Education

Lingnan University welcomed nearly 200 higher education leaders from all over the world at its Tuen Mun campus today (27 February). The visit was one of the main activities of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition. Through campus tours and interactive exchanges, Lingnan showed its internationalised learning environment and innovative teaching facilities, actively highlighting Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international higher education hub. The University also promoted the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, which aims to attract more non-local students to study and work in the city. Lingnan’s senior management, academic staff, and students explored opportunities to work with representatives of student exchange programmes, research partnerships, and talent recruitment.

Lingnan University President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, Prof S. Joe Qin, welcomed the 2026–27 Budget delivered today by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which included multiple policy initiatives related to education and innovation technology.

Home ownership remains one of the most important decisions in life. A study conducted by Lingnan University’s School of Graduate Studies examined intergenerational housing support from the perspective of parents. The results show that only about one in four (26%) surveyed parents plan to provide financial assistance to their children for home purchase, 37 per cent believe that subsidising children’s property purchase is not their responsibility, and nearly seven in ten (67%) believe the government should provide more subsidised housing to help the younger generation achieve home ownership. The study, Housing opportunities and family reciprocity: intergenerational support for young people and the role of housing and welfare policy in Hong Kong, was published in the latest issue of the internationally recognised Journal of Social Policy.

Reflecting on 2025, Lingnan University reached new heights with a series of “No. 1 in Hong Kong SAR” and “Only in Hong Kong SAR” distinctions across major benchmarks, reaffirming its leadership in teaching and research excellence and the transformative power of its whole-person education. The following highlights showcase Lingnan’s defining achievements in 2025 that secured its “Hong Kong SAR First” and “Hong Kong SAR Only” status.

Supported by Nature Portfolio’s in-house editorial expertise, Nature Progress journals will expand access to high impact publishing to more researchers. The journals in the series will be published open access.

Lingnan University and the Universidad de la República (University of the Republic, UdelaR), the largest public higher education institution in Uruguay, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10 February 2026 on Lingnan campus, formally establishing an academic partnership. This is an important step in advancing academic cooperation between Lingnan and universities in South America.

To inspire students in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), unleash their creativity, and engage with the evolving landscape of new media, the Department of Marketing and International Business at Lingnan University organised The City Through My Lens: A Social Media Campaign - Video Competition 2025. Students were invited to form teams and create short promotional social media videos capturing the highlights of their cities. The competition provided a platform for GBA secondary school students to express their creativity and broaden their horizons, while also strengthening the connection between the University and the younger generation. This is the first time the competition has included schools across the GBA, and there were 18 entrants. The championship was awarded to Malvern College Hong Kong, the first runner-up was St. Paul's Convent School, and the other runners-up were the HKSYC&IA Chan Nam Chong Memorial College, Sha Tin College, St. Paul’s Secondary School and Yew Chung International School.

CityUHK economist together with Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences are jointly leading the early childhood research programme China REACH. The study aims to provide a practical, evidence-based framework for reducing educational disparities among rural children. To date, more than 80,000 rural children across diverse regions of China have benefited from the initiative.

As the Year of the Horse approaches, Prof Cai Zongqi, Director of the Advanced Institute for Global Chinese Studies and Lee Wing Tat Chair Professor of Chinese Literature of Lingnan University, and Mr Jerry Wang Junzhe, Research Officer of the Advanced Institute for Global Chinese Studies, offer a detailed interpretation of the Horse zodiac sign from the cultural perspectives of customs, classical texts, history, management, and literature, and link this explanation to contemporary Chinese New Year greetings.

In recent years, marathons and ultradistance endurance events have grown in popularity, and are widely regarded as beneficial to both physical and mental health. A recent study conducted by the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University shows that individual personality traits play an important role in the psychological well-being derived from exercise. Contrary to common belief, individuals with higher levels of extraversion did not show a significant increase in subjective well-being as their participation in ultradistance endurance events increased. In fact, those more open to the experience were also more likely to translate such demanding trials into improved overall well-being. These findings offer new insights to people choosing exercise and activities that best suit their personalities.

More than 190 students from 13 local secondary schools will take part in a year-long programme to gain hands-on experience in preparing an extremely rare whale specimen for public exhibitions scheduled for 2027. The Environment and Conservation Fund “Sea” Through Cetacean: STEAM Student Ambassador Programme & Cetacean Conservation Exhibition, organised by the Division of Science of Lingnan University in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cetacea Research Institute, and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, was officially launched on 1 February 2026. This initiative builds on the rare stranding of a Longman’s beaked whale in Hong Kong in 2024, providing students with a unique opportunity to assist in the preparation of skeletal specimens of one of the world’s most mysterious marine mammal species. The project also promotes cetacean conservation and will educate the public in key marine environmental issues, including plastic pollution in the oceans.

Lingnan University held its Honorary Doctorate Conferment Ceremony today, 26 January. The Hon Andrew Yao Cho-fai, Council Chairman of Lingnan University, conferred honorary doctoral degrees on six distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements and valuable contributions to humanity.

