President Christina Paxson was in Hong Kong Dec. 2-6, 2013, for meetings with Brown alumni, parents, friends, and a few Brown students studying abroad. She had three significant items on her agenda, all of which found an enthusiastic reception. This was her first opportunity in Asia to present and discuss Building on Distinction, the University’s recently approved strategic vision for the next decade, which describes a strong international engagement for the University. She also briefed the Brown Hong Kong community on plans to celebrate Brown’s semiquincentenary, the 250th anniversary of the University’s founding. Those plans have a strong international presence, including an anniversary celebration with the Brown Club of Hong Kong. Finally, President Paxson and Edward Steinfeld, professor of political science, outlined plans for a new Brown-China initiative based in the Watson Institute. Steinfeld, who joined the Brown faculty from MIT this fall, had directed the MIT-China program. “Chinese students, both graduate and undergraduate, have been a significant presence at Brown for many years,” Paxson said. “It is wonderful to experience the growth and enthusiasm of the international Brown community, so prominent here in Hong Kong.”