The University of Strathclyde has conferred an honorary degree upon distinguished alumnus, global investor, business leader and philanthropist Dr Charles Huang.

Born in the central Chinese province of Hubei, Huang completed a bachelor’s degree in Economics at Wuhan University before travelling to Scotland on a British Council scholarship. After earning an MBA from Strathclyde in 1989 and a PhD in Marketing in 1994, he built a prominent international investment career.

In 2016, he founded Pasaca Capital Inc., a California-based evergreen fund backing companies across Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East within the medical devices, pharmaceuticals, technology, media and telecommunications, industrial automation and entertainment sectors.

Presented with the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University by Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen McArthur at the Barony Hall, Huang was recognised for his achievements in international business, his commitment to innovation, and his sustained support for future business leaders.

“Strathclyde gave me the education, global perspective and opportunities that helped shape my life and career, so it is a great honour to receive this degree,” Huang said. “I am proud to see my support helping talented students and entrepreneurs, advancing innovation and enabling people to turn their ambitions into achievements that can benefit society.”

“This honorary degree recognises the breadth of Charles’s achievements and his commitment to helping others fulfil their potential. We are proud to count him among our alumni and our honorary graduates.”

Professor Stephen McArthur, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde

In 2021, through the Charles Huang Foundation, Huang made a landmark £50 million donation to his Scottish alma mater – the largest single gift in the university’s history.

The donation has supported the Stephen Young Institute for International Business, established in memory of Huang’s former PhD supervisor, alongside the Stephen Young Global Leaders Scholarship Programme and the Stephen Young Entrepreneurship Awards. It has also underpinned the creation of the Charles Huang Advanced Technology & Innovation Centre, known as CHATIC, which is under construction in the former Strathclyde Students’ Union building on John Street. ​

Through the programmes supported by the gift, 78 entrepreneurship awards have been made, eight PhD students have entered the Global Leaders Programme, and 15 MBA awards and two MSc scholarships have been awarded.

McArthur said: “Charles’s career has been marked by ambition, enterprise and a strong international outlook. From his time as a student at Strathclyde, he has gone on to achieve considerable success as a business leader and investor, operating across industries and markets around the world.

“Just as importantly, he has used that success to create opportunities for others. His support for students, entrepreneurs and innovators reflects his belief in the power of education, enterprise and useful learning to change lives.

“This honorary degree recognises the breadth of Charles’s achievements and his commitment to helping others fulfil their potential. We are proud to count him among our alumni and our honorary graduates.”

Huang added: “Strathclyde gave me the education, global perspective and opportunities that helped shape my life and career, so it is a great honour to receive this degree.

“I am proud to see my support helping talented students and entrepreneurs, advancing innovation and enabling people to turn their ambitions into achievements that can benefit society.”

During his visit to Glasgow, Huang met scholars and entrepreneurs supported through the programmes and toured the CHATIC development.

Ventures supported through the Stephen Young Entrepreneurship Awards include Biosers, which is developing food-safety technology and has secured £400,000 in further funding; Metacarpal, whose upper-limb prosthetics business has raised more than £1.3m; and digital health company Seluna, which is undertaking NHS clinical validation of technology for diagnosing paediatric sleep apnoea.

CHATIC will provide a focal point for innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, bringing together researchers, students, businesses and partners in flexible spaces for co-location, enterprise support, events and partnership activity.