Students serve as cultural ambassadors, introducing visitors to local customs, traditions, and everyday life in their home countries.
To promote campus internationalisation and broaden students’ global perspective, Lingnan University holds “International Day 2026 – Gateways to the World” on campus.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University; Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning; Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence; Prof Bradley R. Barnes, Special Advisor to President on Internationalisation and Director of Global Education; and Ms Irene Ng Wai-ming, Director of Student Affairs.
In his welcome address, Prof Barnes explained that internationalisation is not simply about providing students with opportunities to participate in overseas exchange programmes. More importantly, the University is committed to building an international campus where students and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds can learn from one another, collaborate, and develop friendships through their everyday learning and campus life, highlighting the appeal of studying in the Hong Kong SAR. He said, “The Hong Kong SAR has the unique advantage of bringing Chinese and Western cultures together. Through immersive activities like this, the University equips students with the cross-cultural collaboration and communication skills they need to develop a broader global perspective while studying on campus, and better prepares them for careers in an increasingly international workplace.”
At “International Day 2026 – Gateways to the World”, students from Bhutan, the Chinese Mainland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, and the UK played an active role in planning and running the exhibition booths. Through music, traditional dance performances, handicraft displays, interactive booths, and in-depth discussions, they broke down linguistic and geographical barriers by introducing visitors to the history, traditions, and everyday cultures of their home countries. The campus was transformed into a vibrant global village, giving faculty, students and members of the public an opportunity to experience the cultural diversity and distinctive traditions of different parts of the world.
Dawit Kidu Hailezgi, from Ethiopia, is Lingnan University's first student admitted from the country this academic year. A first-year non-local student studying Health and Social Services Management in the Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class, he assumed the role of Global Ambassador shortly after enrolment and participated in the event. He said, “International Day has given me the opportunity to engage with students from various countries and experience different cultures firsthand. As a first-year student new to Lingnan, this experience has not only allowed me to make many new friends and broaden my global horizons, but has also enabled me to deeply feel Lingnan's diverse, inclusive, and vibrant campus atmosphere.”
It also provided a platform for face-to-face cross-cultural dialogue between the University community and the public, giving students of different nationalities a better understanding of one another and some cross-cultural experience, while broadening their global perspective. It further enabled them to build international connections in a diverse yet inclusive environment, reinforcing the University’s commitment to whole-person education.
In recent years, Lingnan has actively promoted campus internationalisation in support of the Hong Kong SAR’s vision of becoming an international hub for post-secondary education. Through student exchange programmes, an international network of partner institutions, and an inclusive campus environment, the University integrates global elements into academic and campus life, creating more opportunities for students to engage with the world, and showcasing the highly internationalised learning environment of the Hong Kong SAR.
Exchange students from Mexico in traditional attire energise the audience with a folk dance showing the distinctive culture of Latin America, and draw crowds of students and staff.
