Canton Tower lights up Lingnan University to celebrate being named World No.1 in THE Impact Ranking for Quality Education

To highlight the active role and valuable contributions of Hong Kong’s higher education sector in national development, Lingnan University hosted a sharing session, “The Impact of Quality Education”, at the Yuanzhi Business School in Guangzhou on 1 July - the 28th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). On the same evening, a lighting display on Canton Tower publicised Lingnan’s recent World No.1 ranking of SDG 4: Quality Education in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, emphasising the University’s leading position on the global academic stage.

The programme was officiated by Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, and was attended by prestigious guests from academia and industry.

Canton Tower was illuminated every 30 minutes from 7:00 to 10:00 pm with “Lingnan University – World No.1 in Quality Education in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025” spelt out, symbolically sharing the University's internationally recognised achievements in educational innovation and talent development with audiences across the Greater Bay Area.

President Qin said “It is particularly meaningful to host this event on the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the Motherland. As the first Hong Kong institution ever to come first in the THE Impact Rankings in Quality Education, Lingnan University is proud to display the excellence of Hong Kong’s higher education sector in driving sustainable development, cultivating research-oriented talent, and fostering knowledge innovation in response to the national action plan to build a leading country in education.”

President Qin also pointed out that the illuminated Canton Tower not only celebrated this institutional milestone, but also represented the increasing collaboration between Lingnan University and Mainland institutions. Lingnan will continue to leverage its strengths in quality teaching and research innovation, and reinforce exchanges with the Mainland in education, youth development and sustainability, and academic cooperation and research with global impact, in order to contribute to both national progress and the greater good of humanity.

Lingnan University is the first ever Hong Kong higher education institution to top the global SDG 4: Quality Education category of the THE Impact Rankings. Based on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it recognises Lingnan’s success in whole-person education, liberal arts integration, and knowledge transfer.

Other Lingnan representatives at the event included Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning, and Prof Frankie Lam, Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre, who held worthwhile conversations with guests from across the Greater Bay Area.