Lingnan University President S. Joe Qin attends 2nd GBA Higher Education Innovation Symposium - Analyses four dimensions of AI reshaping higher education

The 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Higher Education Innovation Symposium was held at Shenzhen University on 13 and 14 June 2026, and themed "Higher Education Innovation and Greater Bay Area Development". The event was organised by the Guangdong Higher Education Society, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance, and the Macao Association for Higher Education Development, and hosted by Shenzhen University. University administrators, experts, and scholars from Guangdong, the Hong Kong SAR, and the Macao SAR explored new pathways for innovative development in higher education, and implementing key national deployments regarding higher education innovation and the Greater Bay Area construction under the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, was invited, and delivered a keynote address titled "Exploring the Four Dimensions of AI’s Impact on Higher Education".

President Qin pointed out that generative artificial intelligence is profoundly reshaping the landscape of global higher education. Against this backdrop, Lingnan University is advancing its strategic transformation rapidly, aiming to become a research-intensive liberal arts institution comprehensive in arts and science in the digital era. Based on Lingnan’s digital transformation practices, President Qin systematically explained the four dimensions in which AI affects higher education:

First, the revolution in teaching methodologies. Empowered by AI-driven education, Lingnan has spearheaded the development of the IDEAL Gen.AI platform, which has generated over 12,000 learning activities to date, driving the transition from traditional teaching to intelligent instruction.

Second, the innovation of curriculum and content. Educators should proactively introduce cutting-edge AI skills and topical issues to replace obsolete teaching materials. Assessment systems should be reformed simultaneously to evaluate both students’ capacity to complete tasks with the aid of AI and their ability to work independently.

Third, the restructuring of majors and disciplines. Universities should establish interdisciplinary programmes combining "AI+" with industry knowledge to cultivate talents for roles that are less susceptible to AI substitution. To this end, Lingnan has established the School of Data Science, and introduced "Generative AI" as a core compulsory course for all undergraduates.

Fourth, the establishment of a sound value system. As AI carries inherent value biases, universities bear the responsibility to educate students to build correct values rooted in the Chinese culture. President Qin emphasised that studying the classics, strengthening critical thinking, and fostering higher-order cognitive skills are crucial to countering technological value bias.

President Qin also cited recent research data indicating that the employment rate for junior programming engineers in sectors heavily impacted by AI has dropped by approximately 20 per cent. He urged universities to approach major selections prudently from an educational ethics perspective, ensuring students do not face the risk of unemployment upon graduation.

"In the era of artificial intelligence, humans remain at the core. We must learn to coexist and collaborate with AI," President Qin stressed, noting that the higher education sector must uphold its human characteristics amid the technological wave, nurturing talents equipped with a global perspective, sound value judgements, and AI-collaborative capabilities.

One of the eight government-funded universities in the Hong Kong SAR, Lingnan is renowned for its liberal arts education, and has actively improved its "liberal arts + technology" and "AI+" development strategies in recent years. In its debut appearance in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2026, Lingnan ranked 84th, and also secured first place worldwide in "SDG 4: Quality Education" of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Lingnan continues to promote the digitalisation of higher education in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.