The 2nd GBA Education Conference Successfully Held at Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou South Campus)

The 2nd GBA Education Conference, jointly organised by HKU SPACE and the School of Continuing Education at Sun Yat-sen University, was successfully held on 14 May 2026, at the Guangzhou South Campus of Sun Yat-sen University. Under the theme “Innovative Education and Industry Integration,” the Conference brought together distinguished educators, experts, practitioners, and professionals from various sectors across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to engage in in-depth discussions on key topics such as educational innovation, talent development, and industry collaboration.

Against the backdrop of China’s active promotion of the GBA initiative, the region is accelerating toward a new stage of innovation-driven and high-quality development. Education and talent development are playing an increasingly vital role in supporting technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and regional integration. Building on the success of the inaugural conference, this year's second edition further strengthened its role as a cross-sector exchange platform, fostering closer collaboration between education and industry.

The opening speeches were delivered by Mr. Zhongzhi Tai, Vice President of SYSU, and Professor William K.M. Lee, Director of HKU SPACE. Professor Lee emphasised that the conference serves as an important platform for knowledge exchange, lifelong learning, and enhanced regional cooperation. He expressed hope that by bringing together diverse expertise, the conference would inspire innovative thinking and further support talent development and educational innovation in the GBA. He also highlighted the crucial role of professional and continuing education in supporting individual growth and responding to market demands, noting that HKU SPACE will continue to expand cross-border collaboration, promote talent mobility, and facilitate resource sharing to help build the GBA into a vibrant hub of innovation and education.

Continuing the achievements of the inaugural conference, this year’s event placed greater emphasis on “Innovative Education and Industry Integration.” During the keynote session, distinguished speakers included Professor Yun Zhao, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong; Miss Maria Tam, Former Deputy Director, HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the NPC; Professor Gordon Lam, Hong Kong Deputy to the NPC; and Professor Zhengping Fu, Dean of the Institute of Free Trade Zone Studies at Sun Yat-sen University. Drawing from their respective fields, the speakers delivered insightful analyses on key issues related to institutional innovation and industrial development in the GBA. Topics covered included cross-border digital dispute resolution mechanisms, the positioning and opportunities for Hong Kong’s legal profession in the GBA, collaborative innovation in technology supply chains, and the integration of industrial cluster upgrading with education. These discussions systematically outlined practical pathways and policy implications for advancing coordination between education and industry, offering forward-looking insights to support high-quality regional development.

A roundtable discussion followed, focusing on “Building an Ecosystem for Innovation Talent Development and Industry Integration in the GBA.” Moderated by Mr Xiaozhong He, Dean of the School of Continuing Education at Sun Yat-sen University, the session featured experts from academia, healthcare, corporate (human resources), and investment sectors, including Professor Xiaoying Li, Dr Shao Haei Liu, Mr Yueliang Tao, and Ms Shounan Zhang. Together, they explored how cross-sector collaboration can drive deeper alignment between talent cultivation and industry demands, providing fresh momentum for the region’s long-term development.

The successful convening of the 2nd GBA Education Conference further strengthened the foundation of collaboration between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the field of education and underscored the important role of continuing education in driving innovation and industrial upgrading.

As a long-term exchange platform, the GBA Education Conference will continue to foster cross-sector connections, promote alignment between education and industry needs, and contribute to building a competitive and sustainable talent ecosystem, injecting new momentum into the future development of the GBA.