Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao University Alliance for Continuing Education Sets Sail to Write a New Chapter in Continuing Education

On November 24, 2025, the launch ceremony of the “Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao University Alliance for Continuing Education” and the High-Quality Development Forum was successfully held at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou. Professor William Lee, Director of HKU SPACE, led the delegation to attend the event. The Alliance was jointly initiated by HKU SPACE, Sun Yat-sen University, University of Macau, and Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

Nearly 100 representatives from about 50 universities across the Greater Bay Area and Chinese Mainland, together with industry experts, attended the forum. Through resource sharing and collaborative efforts, the Alliance aims to promote high-quality development in continuing education across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, injecting sustained momentum into talent cultivation and economic growth in the region.

Sun Yat-sen University Vice President Prof Tai Zhongzhi congratulated the official launch of the Alliance. He noted that as a pioneer in regional higher education cooperation and one of the founding members, Sun Yat-sen University’s joint effort with Hong Kong and Macao institutions responds proactively to national education strategies and the talent-upgrading needs of the Greater Bay Area. This marks a new stage of lifelong education collaboration in the region. He expressed hopes that the Alliance will build a continuing education community with international and regional characteristics, serving as a “catalyst” for industry–education integration, a “source” of collaborative innovation, and a “hub” for international cooperation.

Prof He Junzhi, Dean of the School of Politics and Public Administration and Director of the Institute of Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Development at Sun Yat-sen University, delivered a keynote report titled “Talent Needs of Enterprises and High-Quality Development in the Greater Bay Area.” He analyzed the urgent demand for highly skilled, managerial, and innovative talent in emerging industries such as fintech and advanced manufacturing, providing important guidance for the Alliance’s talent development strategies.

The forum featured two roundtable discussions. The first, chaired by Prof Liu Ting Chi (Director of the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Macau), included Prof William Lee (Director of HKU SPACE), Ms Jin Linlin (Dean of the School of Continuing Education, Guangdong University of Technology), Mr Fu Hongxun (Dean of the School of Continuing Education, South China Agricultural University), and Ms Li Xiuling (Executive President, Alumni Association of Sun Yat-sen University’s School of Continuing Education). The discussion focused on “Innovating Continuing Education Mechanisms and Facilitating Resource Flow under ‘One Country, Two Systems’,” exploring ways to break institutional barriers and promote interconnectivity in faculty, curricula, credit systems, and accreditation.

During the discussion, Prof Lee highlighted the Greater Bay Area’s strong economic vitality and cultural diversity. Leveraging Hong Kong’s institutional advantages under “One Country, Two Systems”—such as international connectivity and a sound legal framework—HKU SPACE contributes meaningfully to the integration of continuing education in the region. He emphasized that continuing education has become central to lifelong learning and workforce development. With industrial upgrades and intensifying global competition, the demand for flexible, high-quality, and internationally recognized learning opportunities continues to grow. The Alliance brings together resources from elite institutions across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao to drive regional innovation and integration, adding new impetus to talent cultivation and economic development.

The second roundtable, chaired by Mr He Xiaozhong (Dean of the School of Continuing Education, Sun Yat-sen University), featured Mr Su Qiubin (Dean of the School of Continuing Education, South China University of Technology), Dr Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan (Deputy Dean of Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University), Mr Lam Po Sang (former senior executive of Swire Group and Cathay Pacific), Ms Xiao Yanfei (Director, Teaching Centre of School of Continuing Education, Sun Yat-sen University), and Mr He Xin (Chief Executive Officer, Chaoxingfanya Group). Participants shared best practices under the theme “Leveraging Continuing Education Resources Across Three Regions to Support Industry and Economic Development,” reaching consensus on building shared platforms and co-developing collaborative projects.

The official launch of the Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao University Alliance for Continuing Education marks a new chapter in trilateral cooperation. Going forward, the Alliance will pool wisdom and resources from the three regions, becoming a key driver of high-quality education and talent development in the Greater Bay Area, and contributing to regional prosperity and the national lifelong education system.