Jockey Club-supported HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute convenes global leaders to advance sustainable development

The HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute, established by HKU Business School with funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, held the “2026 Sustainability Forum: Global Leadership Dialogue” at the West Kowloon Cultural District on 22 October. The event brought together more than 200 leaders and experts from across the globe spanning the worlds of industry, academia and government. The forum gave them a valuable platform to exchange views on environmental and social challenges and explore practical pathways to translate their wide-ranging expertise into viable solutions.

The forum opened with remarks from The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council; Dr Henry Chan, Club Steward; Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong; and Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean and Chair of Economics of HKU Business School. Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), delivered the opening keynote address.

Dr Chan, in his remarks, underlined how sustainability has become an increasingly important lens through which the Trust strives to improve livability and long-term well-being in Hong Kong, as one of its nine impact programme areas. 

Beyond the exchange of ideas, the forum reflected the Institute’s broader mission of promoting cross-sector collaboration in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges, thereby contributing to Hong Kong’s long-term sustainable development. Established in 2024 with an approved Trust donation of more than HK$426 million, the Institute aims to advance excellence in sustainability, strengthening capacity-building and dialogue among multiple stakeholders, inspiring innovation and integrating best practice.

As part of the mission, the Institute has established four Hong Kong Jockey Club Endowed Professorships, with funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, to advance sustainability research across economics, finance, entrepreneurship and accounting. By attracting leading international scholars to Hong Kong, the professorships will strengthen research excellence, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and translate academic insights into practical solutions that deliver lasting benefits for communities in Hong Kong and beyond.