Stronger ties and closer collaborations
The Office of Global Education (OGE) is committed to nurturing our partnerships by building on existing ties with our Mainland and international academic partners, thus laying the foundations for deeper collaboration. We have continued to navigate the challenges brought by the evolving COVID-19 pandemic in the 2022–23 academic year, and representatives from the OGE have utilised both virtual and in-person events to interact with other institutions at major international education conferences and to explore opportunities for global collaboration.
In 2022–23, the OGE devoted its efforts to supporting the Convenor of the Heads of Universities Committee’s Standing Committee on Internationalisation (HUCOMSCI) to coordinate international conferences and exhibitions for the promotion of the “Study in Hong Kong” initiative. This initiative involves eight Hong Kong universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) and was showcased at the EAIE 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Barcelona, Spain; the APAIE 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand; and the NAFSA 2023 Annual Conference and Expo in Washington DC in the US. These efforts strengthened the profile of Hong Kong’s education sector and provided excellent networking opportunities for UGC-funded institutions to establish new partnerships with institutions worldwide. The OGE also supported non-local student recruitment efforts regarding the “Study in Hong Kong” initiative, including a joint promotional recruitment trip to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam, and the “Promoting Hong Kong’s Public Universities to Belt and Road Countries” project, which successfully raised awareness of Hong Kong as a world-class education hub.
Prof James Tang, the Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee (fifth from the left), and the representatives of the eight UGC-funded universities attending the APAIE 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition to promote study opportunities in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong delegation of the APAIE Conference 2023 called on Dr Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Deputy Minister of Education, Thailand (sixth from the left).
Apart from the above-mentioned joint initiatives for the HUCOMSCI, a number of visits were paid by OGE representatives to both new and existing partners in mainland China, Japan, Macau, Spain, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the UK. These visits deepened our relationships with our current partners and established student exchange agreements with new partners. From late October to early November 2022, a delegation led by Prof Leonard K Cheng, President, visited our partners in the UK. One of the highlights was the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding with Durham University, which will increase inter-university cooperation on teaching, learning and research activities. We greatly appreciated the warm hospitality of our partner institutions on this trip.
Prof Leonard K Cheng, President (left), exchanging souvenirs with Professor Judith Phillips, Deputy Principal (Research) of the University of Stirling (right), during Prof Cheng’s visit to the UK.
Prof Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Vice-President (right), signing a memorandum of understanding with Prof Charlotte Clarke, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health of Durham University in the UK (left).
Visiting Chulalongkorn University in Thailand to discuss our ongoing collaboration on a student exchange programme. From left:
-Prof Shalendra Sharma, Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) of LU
-Dr Ram Piyaket, Director of Office of International Affairs and Global Network
-Dr Voraprapa Nakavachara, Assistant Vice President for Global Engagement
Visiting Kyushu University in Japan to discuss our ongoing student exchange programme and explore new collaborations. From left:
-Prof Shalendra Sharma, Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) of LU
-Prof Johan Lauwereyns, Senior Vice President, Vice Dean, School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation
-Prof Ikjoon Kang, Associate Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation
-Prof Masahiro Okamoto, Professor Emeritus, Special Advisor to the President
We were also delighted to welcome courtesy visits from the Consulates General of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam, during which the delegates and the Consuls General or their representatives were introduced to our close-knit campus environment and the liberal arts traditions of which we are so proud. We also hosted our existing and potential partners from mainland China, France, Japan, Korea, the UK and the US during their stay in Hong Kong to enhance mutual understanding and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Prof Leonard K Cheng, President (right), greeting Mrs Klara Jurcova, Consul-General, Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Hong Kong (left).
Ms Eva Morre, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of Belgium in Hong Kong (left), receiving a souvenir from Prof Shalendra Sharma, Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) (right).
Mr Pham Binh Dam, Consul-General, Vietnam Consulate General in Hong Kong (left), receiving a souvenir from Prof Shalendra Sharma, Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) (right).
The OGE has developed an extensive network of international partnerships that facilitate student mobility and engagement with the world beyond Hong Kong. LU now enjoys exchange partnerships with over 260 leading institutions in 51 countries and regions around the globe.
New partner institutions, 2022-23
China
Beijing Technology and Business University
Central China Normal University
Minzu University of China
Argentina
University of Belgrano
India
Alliance University
Italy
Sapienza Università di Roma
Japan
Hosei University
Malaysia
Taylor’s University
Spain
ESCI-UPF School of International Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra