Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts forms a unique component of HKBU research, encompassing a wide scope of impact-driven scholarly approaches and creative practices. With its focus on the contributions of art and culture to society, the Faculty offers an especially rich environment for comparative, cross-cultural teaching and research of global relevance, as it engages in a liberal arts education that is truly liberating, nurturing individuals with the knowledge, freedom of vision, and creative skills they need to function as effective members of their communities. Through a research-based synthesis of theoretical and applied approaches, and by combining learning with service, we inspire students and scholars alike to channel their imaginations into artistic creation and critical thought.

Established in 1961, the Faculty of Arts features six departments (Chinese Language and Literature; English Language and Literature; Humanities and Creative Writing; Music; Religion and Philosophy; and Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies), a Language Centre serving the entire university, four research centres (for Applied Ethics; Chinese Cultural Heritage; Sino-Christian Studies; and Translation), and two institutes (the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology and the Mr. Simon Suen and Mrs. Mary Suen Sino-Humanitas Institute).

Faculty of Arts researchers pursue impactful endeavours in an environment that clearly reflects the University’s liberal arts mission of inquiry, internationalisation, and innovation. Facilities include a three-studio Electroacoustic Music Centre (EMC), a two-studio Laboratory for Immersive Arts and Technology (LIATe) of the highest international standard in 3D immersive audio and video, an Interpreting Laboratory offering support for training in consecutive and simultaneous modes of translation, a Phonology Laboratory, and a Language Learning Oasis providing independent language learning resources. Building upon its emphasis on creative writing and music, the Faculty is also playing a decisive role in the development of the Creative Media & Practice (CMP) research cluster. One of three new University-wide interdisciplinary clusters, CMP will house state-of-the-art facilities where arts researchers can collaborate with colleagues who specialise in film, visual arts and other areas to produce innovative media projects.

Professor Mette Hjort

Dean, Faculty of Arts
Chair Professor in Humanities

Message from the Dean

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts at Hong Kong Baptist University.

The Faculty of Arts is an essential part of research life at Hong Kong Baptist University, an institution that is firmly committed to being “a leading liberal arts university in Asia for the world”. In keeping with the University’s mission, the Faculty has identified “Well-being, Value and the Public Good” as its niche research area. This strategic focus is reflected in six cross-faculty research groups (Performance Studies; Chinese and Cross-Cultural Health Humanities; Framing Public Culture; Creativity, Self, and Society; Minority Studies/Marginalized Populations Studies; and Anthropocene Studies). The Faculty also makes a significant contribution to the University’s Creative Media & Practice research cluster and is fully engaged in the University’s ambitious Talent100 recruitment drive.

At the very heart of the Faculty’s research endeavours is a firm commitment to academic excellence and social responsibility. Featuring creative practice, interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and global engagement, our liberal arts programmes foreground the transformative value of art and culture. Classical Chinese, Creative Writing, Translation, and Music are areas of significant strength, with students learning from prominent scholars, well-recognised writers, and internationally-acclaimed composers in our carefully designed facilities. I invite you to join or partner with our growing Faculty community.