Lingnan University

This is the university in Hong Kong. For the former university in Guangzhou, see Lingnan University (Guangzhou).

Lingnan University

嶺南大學
Former names	Christian College in China Canton Christian College Lingnan Xuexiao Lingnan College Lingnan Xueyuan
Motto	作育英才，服務社會 Education for Service
Type	Public
Established	1888 (1888)
Chairman	Andrew Yao Cho-fai
Chancellor	John Lee Ka-chiu (as Chief Executive of Hong Kong)
President	S. Joe Qin
Vice-president	Joshua Mok Ka-ho Vice President Xin Yao Vice-President (Research and Innovation) Lau Chi-pang, BBS, JP Associate Vice-President (Academic Affairs and External Relations) Shalendra Sharma Associate Vice-President (Academic Quality Assurance and Internationalisation) Sam Kwong Tak-wu Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) Li Dong-hui Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs)
Dean	Emilie Yeh Yueh-yu (Faculty of Arts) Leng Mingming (Faculty of Business) William Hayward (Faculty of Social Sciences) Sam Kwong Tak-wu (School of Graduate Studies) Chen Xi (School of Interdisciplinary Studies) Sam Kwong Tak-wu (Acting, School of Data Science)
Students	6,243 (2023–2024)
Address	8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong , Tuen Mun , Hong Kong
City learning centres	Lingnan@WestKowloon (12 & 13/F, M+, West Kowloon Cultural District, 38 Museum Drive, Kowloon) Jao Tsung-I Academy (800 Castle Peak Road, Mei Foo, Kowloon) Union Park Learning Centre (Units 601-05, 6/F & Unit 905, 9/F, Union Park Centre, 771-775 Nathan Road, Kowloon)
Colours	Red and Grey
Affiliations	AALAU, ASAIHL, ACUCA, GLAA, BHUA, GHMUA
Website	ln.edu.hk ln.hk
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	嶺南大學
Simplified Chinese	岭南大学
Cantonese Yale	Líhng nàahm daaih hohk
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lǐngnán Dàxué Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Líhng nàahm daaih hohk Jyutping Ling5 naam4 daai6 hok6
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
Traditional Chinese	嶺南學院
Simplified Chinese	岭南学院
Cantonese Yale	Líhng nàahm hohk yuhn
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lǐngnán Xuéyuàn Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Líhng nàahm hohk yuhn Jyutping Ling5 naam4 hok6 jyun6

Lingnan University (Lingnan) is located in Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong. It strives to become a leading liberal arts research university, intertwining cutting-edge research with teaching to cultivate a dynamic scholarly environment. This propels the Lingnan community to the leading edge of knowledge. Lingnan University is ranked Top 2 Worldwide in "Quality Education" by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2023 and awarded an exemplary rating of 5+ Stars in the recent QS 5-Stars Assessment, affirming the position as a “Global Leader in Quality Education and High Impact Research”.

Lingnan University has 3 faculties, 2 Schools, 16 departments, 2 language centres, and 2 units (science and music), offering 29 degree honours programmes spanning various disciplines in humanities, business, and social sciences. Lingnan's small class size facilitates interaction. In addition to Chinese and English language courses and service-learning opportunities, the University has made generative AI a core course for all first-year students in the 2024/25 academic year. It covers topics such as fundamental concepts of generative AI, methods for evaluation, and ethical considerations. Students without prior AI knowledge will acquire practical skills in implementing, critiquing, and refining generative models. Lingnan also provides a diverse array of taught masters, research master’s and PhD programmes. Total students comprise more than 6,200 students.

In 2014, Lingnan University pioneered full four-year accommodation for all undergraduates—a first among Hong Kong universities. With over 270 partners across more than 50 countries/regions facilitating international exchanges or participation in short-term summer or winter programmes for over 80% of undergraduates. Currently, Lingnan University has dual-degree programmes with the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, National Chengchi University (Taiwan), Shenzhen University and Wuhan University in some of the master's and doctoral research areas.

