HSUHK joined the Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities (AALAU) in January 2024, and hosted the AALAU Annual Presidents’ Forum 2024 in November. Speakers from 10 AALAU member institutions held discussions on the theme of “Sustainability Leadership: The Role of Liberal Arts Education”.

In his opening remarks, President Simon Ho said “Liberal arts education plays a unique role in addressing pressing global challenges and nurturing the next generation of sustainability leadership that places humanity at the centre. Members of AALAU should affirm our collective commitment to fostering a new paradigm of sustainability.”

In the keynote speech, Professor Hiram Chodosh, President of Claremont McKenna College, a top liberal arts college in the US, echoed President Ho’s views on the pivotal role of liberal arts education in fostering sustainability leadership. He emphasised that liberal arts education focuses on human intelligence, and while teaching students to use AI effectively is important, fostering independent and critical thinking, as well as cultivating their intellectual abilities, is even more crucial.

At the Forum, attending member institutions also signed a declaration to reaffirm their collective commitment to a set of principles aimed at fostering more green, just and prosperous global societies, with initiatives including advocacy for sustainable development, interdisciplinary collaboration, educational innovation, community engagement, impactful research, and embracing global responsibility. Together, AALAU members hope to inspire future generations to champion a sustainable and equitable world.