The 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings have been released with Lingnan University participating for the first time and securing 84th place. Among a total of 929 universities from 36 countries and territories across Asia, Lingnan has entered the top 100. This achievement underscores the University’s growing prominence and recognition in the Asian academic landscape.
Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, expressed his delight at this important achievement, saying, “Lingnan University’s first entry into THE Asia University Rankings and its inclusion in the top 100 marks an important milestone in the development of the University. It demonstrates the tangible results of our current teaching and research strategies, which build on Liberal Arts education as our traditional foundation while advancing ‘Liberal Arts plus Technology’ and ‘AI+’ initiatives, attracting top international scholars and strengthening student innovation and entrepreneurship. All of this consolidates Lingnan’s position as a research-oriented liberal arts university, comprehensive in arts and sciences, in the digital era.”
President Qin added, “Making the best use of its geographical advantage as the Hong Kong SAR UGC-funded university closest to Shenzhen Bay Port and the Northern Metropolis, Lingnan will continue to expand its influence across Asia, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in industry, academia, research and knowledge transfer, and continuously improving its standing in these rankings.”
In recent years, Lingnan has made significant progress across multiple areas. In the 2025 THE Impact Rankings, it came first internationally for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Quality Education, the first university in the Hong Kong SAR to achieve a global first in any SDG category. Lingnan also took part for the first time in the THE World University Rankings 2026, placing within the world’s 301 to 350 band out of 2,191 universities, with its International Outlook ranking 47th worldwide.
The University’s rising global profile is further underscored by a series of “firsts” and “onlys” recorded in 2025, with Lingnan achieving at least 22 top or unique distinctions across Hong Kong SAR’s higher education sector. Performance indicators across teaching, student experience and innovation also placed Lingnan at the forefront locally. In JUPAS applications, Lingnan recorded the highest growth in Band A applications among all UGC-funded universities for three consecutive years, marked by a remarkable 88% surge from 2024 to 2026.
In the UGC University Accountability Agreement 2022–2025, Lingnan ranked No. 1 among the eight UGC-funded universities for undergraduate satisfaction with teaching and learning.
Building on this strong performance, the University’s impact extends into research, innovation and global engagement. Lingnan University achieved a 26% increase in the number of funded projects and a 22% increase in total funding, both the highest among all UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong SAR, while its scholars secured multiple No. 1 rankings in Hong Kong SAR across key disciplines in Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists list. It also broke new ground by establishing Asia’s first United Nations University (UNU) Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology.
Next year marks the 60th anniversary of Lingnan University’s reestablishment in Hong Kong, while the University looks ahead to its 140th overall anniversary in 2028. Taken together, these achievements reflect Lingnan University’s accelerating momentum as a globally connected liberal arts institution, comprehensive in arts and sciences, distinguished by excellence in teaching, research, and innovation, and increasingly recognised for its distinctive contributions on both the local and international stages.
