPES) and the Physical Education and Sport Science Unit (PESSU).

Prior to the formation of the IHP, CPES had responsibility for facility management and the provision of sport and recreation programmes to university students and staff and PESSU, which was an academic unit located within the Faculty of Education, had responsibility for degree-level teaching and for research in physical education and sport science.

These separate units had been in place since 1992 when PESSU was formed for the teaching of the B.Ed (Physical Education and Sports Science) degree.  Prior to that there had been a unitary Physical Education Unit formed in 1956 (initially under the directorship of Mr. James Duthie and later under the directorship of Dr. Low Wing Kee 1967-1986 and Mr. Mike Speak 1987-1997).

The IHP’s first Chair/Professor and Director (Professor Bruce Abernethy) was appointed in January, 2004.  From July 2002 until January 2004 the IHP was under the acting directorship of Prof. Laurence Goldstein of the Department of Philosophy.