我們的 校長
秦泗釗教授
校長及韋基球數據科學講座教授
2026年4月30日
Dear Lingnanians,
On 24 April 2026, we gathered for Staff Communication Day and Staff Party 2026 to celebrate our achievements and recognise colleagues’ dedication. It was a great chance to reconnect and reflect on our shared journey as we approach the end of the academic year.
At the event, we presented the Dr and Mrs James Tak Wu Awards for Outstanding Service 2025-26 to 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, and Ms Margaret Cheung, Registrar, in recognition of their outstanding contributions. We also honoured more than forty colleagues who received the Long Service Awards, thanking them for their many years of service and contribution to the University.
Over the past year, we have reached milestones that reflect Lingnan’s growing strength and impact. At the event, I shared some of these achievements and the opportunities ahead in my “2026 State of the University” address. Below is the full text of my remarks:
Welcome to our Staff Communication Day and Staff Party 2026. I am genuinely excited to celebrate this occasion with you. As we begin a new chapter after 2025, let us reflect on and appreciate the journey we've shared together.
Reflecting on 2025, our data demonstrates significant progress in advancing liberal arts education. In that year, Lingnan achieved milestones on par with leading global universities, further solidifying its position as a premier liberal arts research institution for the digital era. The university’s strategic approach to digital transformation has produced clear and measurable outcomes. While I will not focus on our placement within the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 301-350 band or on our top-100 standing in THE Asia University Rankings, I would like to highlight that Lingnan has achieved an unprecedented number of outstanding achievements and unique distinctions.
First, global impact. In the THE Impact Rankings 2025, we ranked No. 1 worldwide for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education. And we ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for SDG 1: No Poverty. These recognitions reflect not only our quality in education, but also equality in education.
Then, good quality must attract good crowds. Students are showing their preferences very clearly. In JUPAS applications, Lingnan recorded the highest growth in Band A applications among eight UGC-funded universities over three consecutive years, with a remarkable 88% increase from 2024 to 2026.
Third, unmatched student experience. In the UGC University Accountability Agreement 2022–2025, Lingnan ranked No. 1 among the eight UGC-funded universities for undergraduate satisfaction with teaching and learning. We also ranked No. 1 for student engagement in startups and entrepreneurship. That tells us that our students are not only satisfied but also gaining the confidence to shape their future.
Fourth, unmatched student placement rate. Lingnan achieved the highest employment rate for our students last year, over 99%, and we are achieving the same level this year.
Next, research strength. In the 2025/26 RGC funding exercise, Lingnan achieved a 26% increase in the number of funded projects and a 22% increase in total funding, both the highest among all UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong.
And we are translating creativity into real-world outcomes. At our debut at the 2025 Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival, we won 14 medals and emerged as Hong Kong’s top winner at the event. I’m glad that momentum carried straight into 2026. Most recently, at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, we won 14 awards.
Behind the milestones are the people who made them happen. That means you—and our outstanding faculty. More than 20% of our faculty were recognised among Stanford’s World’s Top 2% Scientists in 2025. Within this group, we have numerous “number ones” and unique ones, including:
The No. 1 ranked scholar in Hong Kong in AI and Image Processing (Prof Xin Yao)
The No. 1 ranked scholar in Hong Kong in Numerical and Computational Mathematics (Prof Raymond Chan)
The No. 1 ranked scholar in China (and Hong Kong) in Industrial Engineering and Automation (Prof S. Joe Qin)
The No. 1 ranked scholar in China (and Hong Kong) in Political Science and Public Administration (Prof Richard Walker)
The only scholar in Hong Kong to have received the 2025 H. George Frederickson Award for Career Contributions to Public Management Research from the Public Management Research Association (Prof Richard Walker)
The only scholar in Hong Kong to be elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2025 (Prof Sam Kwong)
And the story doesn’t stop there. We’ve also seen outstanding recognitions across our leadership and faculty:
Prof Song Yongduan, Dean of the School of Data Science, was elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2025
Prof Leng Mingming, Dean of the Faculty of Business, was selected as the Dean of the Year by Beta Gamma Sigma in 2026, the only recipient worldwide
Prof Richard Walker is the first scholar in Hong Kong to receive the Routledge Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 from the International Research Society for Public Management
A couple of days ago, at the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2026, our ‘CineSim’ – Transforming film education through interactive games -- was the winner of the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year award!
Here is another thing I value deeply: In 2024/25, our academic staff turnover rate was 4.8%. That was the lowest among all eight UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. Thank you for fostering a workplace where we grow together. We also recorded the lowest number of undergraduate student withdrawals among all publicly funded universities in Hong Kong.
Strengthening the future: research and teaching
Now, let me share a few exciting steps we are taking to strengthen the future.
We are proud to be the first university in Asia to partner with the United Nations University (UNU) to establish the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan. The Hub will begin operations mid-year.
Looking ahead, we will launch the Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class from next academic year, with tremendous support from Nobel Laureate Prof Samuel C.C. Ting. This elite programme is the only one Prof Ting has ever endorsed. It will support our top undergraduates with enriched learning opportunities. It will also help nurture a new generation of globally minded academic leaders, carrying forward Prof Ting’s legacy of bold innovation and rigorous integrity.
Enhancing the campus
World-class talent needs world-class facilities, and I’m excited that several major improvements are underway:
Lingnan T-Plus: a 3,600-square-metre teaching facility, about a 15-minute walk from the main campus, expected to open in the coming academic year.
New learning spaces: a 200-square-metre lecture theatre in the Lau Chung Him Building planned for 2026/27, followed by a 150-square-metre multi-purpose space near Wing On Plaza in 2027.
The Lingnan Education Organization Building: a seven-storey new science building to be completed in 2028.
A new era: Lingnan at 60 and beyond
Next year marks the 60th anniversary of Lingnan University’s reestablishment in Hong Kong. Through our Lingnan-60 Global Talent Recruitment campaign, we have brought in 34 top scholars, and we will continue strengthening our research capabilities.
To all colleagues: thank you for your contributions and hard work. Together, we will achieve even more next year as we celebrate Lingnan’s 60th anniversary in Hong Kong. We also look ahead to our 140th overall anniversary in 2028.
Please enjoy the gathering and the party. Thank you.
Warmest regards,
S. Joe Qin
President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science