Hong Kong University of Science and Technology visits LSE

On 18 May, LSE hosted a delegation of representatives from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The visit follows previous conversations initiated by Professor Larry Kramer, LSE’s Vice Chancellor and President, in Autumn 2025 when he visited HKUST to discuss institutional synergies.  

The visiting delegation was welcomed by LSE Vice President & Deputy President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Eric Neumayer, who reflected on President Kramer’s recent visit and our institutional alignment. LSE Associate Vice President (Education), Leila Guerra, joined the delegation for a focused discussion about Executive Education and lifelong learning.  

HKUST attendees also heard from LSE Department representatives to deepen conversations about partnerships. Professor Hyun Shin, Head of the Department of Geography and Environment, and Professor Bingchun Meng, from the Department of Media and Communications, spoke on how LSE utilises the social sciences to answer LSE’s five global challenges. The delegation was then joined by members of the Department of Management, including Professor Sarah Ashwin (Head) and Professor Connson Locke (Deputy Head) to explore collaboration in Business Management.  

Throughout the conversation, Professor Shin, Professor Meng and Professor Neumayer recognised the importance of supporting intellectual exchange through research collaboration as research-led institutions. LSE and HKUST have produced numerous co-authored publications over the past five years, with research spanning across diverse subjects in psychology, computer science, mathematics and engineering, and environmental science, with momentum to continue this collaboration.  

Welcoming an Alumna back to LSE  

The HKUST delegation was led by Professor Angela Ng, Assistant Vice-President for Institutional Advancement. Ng, an LSE alumna in Economics and Econometrics, reflected on her time on campus fondly: “LSE is the reason why I tell students and parents that university is the best time of your life.” 

Neumayer presented Ng with her LSE Alumni Card, a representation of her ongoing connection to LSE, which she can use whenever she visits campus. 

Angela Ng and Eric Neumayer holding their LSE ID cards. 

Knowledge Exchange Surrounding Interdisciplinary Learning  

HKUST and LSE have synergy in our commitment to interdisciplinary learning, with the intention of preparing students for complex and sophisticated thinking both in their studies and the workforce. A discussion led by Dr Jillian Terry and Dr Chris Blunt, Associate Professors (Education) and Co-Directors of LSE100, provided an invaluable chance to exchange best practices surrounding interdisciplinary learning.  

Both institutions offer innovative ways of integrating interdisciplinarity. HKUST began as a small and specialised university with four schools in Business, Humanities, Engineering and Social Science. Since their inception, they have expanded with the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies, which hosts five clusters in Environment and Sustainability, Public Policy, Emerging Disciplinary Areas, Integrative Systems and Design, and Arts and Machine Creativity. The Academy offers eight undergraduate and 13 postgraduate programmes with the intention of expanding academic freedom and innovation through interdisciplinary learning and research.  

LSE offers LSE100, the flagship and compulsory course that embeds interdisciplinarity into our students’ degree experience for all undergraduate students. Established in 2010, LSE100 aims to bring students into the LSE tradition of ‘thinking like a social scientist’ in their first year of studies. Students pick one of three themes to focus on for the year, with the themes based on complex global challenges that require an interdisciplinary approach to respond to.  

Both LSE’s LSE100 and HKUST’s Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies ensure that our students can be distinguished as strong interdisciplinary thinkers as they prepare to enter the workforce.  

The HKUST delegation with Ms Siân Rees-Jones (LSE International Strategy and Academic Partnerships) in front of the iconic LSE Globe.