UN Under-Secretary-General unveils Asia’s first UNU Hub at Lingnan University strengthening collaboration in AI and humanitarian innovation, and marking the UN’s 80th and the UNU’s 50th anniversaries
The plaque unveiling ceremony officiated by Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr Ernest Chan, Vice-President (Administration) of Lingnan University.
From left: Dr Georgina Curto Rex, Senior Researcher and Team Lead at UNU Macau, Dr Huang Jingbo, Director of UNU Macau, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the UNU and Under-Secretary-General of UN, Mr Ernest Chan, Vice-President (Administration) of Lingnan University, Prof Albert Ko, Founding Director of the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology (HIT) at Lingnan University.
Mr Ernest Chan presents a special commemorative memento for the establishment of the UNU HIT Hub at Lingnan to Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, and Prof Albert Ko gives a Lingnan photo frame to Dr Huang Jingbo.
Founding members of the UNU Hub at Lingnan University (from left: Ms Belinda Lau, Mr Adrian Lo, Prof Albert Ko, and Prof Nicole Lee).
Prof Albert Ko, Director of UNU HIT Hub at Lingnan explains his vision and the design focus of the Hub to UNU Rector Prof Marwala and UNU partners at the conference.
University delegates examine the low-cost baby incubator.
Prof Nicole Lee explains the design principles of humanitarian technology to university partners.
The official plaque unveiling ceremony of Asia’s first UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University (UNU Hub at Lingnan University) was held today, 25 Oct, marking a new milestone in advancing international collaboration between Lingnan and the United Nations. The ceremony was officiated by Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr Ernest Chan, Vice-President (Administration) of Lingnan University.
Mr Chan emphasised the significance of this occasion, saying “At Lingnan University, we have long believed that education and research must serve society. Our liberal arts tradition fosters critical thinking, creativity, and a deep sense of social responsibility among our students and faculty. Establishing the UNU Hub here in Asia will connect regional research and innovation capacity with the UNU’s global expertise and network. This collaboration will amplify our efforts to contribute meaningfully to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, especially as we commemorate these landmark anniversaries of the UN and UNU.”
This was echoed by Prof Marwala, who said “The future classroom will not just be hybrid – it will be plural. It will span disciplines, geographies, and generations. It will be a space where tradition meets innovation, and where technology must serve – not replace – the human spirit. Asia’s first UNU Hub on HIT, jointly established by the UNU and Lingnan University, will serve as a global platform for research, education and engagement. We believe it will catalyse new partnerships and scale humanitarian technologies.”
The plaque unveiling was part of the AI Education Day, a key component of the UNU Macau Milestone Series celebrating the United Nations’ 80th anniversary and the UNU’s 50th anniversary. The event underscored the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology in humanitarian innovation, with the UNU Hub on HIT set to capitalise on Lingnan’s expertise in data science to pioneer new pathways for humanitarian solutions in the Global South.
Lingnan University also participated in the UNU Hubs Milestone Session, a high-level discussion with six other universities from the Global South, including Tsinghua University, Tongji University and Northwestern Polytechnical University, chaired by UNU Macau and attended by UNU Rector Prof Marwala. Prof Albert Ko, Founding Director of the UNU HIT Hub at Lingnan, described successfully setting up the first UNU Hub in Asia, and its ongoing initiatives in humanitarian innovation and technology.
As Asia’s first UNU Hub dedicated to humanitarian innovation and technology, this latest initiative reflects a deep commitment to using change and technology to address critical humanitarian challenges throughout Asia and the Global South. The hub will strengthen the partnership between Lingnan University and the United Nations University, aligning with their global vision of sustainable development and benevolent impact as well as pushing academic institutions to the forefront of changemaking.