This annual event attracts over 2,500 international education professionals from around 70 countries including institutional leaders, policy makers, international offices, and specialist providers, all gathering to build fresh partnerships, foster new conversations, and renew the purpose of international education.
The 2026 conference theme, ‘Asia-Pacific Partnerships for the Global Good’, underscores the region’s diversity and the opportunities for collaborative responses to global challenges. As APAIE president Venky Shankararaman notes, Hong Kong 2026 represents a unique chance to connect the region’s range of cultures, perspectives, and histories with a global audience.
The event is led by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) as local host, alongside all seven other publicly funded universities in the city as co-hosts, giving delegates a rare opportunity to engage directly with leadership and international teams across the whole sector.
The program offers a blend of plenaries, concurrent sessions, poster presentations, and a lively exhibition hall. Special sessions for first-timers and those interested in Hong Kong’s higher education scene are designed to help new delegates navigate both the event and the local context.
A dedicated research stream will bring academics and practitioners together to discuss the impact of internationalisation, student mobility, partnerships, and policy, which aims to bridge scholarship and practice. Post-conference campus tours hosted by local universities will allow participants to explore the universities firsthand.
This year’s opening keynote sets a creative tone: award-winning filmmaker Robin Lee, director of Four Trails, will share insights from his documentary about the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge. His narrative of ordinary people overcoming uncertainty and fatigue mirrors a sector recalibrating after recent disruptions.
This year’s opening keynote sets a creative tone: award-winning filmmaker Robin Lee, director of Four Trails, will share insights from his documentary about the Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge
Delegates will come together to rekindle long-standing partnerships, spark new collaborations, and connect with regional associations and national agencies. Formal meetings, receptions, and informal side events offer multiple opportunities for serendipitous encounters that often lead to lasting collaborations.
APAIE 2026 is also an invitation to explore Hong Kong and the broader region. Delegates can experience everything from bustling neighbourhood markets to hillside trails and quick access to the Greater Bay Area. This dynamism reflects the environment where many students and university partners live and study, providing valuable context for international education work.
For institutions watching the Asia-Pacific from afar, Hong Kong in 2026 offers a snapshot of key trends: growing intra-regional student mobility, the ‘Study in Hong Kong’ initiative, and innovative approaches to sustainability, inclusion, and digital transformation. All of this is viewed through the lens of how institutions are collaborating in an increasingly fragmented world.
Ultimately, APAIE 2026 is for anyone whose work touches international partnerships, mobility, research, strategy, or student experience – whether deeply engaged in the Asia-Pacific or just considering their next step. In the lingering glow of Lunar New Year, Hong Kong is the perfect backdrop for a week of conversations, connections, and ideas that will shape the future of global education. See you there.
