The THE Asia Universities Summit 2026 will take place in partnership with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to mark both the university's 35th anniversary and a decade since it last hosted the summit. Against this milestone backdrop, the summit will explore Asia’s rise as a global leader in innovation and the pivotal role of universities in shaping humanity’s future.
Across three days of dynamic content, we will unpack how Asia is redefining progress – from breakthrough science and entrepreneurial energy to scalable solutions for climate, health and urban resilience, alongside its growing power in influencing global standards for AI, education and the future of innovation in an age of disruption.
The summit will feature the exclusive live reveal of the THE Asia University Rankings 2026, alongside a detailed masterclass to explore the latest data and highlight the best-performing institutions in the region.
Agenda themes
Innovate: Asia’s innovations for tomorrow
Asia is reshaping global innovation and leading cutting-edge research to address humanity’s most pressing challenges. This theme highlights the region’s ascent as a premier R&D hub, an evolution driven by cross-border collaborations. Discover how partnerships across higher education, governments and industries are transforming bold ideas into reality - from next-gen biotech and AI for health to resilient infrastructure and advanced materials - to tackle global issues such as health, climate change and technological disruption.
Impact: Asia’s engine of scalable solutions
Asia’s universities and entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into scalable solutions. Sessions in this theme explore unique collaboration models, such as university venture builders and industry–academia fusion, that accelerate innovation from prototype to planet-scale impact. Find out how high-density cities act as living labs, deploying smart urban tech, low-altitude economies and circular design to reshape Asia’s economic future.
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