Lingnan University has achieved another remarkable milestone in the 2025 edition of the World's Top 2% Scientists list, published by Stanford University. This year, a total of 43 Lingnan scholars were named in the list, representing an increase of about 50 per cent compared with last year's 29. Among them, 19 scholars were ranked among the global top 100 in their respective disciplines, underscoring the international recognition of Lingnan's research excellence and its rising global impact.
The Stanford World's Top 2% Scientists list evaluates the academic performance of scholars worldwide based on the significance of authorship and the number of citations in the Scopus database. Rankings are presented for career-long research impact and citations, as well as those in the single year of 2024, covering nearly all academic disciplines. This ranking has been among the most comprehensive for researchers worldwide and across disciplines since 2015.
43 distinguished Lingnan scholars named Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists.
Lingnan scholars recognised in this year's list represent diverse fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and humanities and social sciences.
Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning, ranks No. 4 in overall China and No. 1 in Hong Kong SAR in AI and Image Processing for career-long research impact.
President S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, once again ranks No. 1 in overall China and Hong Kong SAR in his field of Industrial Engineering and Automation for career-long research impact.
Prof Richard M. Walker, Lee Shau Kee Foundation Chair Professor of Public Administration and Head of the Department of Government and International Affairs and Director of the Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS), ranks No. 1 in overall China and Hong Kong SAR in Political Science and Public Administration for both career-long and 2024 single-year citation categories.
Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing, ranks No. 11 in overall China and No. 1 in Hong Kong SAR in Numerical and Computational Mathematics for career-long research impact.
In addition, Prof Ngai Pun, Chair Professor of Department of Cultural Studies and Director of the Centre for Cultural Research and Development, ranks No. 2 in overall China and Hong Kong SAR in Cultural Studies for both career-long and 2024 single-year citation categories.
Prof Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Research Assistant Professor of the School of Graduate Studies (GS), ranks No. 6 in overall China and No. 3 in Hong Kong SAR in Public Health for the 2024 single-year citation category.
Prof Siu Oi-ling, Head of Department of Psychology, Lam Woo & Co Ltd Chair Professor of Applied Psychology and Director of the Wofoo Joseph Lee Consulting and Counselling Psychology Research Centre, ranks No. 14 in China and No. 6 in Hong Kong SAR in her field of Business and Management for the career-long category; ranks No. 9 in Hong Kong SAR in the 2024 single-year citation category.
Furthermore, a total of 19 Lingnan scholars were ranked among the global top 100 in their respective disciplines for career-long and/or 2024 single-year citation categories.
President Qin congratulates Lingnan’s distinguished scholars and looks forward to seeing more Lingnan scholars translating their research outcomes into knowledge and technologies that benefit society and address the needs of the digital age.
President Qin congratulated Lingnan's distinguished scholars and remarked, “This ranking is recognised as one of the most influential and prestigious annual benchmarks for individual researchers globally. The number of Lingnan scholars included on the list has steadily increased at a significant rate. This year, several Lingnan scholars have topped the rankings in their respective fields in the China and Hong Kong SAR, which is truly encouraging. I look forward to seeing more of our scholars translating their research outcomes into knowledge and technologies that benefit society and address the needs of the digital age.”
The World's Top 2% Scientists list by Stanford University is based on a composite indicator of standardised citation metrics, which include the number of citations, the h-index (measuring scientific research output), and the significance of authorship.
Lingnan University and the Universidad de la República (University of the Republic, UdelaR), the largest public higher education institution in Uruguay, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10 February 2026 on Lingnan campus, formally establishing an academic partnership. This is an important step in advancing academic cooperation between Lingnan and universities in South America.
Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, welcomes the delegation, introduces them to the university, and explores opportunities for collaboration during the meeting.
Prof Héctor Cancela, President of the UdelaR, and Mr Federico Lage, Consul-General of Uruguay in the Hong Kong SAR, led a delegation to Lingnan University, where they were welcomed by Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing, Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning, Prof Zhang Dian, Associate Dean of the School of Data Science and Person-in-Charge of the Division of Industrial Data Science, Prof Jean-Michel Morel, Chair Professor of the Division of Industrial Data Science, and Prof Bradley R. Barnes, Special Advisor to President on Internationalization and Director of Global Education.
President S Joe Qin said, “Lingnan University is committed to supporting the vision of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China in developing Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub and promoting the ‘Study in Hong Kong’ brand. In response to changing times, the University has in recent years integrated artificial intelligence and data science elements across various disciplines, advancing its distinctive ‘Liberal Arts + Technology’ development model. More than 20 per cent of our academic and research staff were recognised by Stanford University in 2025 as being among the world’s top 2% of scientists. We look forward to working with the Universidad de la República to leverage the strengths of both institutions, advancing interdisciplinary research collaboration and developing innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.”
The delegation visits the Lingnan campus and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI).
The signing ceremony was chaired by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu and Prof Héctor Cancela, and attended by senior representatives of both universities. Prof Chan said “Lingnan University actively establishes partnerships with leading universities worldwide. To date, we have set up academic collaborations with over 280 institutions across Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa. UdelaR is the oldest public university in Uruguay, and this will open up valuable networks, academic resources, and exchanges between researchers in Lingnan and South America, making the most of both universities’ strengths, and improving knowledge transfer.”
In the MoU, the two universities will establish a framework for academic exchange and cooperation in research, and explore potential areas of collaboration, including the exchange of academic and research staff, possible student exchange, and joint academic research and publication in fields of interest to both. The partnership aims to expand cross-regional academic networks.
The UdelaR delegation toured the Lingnan campus and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI), gaining an understanding of the University’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, which encourages faculty and students from different disciplines to design innovative humanitarian technologies together, and teaches students to address social issues through pivotal research.
Lingnan University and the Universidad de la República (University of the Republic, Udelar) sign a Memorandum of Understanding. The ceremony is officiated by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing of Lingnan University (left), and Prof Héctor Cancela, President of the Udelar (right), with senior representatives of both universities attending the event.
Lingnan University has made considerable progress in recent years, and came first globally under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal SDG 4 (Quality Education) in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Impact Rankings 2025, the first university in the Hong Kong SAR to achieve a global first in any UN SDG. Lingnan was also in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 for the first time, one of the top 301–350 universities worldwide out of 2,191 institutions, its international outlook rated 47th. Universidad de la República (University of the Republic, Udelar) is consistently ranked as the top university in Uruguay and a premier public institution in Latin America, holding a #650 position in the 2026 QS World University Rankings.
