Lingnan University congratulates the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou cluster on coming first in the 2025 Global Innovation Index

Lingnan University congratulates the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou cluster on coming first in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII) Ranking of World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recognises the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) outstanding capacity for innovation and its vital strategic role in the global innovation ecosystem.

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, said “The rise of the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou cluster to the top global ranking is clear recognition of Hong Kong’s growing strengths in research and innovation. The HKSAR Government has identified artificial intelligence (AI) as a strategic industry, and Lingnan is at the forefront of pioneering many AI-related initiatives. We are committed to nurturing researchers and innovation talents, advancing interdisciplinary research, promoting technology transfer, and fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and research in order to inject fresh momentum for both Hong Kong and the GBA, and to accelerating the development of new, high-calibre productive forces. Our students and researchers participated for the first time in the 11th Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival, and won 8 gold and 5 silver medals, and a special prize from the International Federation of Inventors' Associations - 14 in total - the most of all Hong Kong institutions. Lingnan will continue to leverage its unique advantage of strong support from the Motherland and close connections to the rest of the world, working hand in hand with GBA partners to bring advanced research onto the global stage and to contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub.”

In recent years, Lingnan University has actively advanced research and innovation, contributing tangible results to the development of Hong Kong and the GBA:

                    i.            The faculty continues to demonstrate a strong capacity for securing external competitive funding. This year, three early-career faculty members received Young Scientist Fund (Type C) grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The Science Unit has also been successful in obtaining important research grants; during this year's Projects of Lantau Conservation Fund competition, four out of five proposals submitted were subsidised, resulting in a total award of HK$6.6 million.

                  ii.            Regarding achievements at international invention exhibitions, Lingnan won five awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva; at the 11th Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival (SVIIF), Lingnan students and researchers earned a total of 14 awards, the highest number of medals and gold medals of all Hong Kong institutions.

                iii.            In January 2025, Lingnan University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS) and the Center of International Innovation for Technology and Science (CIITS) signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement. This collaboration aims to translate research achievements into practical applications in fields such as biomedicine and high-performance materials. Both parties will also look into setting up an innovation fund to invest in and incubate science and technology enterprises.

The launch of the 2025 GII Ranking of the World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters was held at the Hong Kong Science Park on 1 September. Organised by the People’s Republic of China and the World Intellectual Property Organization, and hosted by the Hong Kong SAR, the event was held in Hong Kong for the first time, underscoring the city’s pivotal role as a core GBA city in international innovation and technology.