Campus Digest

Six renowned writers invited by International Writers’ Workshop to reside at the University 

Tuesday, 29 April 2026

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Writers-in-residence (from left) Ms Susan Barker, Mr Dong Li, Mr Rob Doyle, and Mr Mashiul Alam attend the opening conversation moderated by Professor James Shea (1st right).
The six writers-in-residence pose with HKBU representatives.

 

The International Writers’ Workshop (IWW) under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences held its 2026 Writers-in-Residence Programme on campus from 2 to 29 March. The event featured six renowned international writers to participate in cross-cultural dialogues, creative exchanges, and public engagement activities.

The six Writers-in-Residence were Mr Dong Li, German poet and translator; Ms Gabriela Babnik Ouattara, Slovenian writer; Mr Mashiul Alam, Bangladeshi novelist and translator; Mr Rob Doyle, Irish novelist; Ms Susan Barker, British novelist; and Ms Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Kenyan novelist.

The Writers-in-Residence Programme featured a variety of activities, including an opening conversation, the Literary Festival, and visits to Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University in Zhuhai. This year’s literary festival, themed “Here & There”, featured panel discussions, literary readings, and writing workshops. These activities attracted numerous students, faculty members, local writers, scholars, and members of Hong Kong’s literary community. The opening conversation, moderated by Professor James Shea, Associate Professor of the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing and Director of the IWW, drew an audience of over 200 people.

Founded in 2004, the IWW remains one of the signature programmes of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The IWW has consistently organised free public events to promote literary and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the world, demonstrating HKBU’s commitment to the development of literature and art, and serving as an important platform advancing Hong Kong’s role as a vibrant centre for “East meets West” cultural exchange.