Lingnan to launch Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class in 2026/27 academic year Four-year full tuition scholarships for top undergraduates with AI training provided by leading international companies

Lingnan University announced today, 4 March, that it will officially launch the Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class (CCT Class) in the 2026/27 academic year. The Class, named after Nobel Prize-winning physicist Prof Samuel C.C. Ting, will select the best undergraduate students from among recipients of the University Entrance Scholarships for this comprehensive learning opportunity.

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, said “The Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class has received the support of Nobel Laureate Prof Samuel C.C. Ting, Honorary Doctorate awardee of Lingnan University and Honorary Director of the Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS). The name ‘CCT Class’ recognises Prof Ting’s initials and also signifies Creative and Critical Thinking, reiterating Lingnan’s longstanding core educational values. This initiative carries forward his steadfast commitment to scientific exploration and excellence. In this superior class, Lingnan aspires to nurture a new generation of academic leaders who will uphold Prof Ting’s spirit of innovation and rigorous enquiry, and grow into research-oriented liberal arts professionals with a global perspective.”

Supported by dedicated University funding, the CCT Class will select outstanding full University Entrance Scholarship undergraduates from the Hong Kong SAR, the Chinese Mainland, and around the world in the 2026/27 academic year. The scheme aims to build a pre-eminent interdisciplinary learning platform on campus, foster a culture of academic excellence, and further enhance the University’s international profile.

The students will receive comprehensive support over the four years of study, including a full tuition scholarship, fully funded campus accommodation, and AI training provided by leading international businesses with professional certification. They will also benefit from mentorship by leading members of the faculty, priority access to research opportunities, meetings with eminent scholars, including Nobel Laureates, and priority consideration for admission to postgraduate programmes.

A senior task force led by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, will oversee the implementation of the programme.

Prof Ting discovered a new form of matter known as the “J particle” in 1974, a breakthrough that advanced theoretical development in particle physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics two years later. An Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Science, honoris causa) was conferred on Prof Ting by Lingnan University in 2023 and he has served as Honorary Director of the Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS) since mid-2024.