Dear Colleagues, Students, Alumni, and Friends,
As we stand on the threshold of a new year, we reflect on the closing days of 2025 and look ahead with fresh hope. This New Year is especially meaningful, as it is the first time we welcome you under our new name. On behalf of Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU), I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all colleagues and students, to alumni around the world, and to everyone who has supported and championed the University’s growth.
Looking back, 2025 was a landmark year for our university. In March, we officially adopted our new name, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, BNBU, the culmination of years of preparation and the shared aspirations of generations of colleagues, students, and the founding team. In November, we celebrated our 20th anniversary, welcoming more than a thousand scholars, industry leaders, partners, and friends from around the world to reflect on our journey and look ahead together. For a university, twenty years mark a passage from founding to maturity, and from exploration to conviction. As a pioneer in Chinese mainland–Hong Kong collaboration in higher education, we have helped advance the integration of ideas and practice across the two systems. The anniversary events also reminded us of the trust and affection we carry, and of our continuing responsibility to keep this path of collaboration steady, far-reaching, and vibrant.
Over the past year, our progress was felt in both major initiatives and the steady energy of campus life. We welcomed the first cohort of students to the School of AI and Liberal Arts, advancing a new model of interdisciplinary learning that brings technology into closer dialogue with the humanities. Our students continued to excel in international competitions, powered by teamwork, creativity, and resilience, while our colleagues strengthened teaching and research, with more scholars recognized among the world’s leading scientists. Cultural life also flourished, as the Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra performed in Zhuhai and Hong Kong for enthusiastic audiences. At the same time, we deepened an internationalization defined not simply by mobility but by meaningful engagement: the Boston Center officially opened as a new platform for global academic exchange, we welcomed students from a wider range of countries and regions, and more graduates progressed to leading universities worldwide. Through a strategic partnership with the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange and close collaboration with nearly one hundred universities globally, we have continued to broaden pathways for our students. Together, these advances reflect our belief that internationalization is measured not by how far we go, but by how well we learn to understand, respect, and engage in meaningful dialogue across cultures.
The University’s underlying capacity has been further strengthened. Phase II campus development, including new teaching facilities, has progressed steadily, enhancing our environment for learning, teaching, and research. We have also welcomed outstanding academics and professional staff into our community, bringing fresh expertise and a broader international outlook. In response to the needs of a rapidly changing society, we introduced new programs such as Game Design, designed to cultivate the innovative talent the times require. The international accreditation granted to our Accounting and Finance programs provides a clear and authoritative endorsement of our educational quality. These advances have been made possible by the dedication and sustained contributions of every member of our university community.
These achievements encourage us, but we are still aware that the path ahead will bring fresh challenges. Artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of knowledge, competition in higher education is intensifying, and the pace of regional development is accelerating. In such a landscape, our vision of what defines a good university is clearer than ever: it should not merely respond to change, but contribute to shaping the future. Our original aspiration and enduring purpose, remain to provide education in its fullest sense, cultivating individuals who think independently, act courageously, and carry both warmth and discernment. With this conviction, we are stepping into 2026 with high expectations and steady resolve. We will continue to recruit outstanding scholars and build an environment that enables them to teach with confidence and pursue research with full concentration, because talent is, and will remain, a university’s most precious resource.
In 2026, we will advance with clear priorities at home and abroad. In late January, our London Center will officially open. It will be a new milestone in the University’s global presence, and we hope it will also serve as a bridge to Europe’s academic community and a hub for cultural dialogue. We will encourage more students to take part in exchanges, visiting study, and internships, and to build intercultural competence through practical experience. We will also engage more actively in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, respond to and participate in the Master Plan of the Development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in a steady manner, and explore new models that connect the University more deeply with innovation and industry. At the same time, we will continue Phase II campus development and improve facilities, so that our campus becomes more convenient, comfortable, and welcoming for study, work, and daily life. Yet the most important commitment remains unchanged. As technology evolves, we will stay anchored to our educational mission, and we will uphold both innovation and humanistic values. We will carry forward the best of Chinese cultural traditions, and strengthen care and character formation, ensuring that our graduates combine national commitment with a global vision, independent thinking and a readiness to serve society.
In the end, every initiative we pursue returns to one purpose: human flourishing. It is reflected in each student’s growth, each teacher’s development, and every colleague’s steadfast dedication. A university’s first duty is to provide a comprehensive education: to share knowledge, to kindle curiosity, to shape character, and to build a community where trust takes root, support is freely given, and warmth is felt. May each day on our campus bring not only learning and capability, but also respect and care. And may it nurture in all of us the courage to explore, the wisdom to collaborate, the resolve to take responsibility, and the inner capacity to recognize beauty, seek truth, and find joy in a life of purpose.
Education is like planting a tree: we set down roots with care, nurture growth with patience, and trust that, in time, it will come into blossom. BNBU’s path of innovation has been shaped by years of steady accumulation and sustained by the continuous efforts of every member of our community. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for the trust and companionship that have supported us over the past twenty years, and I look to the future with hope that is both practical and bright. The road ahead may still bring wind and rain, but we are confident that, so long as our colleagues and students stand together, alumni join hands with us, and partners across society walk alongside us, we will continue to move forward with sure steps and meet the expectations of our era with solid, enduring progress.
In 2026, let us move forward together, guided by a love of learning, an open mind, and a steadfast commitment to our ideals, as we write the next chapter of BNBU’s history. With that shared spirit, I wish you a joyful New Year, good health, continued progress in your studies and work, and peace and happiness for you and your families.
CHEN Zhi
President
Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University
