Prof. Maurice YAP Chair Professor of Optometry & K.B. Woo Family Professor in Optometry

Location HJ508
Phone +852 2766 6097
mail maurice.yap@polyu.edu.hk

Open Platform for University Scholars
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Biography Professor Maurice Yap completed his BSc and PhD degrees at the University of Bradford, UK. After postdoctoral studies, he joined the Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1987. From 1991-8, he served as senior lecturer in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland. He returned to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1998 as Professor and Head of the Department of Optometry and Radiography. From 2005-7, he was Head of the newly formed School of Optometry. He was appointed Associate Dean and then Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences in 2010 and 2011 respectively. He served as Dean until 2017. He currently chairs the Equipment and General Purchases Tender Committee as well as the Grievance Committee of the university. He also serves on various university committees, including the University Staffing Committee (Chair Professors) and the College Council, College of Professional and Continuing Education.
Professor Yap is an Honorary Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, a Visiting Professor and doctoral mentor at the West China College of Medicine, Sichuan University, a Visiting Professor at the North Sichuan Medical College and a Visiting Professor at the Eye College of the Chengdu University of TCM.
Professor Yap was a member of the Hospital Authority Board from 2011-8 and served on several of its functional committees, including the Executive Committee. He chaired the Main Tender Board and the Medical Services Development Committee . He has also served on numerous selection panels for senior management staff. He also chaired panels reviewing clinical governance and sentinel & serious untoward events policy . He served as a member of the Hospital Governing Committee of the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (2018-20). Professor Yap is currently Chairman of the Hospital Governing Committee of Shatin Hospital.
Professor Yap has served on various committees and panels of the Food and Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government and currently serves on the Grant Review Board of the Health & Medical Research Fund. He has also served on programme accreditation and review panels for the Nursing Council (HKSAR), the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand and the Open University of Hong Kong.
In recognition of his public service, Professor Yap was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the HKSAR Government in 2015.




Education and Academic Qualifications Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bradford
Bachelor of Science, University of Bradford
Diploma in Ophthalmic Optics, The British College of Ophthalmic Opticians




Professional Qualifications Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry




Research Interests
Myopia
Optometry services
Healthcare governance