Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) officially unveiled its London Center on 22 January 2026 at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in London, marking a significant milestone in the University's international development and global engagement. The opening ceremony brought together academic leaders, partners and distinguished guests to witness BNBU's latest step in strengthening its presence in Europe.
BNBU London Center
The Center houses three key academic platforms: the Center for Mathematics and Statistics, the Center for Cultural Heritage and Global Communication, and the Center for Business and Economics. On the same day, the BNBU Alumni Association of the UK was established.
The Center for Mathematics and Statistics
The Center for Cultural Heritage and Global Communication
The Center for Business and Economics
BNBU UK Alumni Association
“The BNBU London Center is to build a bridge—one that connects East and West,” said BNBU President Prof Chen Zhi. He expected it would serve as an engine for cross-border research and academic exchange, together with BNBU’s other centers.
BNBU President Prof Chen Zhi
From Boston to London, a dual-center model
Following the successful launch of its Boston Center in 2025, BNBU has continued to expand its global academic network.
Over the past year, the Boston Center has rapidly grown into a key platform for international academic exchange in North America. It has hosted regular cross-cultural dialogue series with scholars from leading institutions such as Harvard and Yale, and organised talent recruitment and academic exchange activities. It has also launched multiple cohorts of immersive student study programmes and actively strengthened alumni engagement, laying a solid foundation for BNBU’s internationalisation strategy.
The establishment of the London Center marks the University’s second overseas hub in a major international academic city, extending BNBU’s global presence from North America to Europe.
The UK has long been a key destination for BNBU students pursuing further studies, with approximately 600 students studying there each year, around 400 are based in London. Adopting a model similar to that of the Boston Center, the London Center will provide academic support, career guidance and alumni networking opportunities, strengthening ties between BNBU and its UK-based graduates.
The London Center will also serve as a strategic base linking BNBU and its parent universities, Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University, with the UK, particularly the London academic and innovation ecosystem. Through this platform, BNBU aims to advance international collaboration in teaching, research, talent recruitment, alumni engagement and cultural exchange.
“The establishment of the London Center marks a major step in BNBU’s internationalisation strategy,” said Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, Chairman of the Council and the Court of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), at the unveiling ceremony. He expected the Center to deepen cooperation with the UK’s academic, cultural, and industrial communities, and added that HKBU will continue to support BNBU’s development, to build and operate the Center to the highest standards.
Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, Chairman of the Council and the Court of Hong Kong Baptist University
HKBU Provost Prof Martin Wong also expressed his expectation that the London Center would grow into a vibrant hub for knowledge creation and a strong platform for talent cultivation.
HKBU Provost Prof Martin Wong
Wang Qi, Minister and Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, congratulated BNBU on the establishment of its London Center and recognised BNBU as a pioneering model of higher education cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. He expressed the hope that the Center would serve as a new platform for talent cultivation, academic and research collaboration, and a vital bridge for educational, cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK.
Wang Qi, Minister and Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the UK
Cultural bridge and immersive learning
The BNBU London Center is positioned as a gateway for expanded academic cooperation in talent development, faculty exchange, research collaboration and cultural engagement.
During the ceremony, BNBU signed memoranda of understanding with multiple universities in Europe, including King’s College London; Royal Holloway, University of London; Liverpool Hope University; EAE Business School; Karlshochschule International University; and Sciences Po Lyon.
Based on BNBU’s extensive network of partnerships, a distinctive feature of the London Center is its Experiential Study Tour Programme, which will offer undergraduate and postgraduate students immersive learning experiences through seminars, academic visits, and city explorations, deepening their understanding of British culture, history, and society.
Prof Chen also announced that BNBU will later extend the world tour of its Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra to the UK, introducing wider audiences to the beauty of Yayue (ceremonial and court music of ancient China) and its rich cultural and historical traditions.
Representatives from partner universities welcomed the establishment of the BNBU London Center and expressed strong expectations for deeper collaboration.
Prof Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President (International, Engagement and Service) of King’s College London, noted that since the two institutions formed their partnership, King’s has hosted multiple cohorts of BNBU students, and described the cooperation as productive and enduring, with room for further expansion.
Highlighting shared values in liberal arts education, Prof Giuliana Pieri, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London, said that the two would create valuable opportunities for faculty and student exchange, and warmly welcomed BNBU students to join its overseas study programmes.
Prof Ingrid Woolard, Executive Dean of the University of Sussex Business School, emphasised that addressing today’s global challenges requires open exchange, cross-cultural understanding and sustained international partnerships, and expressed confidence that the London Center would advance such collaboration.
Prof Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, noted that nearly 30 BNBU students are currently studying at Bristol through exchange programmes, and said the Center’s establishment would further strengthen cooperation in academic exchange and talent cultivation.
Beyond the UK, Prof Robert Lepenies, President of the Karlshochschule International University in Germany, underlined the importance of educating future generations with a sense of social responsibility, expressing hope that closer ties with BNBU would foster more meaningful international dialogue and cooperation.
A strategic hub for alumni and talent growth
Located near Buckingham Palace, the BNBU London Center sits at the heart of the UK capital, providing strong support for global talent connection and recruitment.
The newly established BNBU Alumni Association of the UK aims to unite graduates across the country, including those based in London, Warwick and Southampton. In the future, it plans to expand its outreach to cities such as Paris and Munich, contributing to the development of a broader BNBU alumni network across Europe.
Zhang Qifan, a BNBU graduate of the Class of 2023, has accompanied the University’s global expansion journey from the US to the UK. After completing his master’s degree at Yale University, he was recently admitted to the University of Oxford to pursue doctoral studies. “BNBU is a university that shaped my worldview, my academic path, and my understanding of what it means to be a global citizen grounded in Chinese culture,” he said.
As for talent recruitment, the BNBU Global Talent Acquisition Promotion Fair will open doors for scholars and experts to engage with BNBU’s vision in the following days, introducing more talents to the opportunities offered by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
BNBU alumni gather in London
The establishment of the BNBU London Center, together with the Boston Center, reflects BNBU’s commitment to expanding its global footprint and deepening its participation in international academic and cultural exchange. It represents a new chapter in the University’s efforts to enhance global visibility, academic collaboration and international influence.
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu, Koga Song
Interviewer: Zhang Zhen, Zhou Keyang, Wang Yichen
Photographer: Zhang Zihan, Zhang Jiamu, Yin Ge, Hanna He
Video: Liu Jingshu, Owen Li, Season Li, Cecilia Yu