Research performance

Lingnan's research in humanities, social sciences and business were classified as "World Leading" (4-star) and "Internationally Excellent" (3-star) in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020, conducted by the University Grants Committee using international benchmarks to identity the areas of relative strengths of the city's public universities. Lingnan came first or second among all public universities in terms of the percentage of "World Leading" research work in Accountancy, Sociology & Anthropology, Social Work & Social Policy, and Philosophy.

Lingnan has also achieved an exemplary rating of 5+ Stars in the OS 5-Stars Assessment, affirming our position as a 'Global Leader in Quality Education and High Impact Research'.

Research excellence recognised in GRF and ECS results

At Lingnan University, not only do we have top scholars and scientists specialising in art, business, and social sciences, we also actively engage in world-leading interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer that bridge the gap between academia and society, and translate into real-world impact. Scholars of Lingnan University continue to have received outstanding results in the 2023/24 General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS) from the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. The 42 GRF and ECS projects and the total of HK$20.8-million funding were record highs over the years at Lingnan. These achievements represent a yearly leap of 30 per cent in the amount of funding, and an increase of nearly 14 per cent in the number of funded projects.

In particular, Lingnan has recorded a success rate of 47 per cent in the ECS, the highest among all the eight publicly funded universities this year and compared to the sector-wide rate of 35.6 per cent. One of our ECS projects also obtained the highly competitive Early Career Award — out of only seven awarded projects across the universities.

With regard to the GRF, the respective increases in the number of funded projects and amount of funding were 27 per cent and 50 per cent.

Entrance of Lingnan University

History

1888-1904: the early day of Guangzhou

The history of Lingnan University can be dated back to 1888, when the American Presbyterian Church set up the Christian College in China in Guangzhou. Its first intake of just 30 students began attending lessons there on 28 March the same year.

In 1893, the Christian College in China disassociated itself from the American Presbyterian Church, and became a Christian university governed by a board of trustees based in New York. Due to China's political instability at that time, the College became the target of anti-foreign antagonism. In 1900, the government's suspicions about its activities were aroused when Shi Jianru, one of its former students, unsuccessfully tried to assassinate the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi. To avoid political reprisals, the College temporarily retreated to Macau. In 1903, it changed its English name to Canton Christian College, and adopted the Chinese title Lingnan Xuetang. This was the first time it used the term Lingnan. The College finally returned to Guangzhou in 1904, where it occupied a new site of about 30 acres that had been purchased at Kangle Cun, Henan, Guangzhou. It was to become the College's permanent location.

1905 – 1937: Becoming a key educational institution in southern China

The College grew from strength to strength after building its new campus. Looking out at the scenery to the north of the campus in 1911, one of its alumni, Szto Wai, was inspired with a design for its emblem. This featured Guangzhou's Baiyuan Mountain, the Pearl River, lychee trees, and the garden of the campus itself. The emblem is still used today, as well as the red and grey colour scheme that the College adopted for its flags at sports meets.

In September 1912, without changing its name in English, the College changed its Chinese name to Lingnan Xuexiao. By 1918, it began offering university-level programmes, and awarded certificates to its first three graduands. At the same time, 15 renowned universities, including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford in the US and Toronto in Canada, announced that Lingnan's graduates would be eligible to apply for their postgraduate programmes.

In 1926, Lingnan Xuexiao fell foul of a new regulation imposed by the nationalist government that prohibited foreigners from operating universities in China. It responded by establishing a predominantly Chinese board of trustees who took over its administration. In January 1927, the trustees elected Chung Wing-kwong as its President, and Lee Ying-lam as Vice-President. Under this new leadership, the College changed its Chinese name to Lingnan Daxue and the English name was changed to Lingnan University accordingly. In March the same year, President Chung asked the government to officially recognise Lingnan as an international, private, Christian university. Between 1927 and the eve of the war of resistance against Japan, its curriculum was expanded from the original arts and science courses to include agriculture, commerce, civil engineering and medicine. Primary and secondary school, classes for overseas Chinese, and a Lingnan school in Hong Kong were established too. In the process, Lingnan emerged as a key educational institution in southern China.