On 11 January 2026, Lingnan University’s Department of Psychology and the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Society of Sport & Exercise Psychology (HKSSEP), hosted a seminar titled "The Importance of Sports and Exercise Psychology in Modern Tertiary Education". The seminar attracted approximately 60 attendees, including students from psychology and sports-related programmes, as well as members of the general public who are interested in the subject of sport and exercise psychology.

Myanmar’s digital ecosystem has been a lifeline for many, from education to community and humanitarian support, bringing a sense of stability in the midst of chaos. Alas, it is also a tool for repression, crime, and abuse. IDRC’s Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar has supported researchers looking into these complex issues.

Hiraku Nakajima, a mathematician and current President of the International Mathematical Union, talks about how mathematics has been developing quietly before society’s eyes, and where he wants it to go in the future.

Prof Li Liangliang, Associate Professor of the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies (WJYSIS) at Lingnan University, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the research and development of new materials chemistry. This honour highlights WJYSIS’s academic influence and value in promoting sustainable development through interdisciplinary innovation and real-world impact.

From icy seas to humid forests, research collaborations between the United Kingdom and Malaysia are helping to advance our understanding of diseases, develop vaccines and antibiotics, preserve precious habitats and address the challenge of plastic waste.

Lingnan University welcomed a delegation from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on its Tuen Mun campus on 8 January, and presented its latest developments as a research-oriented liberal arts university comprehensive in arts and sciences. The delegation toured Lingnan’s latest teaching facilities and viewed their research, speaking at length with senior management, academic staff, and students.

Lingnan University held its Honorary Fellowship Presentation Ceremony today, 19 January. The Hon Andrew Yao Cho-fai, Council Chairman of Lingnan University, conferred honorary fellowships upon four distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding professional achievements and valuable contributions to the community and to education.

Lingnan University will confer honorary doctoral degrees on six distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements and valuable contributions to humanity. They are Dr Fok Chun-wan, SBS, JP, a well-known patriotic businessman; Dr Li Ning, an entrepreneur; The Hon Liao Cheung-kong Martin, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Prof Tao Tang, an academic leader; Prof Wang Anyi, one of the very best writers in the contemporary literary scene; and Mr Donnie Yen, an international action star.

In many organisations, significant hierarchical gaps exist within work teams, raising the question of how frontline employees can strive for greater opportunities for upward mobility in their careers. A recent study by the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University finds that employees who proactively seek work resources in their jobs, are willing to learn, and at the same time possess higher emotional intelligence, have significantly higher job performance and work engagement. The research team points out that these strategies help employees create more favourable conditions for long-term career development in complex workplace environments. The research findings have been published in top-tier international academic journal Journal of Business and Psychology.

In order to understand Hong Kong citizens' views on the development of gerontechnology, Lingnan University recently held a public opinion survey. The results show that gerontechnology products related to healthcare and exercise are of the greatest interest to the public, although about 60 per cent of respondents find the cost of such products prohibitively high, which presents a barrier to purchase. At the same time, over 90 per cent hope that the government will increase support for elderly service organisations to adopt gerontechnology, and for research and development. This would stimulate growth and the silver economy, ultimately benefiting more older adults and caregivers.

In today’s highly competitive society, many parents insist their children learn more and learn faster in order to “win at the starting line”. A recent study by the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University examining the relationship between stress and creativity has found that different types of stress, such as competition, noise, confined environments, and engaging in challenging tasks, may actually reduce children’s creative performance, but adolescents and adults tend to show more innovative ability under moderate competitive pressure. The research findings have been published in top-tier international academic journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, and provide important insights in workplace management strategies, and for the education sector and creative industries.

Problem-solving approach created for better healthcare delivery and nursing skills

Three Lingnan University students, He Shiwei, Lu Beian, and Xing Zixuan, stood out in the 2025 Study Hong Kong 10 Outstanding International Students in Hong Kong Selection, and received HK$3,000 scholarships at the ceremony on 14 December.

Lingnan University is pleased to announce that Mr John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR and Chancellor of Lingnan University, has re-appointed Mr Andrew Yao Cho-fai as Chairman of the Council and an ex-officio member of the Court for a further term of three years with effect from 1 January 2026.

Lingnan University congratulates elite student-athlete Yuen Wing-ki on winning a bronze medal for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in the Women’s Table Tennis Doubles (Class TT5) at the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD). Her brilliant performance also sets a record for Lingnan’s outstanding sporting achievements.

Lingnan University’s Teaching and Learning Centre is proud to advise that its innovative IDEAL-Gen.AI (Instructional Design Enhanced Active Learning through Generative Artificial Intelligence) platform has garnered international recognition by winning the Bronze Award in the “Best Use of AI” category at the prestigious QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2025.

Brain atlas, From perfume to plastic, Stable solar power, Plant aging switch, Anti-cancer droplets, Greener gold, Extreme star factory and How research shapes sustainability policy. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Lingnan University will confer four honorary fellowships, recognising the outstanding professional achievements and valuable contributions to the community and the education sector of the distinguished recipients, Mr Chan Chun-ying, BBS, JP; The Hon Ip Kwok-him, GBM, GBS, JP; Mr Lam Tin-fuk, GBS, JP; and Mr Ng Leung-sing, SBS, JP, whose biographies follow: