Campus Digest

HKBU strengthens France-Hong Kong academic partnerships at inaugural University Presidents’ Forum in Paris

Wednesday, 3 June 2026

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The Hong Kong higher education delegation and the representatives of French institutions participate in the inaugural France–Hong Kong University Presidents’ Forum.
Professor Alex Wai speaks at the forum.
Representatives of the eight UGC-funded universities and France Universités sign a Letter of Intent.
The Hong Kong delegation visits the French Academy of Sciences.
(From right) Professor Alex Wai; and Professor Françoise Combes, President; Professor Philippe Ciarlet, Member; and Professor Étienne Ghys, Permanent Secretary of the French Academy of Sciences.
The Hong Kong delegation visits the National Institute of Health and Medical Research.
Dr Albert Chau, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) of HKBU (right), presents a gift to Ms Leïla Chabane, representative of the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
Professor Alex Wai (2nd left); Dr Albert Chau (2nd right); and Ms Yvonne Lee, Director of the International Office at HKBU (1st right), visit Sciences Po Paris.

 

HKBU participated as part of the Hong Kong higher education delegation at the inaugural France–Hong Kong University Presidents’ Forum held in Paris from 21 to 22 May, engaging with more than 50 presidents and vice-presidents from French institutions.

Co-organised by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, France Universités, the University Grants Committee (UGC) and Standing Committee on Internationalisation of the Heads of Universities Committee in Hong Kong, this landmark forum represented a major milestone in deepening academic ties between Hong Kong and France. It set the stage for collaborations across multiple formats, from student exchanges and innovative academic education to high-impact international research. A key highlight was the signing of a Letter of Intent with France Universités, paving the way for a strong, long-term structure for student/faculty mobility and strategic collaborations to further elevate the “Study in Hong Kong” brand.

For HKBU, this forum built upon a longstanding partnership with French institutions, rooted in the launch of the European Studies Programme in 1994. Today, HKBU’s global network includes 35 exchange partners in France, supporting approximately 130 exchange students annually, alongside seven double or combined degree programmes offered in collaboration with French institutions. The HKBU delegation also visited Sciences Po Paris, a cherished, long-term exchange partner of HKBU for 28 years.

Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, joined a distinguished panel on “AI-driven Innovation”, where he shared how HKBU keeps the human dimension at the centre of technological leaps, highlighting the University’s transdisciplinary education nurturing future-shaping graduates and art-tech academic and research developments.

During panel discussions at the forum, academic leaders from both regions explored how to combine their expertise to address global challenges, with dialogues focusing on AI-driven Innovation, sustainable finance, clinical research and commercialisation. The Hong Kong delegation also visited France’s most prestigious national research bodies, including the French Academy of Sciences, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, and National Centre for Scientific Research.