1938 – 1944: Relocated thrice during the Anti-Japanese War

During the anti-Japanese War, Lingnan moved in 1938 to Hong Kong, where its middle school had relocated at Leung Garden, Castle Peak Bay, the previous year. Lingnan continued its classes at what is now The University of Hong Kong campus, while its department of agriculture leased a farmland in Lam Tei, Tuen Mun. Following the fall of Hong Kong in December 1941, the then Lingnan University's President, Lee Ying-lam, led its faculty and students on an arduous journey to Shaoguan in northern Guangdong Province. Assisted by the nationalist government and its US-based trustees, the University re-established itself there at Qujiang Dacun, and the campus was named "Lingnan University Village". However, as the war progressed, Lingnan was forced to move once again, this time to Meixian, east of the Pearl River.

1945 – 1952: The golden era

The Japanese surrender in 1945 made it possible for Lingnan University to return to its Guangzhou campus, where its long-suffering President Lee Ying-lam, who took on the mission to restore the campus, completed the formidable task of reconstruction. In August 1948, Chen Xujing took over as the new President, and he oversaw a rapid rise in its status. Himself a well-known academic, Chen was a proponent of westernisation, and he was determined to make Lingnan University the best higher learning institution in the country. The University became a magnet for the best minds of contemporary China, thus opening the most magnificent chapter it had ever experienced.

However, Lingnan's golden era came to an end with a nationwide higher education reform undertaken in late 1952. The former Lingnan campus became the campus of Sun Yat-sen University, while the former programmes or faculties of Lingnan University were merged into other institutions in Guangzhou. This abruptly ended Lingnan's 60 eventful years as an eminent education institution in the Chinese Mainland.

1967 – 1978: The Re-establishment of Lingnan University in Hong Kong

Following the closure of Lingnan University in Guangzhou, its alumni began to nurture a common goal – to re-establish it in a new location. In September 1967, Lingnan alumni in the city set up the Lingnan College Co Ltd, as a first step towards its re-establishment. To promote this cause further, Lingnan's educational enterprise in Hong Kong, Lingnan College Co Ltd, merged with Lingnan Secondary School Co Ltd to form the Lingnan Education Organization Co Ltd.

The first classes of the new Lingnan College were conducted at Lingnan Middle School. They were attended by 100 students, including 30 freshmen and some boarders. As the years passed, and with the alumni's increasing support, Lingnan College was able to build more facilities, including a teaching and administration block, main hall, language laboratory, library, and hostel for faculty and administration staff, just like other tertiary institutions. Thanks to the efforts of its staff and students, the College's status as a tertiary institution had gained recognition from over 70 North American universities by 1974. In 1978, it was recognised as a registered post-secondary institution; it changed its name to Lingnan Xueyuan in Chinese and started offering government-subvented programmes. Lingnan adopted a 2-2-1 course structure in 1978. This consisted of a two-year advanced-level course, a two-year higher diploma course, and a one-year honours diploma. Student enrolments increased considerably following this change, which gave it greater potential for further development.

1979 – 1987: Preparing for accreditation

In the following ten years, Lingnan alumni helped build the College into a highly regarded institution, thereby laying solid foundations for its future. In 1983, its President, Dr John T S Chen, took upon himself the laborious task of raising the College's academic standing. During his tenure, he appointed a large number of renowned academics, re-structured the academic departments, reformed the curriculum, and promoted general education, all to prepare for Lingnan's accreditation. With a view to reforming its academic programmes, Lingnan stopped offering programmes in its music department, and introduced social science and general education programmes in 1983. A translation course was added in 1986. By this time, Lingnan's advanced-level course was gradually being phased out, and the resources devoted to it were channelled to developing the honours diploma. In December 1987, the United Kingdom Council for National Academic Awards conducted a comprehensive institutional review on Lingnan. The Council highly commended the College for its rapid development over the years, and concluded that Lingnan's academic level was on par with institutions under the aegis of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (UPGC).

