Macau SAR, 19 August 2025 — On World Humanitarian Day (19 August), the United Nations University (UNU) and Lingnan University announced the signing of an Agreement of Cooperation to establish the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University — the first UNU Hub in Asia. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing interdisciplinary research, education and outreach to address humanitarian challenges and promote inclusive and sustainable development, particularly across the Global South.
Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General, stated: “Asia is home to a substantial share of the Global South’s population and faces many of its most complex challenges. The UNU Hub at Lingnan University — the first of its kind in Asia — represents a significant advancement in UNU’s global mission. Lingnan University offers strong expertise in data science and extensive experience in humanitarian technology design that will foster synergies with UNU Macau and other UNU institutes. Through this UNU Hub, we are creating an anchor that harnesses Asia’s innovation capacity, deepens South-South collaboration and accelerates inclusive solutions that can be scaled globally.”
Photo: Lingnan University
Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, said this collaboration marks a new chapter in the history of Hong Kong’s higher education. As a developed city, Hong Kong’s establishment of the Hub will leverage its research strengths and international networks to swiftly transform technological innovations into solutions for social challenges, extending their impact across the Asia-Pacific region and countries in the Global South. This will effectively translate research outcomes into tangible socio-economic benefits for developing countries. “Hong Kong boasts world-class universities, leading researchers, and extensive international connections, while being geographically close to many developing countries in Asia. Establishing the UNU Hub at Lingnan University will foster cross-regional collaboration and accelerate the application of research outcomes where they are most urgently needed. Through this platform, we aspire to nurture a new generation of leaders equipped with both research capabilities and humanitarian compassion, driving technological development to serve human well-being and create a more sustainable future,” said President Qin.
Advancing Technology for Human Dignity
The UNU Hub at Lingnan University is scheduled to officially open in October 2025. The Hub will be coordinated by Prof. Albert Ko, Director of the Office of Service-Learning and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative , who will serve as the Founding Director, and Dr. Georgina Curto Rex, Senior Researcher and Team Lead at UNU Macau.
The mission of the UNU Hub at Lingnan University is to implement innovative design, research and capacity-building initiatives to develop affordable technologies that improve lives and preserve dignity at the base of the income pyramid. Its initial focus includes enhancing access to health technologies and inclusive business models, advancing clean water and sanitation through interdisciplinary approaches, and reducing inequalities by building capacity in inclusive entrepreneurship.
A Platform for Research, Education, and Engagement
Structured around three functional pillars, the UNU Hub at Lingnan University offers a global platform for research, education and engagement.
The first pillar — Research, Development and Design Innovation — will advance humanitarian technologies through three initial thematic clusters: sustainable development, community empowerment, and decentralized water and sanitation systems. These clusters will address critical gaps in the design and deployment of technologies tailored to low-resource environments. The Hub will collaborate with UNU institutes and global partners to co-develop solutions that are financially feasible, culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable.
The second pillar — Education, Training and Capacity-building — will offer postgraduate programs, certificates, and open-access training. Offerings such as the MSc in Humanitarian Technology (HT) and Inclusive Business — the only programme in Asia focused on HT design and implementation — will be complemented by new joint degrees and professional development initiatives. The Hub will also provide scholarships for students from the Global South and deliver short courses and field-based training to equip sustainable development practitioners with the skills needed to lead humanitarian innovation efforts in their communities.
The third pillar, — Outreach, Advocacy and Impact — will deliver impact through knowledge mobilization, field projects and community engagement. Building on Lingnan University’s extensive experience in service-learning and community-based research, these coordinated outreach and advocacy activities will raise visibility, while fostering dialogue and collaboration among academics, practitioners, policymakers and the public.
A Model for Regional Collaboration
With dedicated research and teaching spaces at Lingnan University’s main campus and the M+ Learning Centre in West Kowloon, the Hub is strategically positioned to engage academia, civil society and international organizations. It will collaborate with other UNU institutes, as well as partners around the world.
The UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University is expected to catalyse new partnerships, scale humanitarian technologies and contribute to global conversations on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
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