Department of Law and Business Enhances Digital Learning and Professional Practice

The Department of Law and Business at Hong Kong Shue Yan University is aligning more closely with the University’s strategic direction through experiential learning, professional engagement and the application of digital technologies. Professor LEUNG Hing-fung, Head of the Department, stated these initiatives support HKSYU’s commitment to digital humanities and knowledge transfer, following its debut in the QS World University Rankings.

The Department’s approach to knowledge-transfer emphasises the connection between academic learning and professional practice. Faculty members participate in the Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute Academic Advisory Panel and maintain close links with the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and other professional bodies.

Students are also encouraged to apply their knowledge outside the classroom through international competitions. A team of 8 students recently took part in the 23rd Willem C. Vis (East) International Arbitration Moot, while 4 students participated in the ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition 2025.

The upcoming BSc in Surveying and Dispute Resolution, set to launch in 2027, will further support the University’s focus on digital humanities. The programme will emphasises the use of digital technologies in surveying while integrating professional knowledge with dispute resolution training.

Professor LEUNG highlighted that the Department’s key strength lies in its teaching team, which combines legal scholarship with substantial professional experience. The faculty includes a practising barrister, arbitrator and mediator specialising in property and construction law, who serves as a panel arbitrator in Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and internationally. Professor LEUNG holds a position as a Lead Assessor and past Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Mediation and Arbitration Centre.

Another faculty member, an Accredited Mediator, was the Principal Investigator of a Research Grants Council-funded project that combined legal and psychological theory to examine mediation narratives. The faculty member also contributes to the University’s effort in sustainability and environmental, social and governance matters.

Research expertise within the Department also covers law and technology, tax law, socio-legal studies, legal history, constitutional law, property and construction law, dispute resolution and family law. Faculty members have published SSCI-indexed research on tax compliance, mobile-app privacy and cryptocurrency exchange regulation. Their work also includes a forthcoming monograph on Tax Governance in Chinese Mainland and a Research Grants Council Faculty Development Scheme project on legal compliance.

In celebration of HKSYU’s 55th anniversary, Professor LEUNG extended warm congratulations to the University community. He emphasises the Department is proud to be part of an institution founded in 1971, which embodies resilience and “education of benevolence”. Looking ahead, the Department aims to continue nurturing aspiring leaders with legal and commercial insight, guided by ethics and a commitment to service.