1988 – 1994: Becoming a degree-conferring institution

In 1988, the government approved to increase Lingnan’s subvention to a level that would enable it to develop honours diploma programmes. At this time, the government was about to make Lingnan a member of the UPGC, which would enable it to confer degrees. This was helped by a review of the College by the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation in 1991. Its members were impressed by the excellence of Lingnan's teaching and administrative staff, and the achievements of its students. Lingnan was deemed qualified to offer degree programmes. The government accepted the members' proposal, and Lingnan was made a degree-conferring institution under the UPGC in the same year. The first bachelor programmes it offered were in translation and social sciences. These were followed by Chinese and business administration programmes in 1994.

Lingnan University Campus in Fu Tei, Tuen Mun

1995 – 1999: Moving to Tuen Mun campus and acquiring university status

To facilitate its future expansion, Lingnan moved to a new campus in Tuen Mun in 1995 and Professor Edward Chen Kwan-yiu became the University’s President. The architectural design of the new campus incorporated features of Lingnan University's original site in Guangzhou, thereby reflecting its fine tradition, which dated back to 1888. Upon moving to the new campus, the University launched Master of Philosophy programmes. In 1998, it was given self-accrediting status; and in 1999 it was renamed Lingnan University.

2000 – Present:

The University continued to grow as it entered the 21st century, adding postgraduate programmes and establishing a school of continuing education and a community college, thereby offering quality education to Hong Kong and the region.

To enhance the effectiveness of liberal-arts education, Lingnan University introduced an Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) in 2001. The ILP offers non-credit bearing training in six domains, namely, civic education, intellectual development, physical education, social and emotional development, aesthetic development and hostel education, aiming at diversifying students' learning experience outside classroom and encouraging them to become an erudite and elegant person.

In 2003, a Teaching and Learning Quality Process Review (TLQPR) report spoke highly of its outstanding success in enhancing the quality of teaching. The same year saw another confirmation of its progress in promoting liberal arts education, with the quality of its teaching rated best among all the eight local tertiary institutions in a survey commissioned by the Hong Kong Economic Journal Monthly.

In 2006, the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) conducted by the University Grants Committee placed Lingnan's research index in fourth position among Hong Kong's universities, just behind the three research-intensive universities. This reaffirms the professionalism of Lingnan's academics, because it underlines their commitment to research, as well as their dedication to cultivating good relationships with their students.

Professor Chan Yuk-Shee became the University's President in September 2007. To continue Lingnan's fine tradition, Professor Chan built more student hostels, provided more opportunities for students to go on overseas exchange and created a more internationalised campus.

Professor Leonard K Cheng became the University's President in September 2013. He has the vision to distinguish Lingnan's liberal arts education with the best of Chinese and western cultures, so that students can learn from the best of both worlds and become truly global citizens.

In 2014, all undergraduates can have full accommodation during their four years of studies. The close affinity of the campus and hostel helps to foster camaraderie among the students, and it helps to educate students in a holistic manner, as is the University's mission. In addition, it also nurtures a powerful sense of belonging, and inspires students' learning and thinking. Through the community life on campus, students will learn to respect the rights and opinions of others and to develop their interpersonal skills based on mutual respect and trust.

Lingnan’s distinctive position in the higher education sector was further testified when Forbes named the University one of the “Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in Asia” in 2015. Following the release of the Report of a Quality Audit of Lingnan University by the Quality Assurance Council of the University Grants Committee in 2016 which confirmed Lingnan’s commitment to achieving excellence through a liberal arts education and to providing a rich array of opportunities for the whole-person development of our students, the University launched the Strategic Plan 2016-2022, implementing a series of new initiatives in five strategic areas, namely (1) Academic Development and Research; (2) Student Development; (3) Campus Development; (4) Institutional Advancement; and (5) Sub-degree and Continuing Education.

