1. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
By Professor Ng Ching-fai
President & Vice-Chancellor, Hong Kong Baptist University
13 October 2006
International Association of Universities
2006 International Conference
and
China Education Association for International Exchange
7th International Forum on Education

2. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Three stages of internationalization at HKBU
1. Supported by private funding; international
cooperation contributed to gaining recognition
2. Public funding since 1984; opportunities
overseas provided for faculty members to
upgrade qualification and experience
3. Reaching out to the world and bringing the
world to campus

3. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Rationale
• Provide students with wide exposure to various
cultures; cultivate in them a global vision – ties in
with the whole person education ethos
• Academic collaboration and exchange bring in
new dimensions of knowledge and cross-cultural
experience
• Cultural diversity as a source of enrichment

4. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Current Internationalization effort
Policy set up in 2003 that English is the
medium of instruction
• Enhance our students’ English languages
proficiency as an international language for
communication
• Ensure a wide range of courses are available for
international students, without the language
barrier

7. The HKBU Mountaineering Team conquered the 6 206-metre Mount Kyizi in Tibet
and hoisted the Golden Jubilee Banner on the summit at10:45 am on 29 May 2006
The team comprises two exchange students from Germany and Austria,
two from the mainland and seven local students

8. We encourage genuine interaction among local and overseas students
We are glad to see active participation
of overseas students in campus life

9. Introducing Hong Kong
and Chinese cultures to
overseas students

10. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Consuls-General-in-Residence Programme
• 2004: France, USA, Thailand
• 2005: Switzerland, Italy, Austria, India
• 2006: The Republic of Germany, Mexico,
Republic of Hungary, Pakistan

11. Consuls-General-in-Residence Programme

12. International Festival
Italian Festival
Indian Festival

13. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
International Writers Workshop
– Asia’s First
• 2004 : “Writers from Post-colonial English-speaking
Countries”
- writers from India, South Africa, Ghana, Trinidad &
Tobago, St. Martin, Mainland China, Malaysia, Taiwan
• 2005: “Understanding the Islamic World and Its Writers”
- writers from Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine,
Jerusalem, Indonesia, Mainland China, Taiwan

14. International Writers Workshop
IWW 2005
IWW 2004

15. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
International Collaboration
Participate in international academic organizations
With our International Office as contact office
• Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA)
• Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL)
• Eurasia Pacific UNINET
• European Association of International Educators (EAIE)
• Institutional Management of Higher Education (IMHE)
• International Association of Universities (IAU)
• National Association of International Education (NAFSA)
• Asia Pacific Professional Leaders in Education (APPLE)
• Asia Pacific Association of International Education (APAIE)

16. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
International Collaboration
Playing host to two international consortia
1. David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies (LEWI)
- Initiated in 1995
to enhance cooperation among scholars with similar research interest in
East-West studies
- Founding Members:
Baylor, Ohio, Simon Fraser, Tsinghua, Leeds, Strathclyde, Western
Sydney
- 28 members universities
from Australia, Mainland China, North America, The Philippines, the
United Kingdom, Europe, and South Korea

17. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
International Collaboration
Playing host to two international consortia
2. Wing Lung Bank International Institute for Business Development (IIBD)
- Established in 1995
with start-up cost supported by HKBU through donation, until end of 1997
- Operates on a self-financing basis through fee-generating activities e.g.
seminars, international academic conferences, exchange progammes,
executive development programme, study tours
- 18 members universities
from Australia, Canada, Mainland China, Sweden, Thailand, The
Netherlands, The Philippines, the United Kingdom, USA

18. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University
-United International College
• A deep collaboration between BNU and HKBU
• In line with HKBU’s strategic goal of internationalization
• First university on the mainland governed by a council and with a
bilingual teaching programme, contributing towards diversification of
Mainland China’s tertiary education system
• An extended platform for HKBU for academic collaboration
• Strengthens our international network through 3-way cooperation

19. Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University
-United International College
Located in Zhuhai, Guangdong

20. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Challenges and Limitations
• Hostel provision for in-coming students
• Incentives for local students to participate as out-going
students in the exchange programmes
• Costly subsidy to overseas students limits expansion of
the programme
• Government support is needed in terms of provision of
student quota and the related cost subsidy

21. The HKBU Internationalization Policy
Conclusion
• Internationalization helps to equip our graduates with the
vision and experience to function well in a multi-cultural
world.
• To achieve a genuine multi-cultural campus, we reach
out to non-English speaking countries, such as countries
in Europe (East Europe), Mexico, other parts of Asia,
and even Central Asia
• HKBU has included internationalization as one of the
seven strategic development goals in our new strategic
plan.