UEA celebrates 10-year partnership with Hong Kong Metropolitan University
By: Communications
The University of East Anglia (UEA) and Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) have celebrated the 10-year anniversary of a “flagship” partnership between their business schools.
Colleagues and alumni from Hong Kong joined a special event on the UEA campus via live video link for welcome speeches, student and staff testimonials, and a document signing and 'virtual handshake' to recognise the continuing partnership between Norwich Business School and HKMU’s School of Business and Administration.
Since 2016 UEA has welcomed HKMU students to Norwich for a two week Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programme. What started as a single visit to UEA has grown into two annual cohorts of up to 100 students each year. As of 2026, the programme has over 1,000 alumni.
Head of Norwich Business School Prof Amir Sharif, who joined the event on June 26 in Hong Kong, said: “Over the past 10 years, the partnership between HKMU and Norwich Business School has grown significantly. What began as a small summer school with just 15 students has developed into a flagship cultural immersion programme that now welcomes 80 students each year, enriching our campus and strengthening global perspectives within our community.
“This partnership has had a profound impact on Norwich Business School and UEA: enhancing the international experience we offer, building lasting academic and cultural connections, and creating opportunities for students and staff to engage in truly global learning. It reflects our shared commitment to excellence in education and to preparing students for an increasingly interconnected world.”
Prof Sharif added: “Looking ahead, we are excited to deepen this relationship further through expanded staff exchange, enhanced research collaboration, and the development of new educational pathways, including Masters-level provision.
“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the last decade, and even more optimistic about what we can accomplish in the years to come. We wish all colleagues and students, past, present and future best wishes for a continued successful international partnership.”
Prof Matthew K.O.Lee, Dean of the School of Business and Administration at Hong Kong Metropolitan University said: "This remarkably successful partnership started 10 years ago, marking the beginning of HKMU’s vision to enable every Business School student to benefit from an immersive global experience. A decade of hard work has passed, and with the incredible help of our partners, our vision is fully realised. The Global Experience Programme is now fully embedded in our core curriculum, and every student will experience and benefit from it before graduation.
"As we renew our partnership agreement, we are not simply continuing what we started. We are strengthening, reimagining, and extending it into the next decade. We look forward to another decade of innovation, global learning, and deeper international collaboration, underpinned by the profound trust and unwavering commitment built by our partnership over the last decade.”
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