Reputation and rankings

University rankings
Global – Overall
QS World	641-650 (2024)
Regional – Overall
QS Asia	167 (2024)

LU was ranked 641-650th worldwide by the QS World University Ranking 2024.

LU was ranked 2nd worldwide in THE Impact Rankings 2023 "Quality Education". The THE Impact Rankings reflect the extent to which universities deliver the SDGs, and are compiled from data submitted by 1,705 universities from 115 countries or regions, showing impact on the broader sphere of society, beyond research and teaching achievements.

Academic organisations

Faculties and departments

Faculty of Arts

• Department of Chinese
• Department of Cultural Studies
• Department of English
• Department of History
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Translation
• Department of Visual Studies
• Centre for English and Additional Languages (CEAL)
• Chinese Language Education and Assessment Centre (CLEAC)
• Animation and Digital Arts Programme Office
• Wong Bing Lai Music and Performing Arts Unit

Faculty of Social Sciences

• Office of the Faculty of Social Sciences
• Department of Economics
• Department of Government and International Affairs
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Sociology and Social Policy

Faculty of Business

• Department of Accountancy
• Department of Computing and Decision Sciences
• Department of Finance and Insurance
• Department of Management
• Department of Marketing and International Business

School of Interdisciplinary Studies

• Wong Bing Lai Music and Performing Arts Unit

Core Curriculum and General Education Office

• Science Unit

Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies ( APIAS)

The Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies (APIAS) was established in 1998 with the aim of maximizing the well-being of our older generation through high quality research work and collaboration with health and social services practitioners, service users, policy makers, charities, public and private sectors, research institutions and local and international communities. Prof. Chan Chak Kwan Dickson, is the Research Professor and Director.

Student life

Representative Council

Period	Chairperson	Vice Chairperson	Secretary	Chairperson of Finance Committee	Chairperson of Constitution Revising Committee	Chairperson of Auditing Committee	Chairperson of Monitoring Committee	Chairperson of Election Committee	Chairperson of Affiliated Clubs' and Societies' Affairs Committee	Chairperson of associate degree Programme Affairs Committee
46th	Haven Yu	Teli Tang		Irene Lam	Justin Lo	Yip Ka-cheong	King Wong	Lee Pik-wah	Dennis Leung	–
45th	Kenny Yeung	Yuen Hon-ming		Kevin Chau	Charles Yau	Janice Kwan	Dicky Kwan	Dexter Pang	Jonathan Chan	–
44th	Leo Tang	Vivian Li		Joseph Tong	Yoyo Kwan	CY Tsang	Elvis Siu	Siu Tsz-ching	Kitty Wong	–

