Press Release
Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University celebrates 20 years as the first co-founded university between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong
Friday, 21 November 2025
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and Beijing Normal University (BNU) pioneered the exploration on the diversified development of higher education in China, and jointly established Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (formerly known as Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College) in Zhuhai, Guangdong in 2005. It is the first university co-founded by the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong; it is also the first liberal arts university in the Chinese Mainland. Leveraging the “One University, Two Campuses” model, HKBU and Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) have fully harnessed the synergies of cross-border education, making significant contributions to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the nation.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of BNBU. To celebrate the important milestone together with the faculty, students, alumni, collaborative partners, and friends from all sectors, BNBU organised a series of exciting events on its Anniversary Day on 18 November. Highlights included BNBU’s 20th Anniversary Development Conference, a roundtable forum and lecture series, the secondary school principals’ symposium, the Jao Tsung-I Poetry Competition Award Ceremony, the Deans Forum for Media and Communication Education, the tree-planting ceremony, the Gala Dinner, as well as lighting displays at urban landmarks such as the Canton Tower and the Zhuhai Grand Theatre.
The 20th Anniversary Development Conference was attended by Mr Chen Dali, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education; Mr Xu Shimin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Education of Guangdong Province; Mr Li Diyun, Inspector of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province; Mr Lin Rituan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhuhai Municipal Government ; Mr Li Jinjun, Director of the Exchange and Cooperation Division, Department of Education of Guangdong Province; Dr Wang Shoujun, Chairman of the BNBU Council and Executive Vice President of BNU; Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Professor Ng Ching-fai, Founding President of BNBU; and Professor Tang Tao, the second President of BNBU. The Conference provided an occasion to reflect on the development journey of BNBU in the past 20 years.
At the Conference, Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU, remarked that BNBU has consistently demonstrated the value of liberal arts education through its actions over the past 20 years. Throughout this period, HKBU has remained deeply engaged in every aspect of BNBU’s development, including imparting its educational philosophy, developing an internationalised curriculum, promoting academic exchanges among faculty and students, and supporting the advancement of research platforms. As the parent institution, HKBU has continuously provided strong and sustained impetus for BNBU’s growth and, together with BNU, will continue to offer BNBU steadfast and reliable support in the future.
Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, stated that HKBU will continue its close collaboration with BNBU to deepen their joint efforts in research innovation and talent development. Together, the two universities will focus on emerging fields such as the digital economy, medical healthcare, and cultural and creative industries, to promote the translation of research outcomes and support high-quality development. Furthermore, HKBU remains committed to upholding the spirit of the humanities and its core mission of character development, nurturing young people with a strong sense of responsibility and dedication to their communities and country.
Professor Chen Zhi, President of BNBU, said that a total of 15 BNBU scholars were listed as the world’s top 2% scientists in 2025 by Stanford University and Elsevier. Significant breakthroughs have also been achieved in securing funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Education Foundation on Humanities and Social Sciences. BNBU has deepened its collaborations in education and innovation by launching the “1+1+1” Joint Funding Programme for higher education institutions in Guangdong and Hong Kong, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province and HKBU. The first batch of 15 projects was successfully launched in April this year. Around 40 start-ups have been incubated by BNBU’s Industrial-University Research Collaboration Centre.
Professor Chen also said that BNBU’s faculty come from more than 40 countries and regions, while its Global Talent 100 Scheme will attract 100 leading scholars and young talent worldwide in three years. BNBU has established partnerships with nearly 100 renowned overseas universities. With the opening of a centre in Boston, US in January this year, and another one in London, UK in January 2026, BNBU continues to strengthen its role as a hub for academic collaboration, scientific research, and talent exchange.
A roundtable forum was held on the same day, featuring numerous top international scholars including Professor Joachim Frank, recipient of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Dr Leslie Lamport, winner of the 2013 Turing Award; Professor Dan Shechtman, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Professor Eric Westhof, a member of the French Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Sciences; and Professor Efim Zelmanov, recipient of the 1994 Fields Medal. The forum discussed the opportunities and challenges facing science in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). In-depth exchange was conducted with more than 20 media outlets on topics such as future scientific collaboration and the development of university education.
The Deans Forum for Media and Communication Education was held concurrently, bringing together experts and scholars from nearly 30 universities in China and abroad, including Renmin University of China, Communication University of China, Fudan University, Tsinghua University, BNU, HKBU, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Macau University of Science and Technology, and the State University of New York in the US. The forum explored the paradigm innovation and the future paths of journalism and communication education under the wave of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC).
To carry forward the scholarly spirit of Professor Jao Tsung-I, preserve traditional Chinese culture, and promote Chinese culture globally, BNBU launched the Jao Tsung-I poetry competition in May this year. The competition’s award ceremony was held on 18 November together with the 7th secondary school principals’ forum, with a total of 44 outstanding entries receiving awards.
A new three-volume book series documenting the 20 years of BNBU’s development was also launched, capturing cherished stories, milestones, and the collective memories of its community.
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