Executive Council

Period

Name

President

Vice-President

External Vice-President

Financial Officer

general secretary

Internal Secretary

External Secretary

University Affairs Officer

Academic Affairs Officer

Current Affairs and China Proper Track Officer

Public Relations OFficer

Recreation Officer

Information Management Officer

Publication Officer

Welfare Officer

Social Movements Officer

Human Capital and Resources Management Officer

International Communication Officer

46th

逆風

Vivian Yip

Sonia Tsang

Cindy Ng

Branting Lai

Chan Wai-ning

Patience Wong

Gary Mak

Max Wu

Ronnie Lam

–

Kelly Lee

Ho Yiu-fai‡

Leung Chi-hin‡

Clara Chan

Manyi Cheung

–

–

–

45th

狂瀾

Eddie Chan

Natalie Wu

Willis Ho

Lok-pui Lum

Mandy Chow

Stephanie Kwok

Lai Tsz-yeung

Haven Yu

Amis Kwok

Yu Wai-pan

Ho Yan-ming‡

Chan Sze-yan‡ Eddie Yip†

Chun Hei-tung‡

Koey Lee

Au Wai-ho†

Law Kun-kit

43rd

鼎築

Howard Cheng

Isabel Chang

Leo Tang

Ho Hung-hing

Lilian Ngan

Lucy Zhao

Debby Chan

Gary Chan

Liu Tsz-lam

–

Pandora Wong

Li Hua-zhen

Xathieur Yue

Kristy Ho

Chris Wong

–

–

–

† Resigned ‡ Added

Press Bureau

Period	Name	Editor-in-Chief	Vice Editor-in-Chief (Administrative Board)	Vice Editor-in-Chief (Editorial Board)	Financial Secretary	general secretary	Public Relations Officer	Art Director	Editor
46th	甦	Manni Cheung	Chichio Suen	Sylvia Lam	Remoni Choi	Alice Lam	Christine Lee	Wayne Wong Wong Chung-ying	Tracee Law† Lau Cheung-Yee Helen Yeung Emn Kwan Fiona Ko Mankei Tse Ruby Yiu Ryan Tai

† Resigned ‡ Added

Business Administration Society

• Senate of Business Administration Society of Lingnan University Students' Union
• Executive Committee of Business Administration Society of Lingnan University Students' Union

Students' Residence

Lingnan considers "hostel life" (life in college dormitories) a form of informal education. As a result, all full-time undergraduate students are required to stay at student hostels on campus for at least one academic year while at the university. A majority of students stay for two academic years. Newly admitted four-year students are required to be residents of student hostels for at least two years, and are guaranteed full residence throughout their stay should they agree upon it.

In addition to another new student hostel building under construction, there are currently eight blocks of student hostels in Lingnan University; each hostel holds an estimated 250 people.

Controversies

Student and alumni petition for dismissing Junius Ho from the University Council

In July 2019, a video that was circulated widely online showed Junius Ho shaking hands, giving thumbs-up to, and taking photos with the white-clad mob who had attacked civilians in the 2019 Yuen Long attack. Ho claimed that he was only passing by after dinner and was not involved in the attack, and that the mob supported his pro-police stances and asked for photos with him. As Ho was a member of the Council of Lingnan University, a number of student bodies and alumni associations made a joint declaration condemning his hate speech over the years and his support for the attackers, saying that it seriously affected the image of the university. They also requested Chief Executive Carrie Lam, then-Chancellor of the university, to dismiss Ho from the Council. Afterwards, the university issued a statement emphasising its respect for freedom of speech and that Ho's views did not represent the university.

Removal of Tiananmen relief sculpture

On 24 December 2021, the university removed a relief sculpture created by artist Chen Weiming and commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre from campus overnight. The university said that it had recently "reviewed and assessed items on campus that may pose legal and safety risks to the University community" and had the relief "removed and stored appropriately... in the best interest of the University". Around the same time, the University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong also removed similar Tiananmen memorial monuments from their campuses. Chen said that "it is a major regret", and that the university authorities "acted like a thief in the night" and "were very scared that the removal of the monuments would spark public outcry".

Notable alumni

Name	Faculty	Graduation Year	Notable Remark
Andrew To	Social Sciences	1990	Former Chairman of League of Social Democrats President of the Executive Council (1988–89)
Joseph Lee	PhD	2002	Legislative Councillor
Herman Yau	Master of Cultural Studies	2008	Film Director
Benny Chan	Social Sciences		Actor
Vanessa Yeung	Business Administration	1994	Model
Xian Yuqing	Education	1924	Historian, poet, painter, and longtime academic at Lingnan University

Office of Service-Learning

In 2006, Lingnan University became the first local university to establish an Office of Service-Learning.

From 2007 to 2013, the Office of Service-Learning and Lingnan University jointly organised the biennial 1st to 4th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning.

See also

• Liberal Arts
• Lingnan University Library
• Education in Hong Kong
• List of universities in Hong Kong
• List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong

External links

• Official website