HKU School of English

Home
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
HKU School of English

Everything that is going on at the School of English at the University of Hong Kong

10/09/2026

🎉 MFA Graduates Receive Major Prizes in National Creative Writing Contest

Three fresh graduates from our MFA in Creative Writing in English programme have received First, Second, and Third Prizes in the 12th National Creative Writing Contest in English (第12届全国英语创意写作大赛). This highly competitive national competition attracts submissions from universities and student writers across China and is judged by panels of experts from leading institutions.

Our awardees are:

• First Prize — Vivian Liu (first photo)
• Second Prize — Lily Tang (centre in second photo)
• Third Prize — Ruby Gao (third photo)

(Photos from the MFA Showcase 2026)

Their outstanding achievements reflect the creativity and dedication of our growing MFA community.

We are looking forward to featuring some of their creative work in the forthcoming issue of Black Box Magazine, the School’s MFA centred publication.

📎 Full results: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/k4ZXbq98b8NUzrLq6qSfBw

05/09/2026

Planning your first steps in English Studies?

The School of English will hold its annual briefing session for Year 2 and above students in the English Studies programme on September 8, 2026.

Refreshments will be provided!

Date: September 8, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 12:00 PM to 01:30 PM
Venue: HKU Black Box, Room 54, LG/F, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong

Our Undergraduate Coordinator, Professor Ricky Chan, will introduce advanced-level and capstone courses and offer guidance on academic planning within the School. You will also hear from students and alumni, who will share first-hand tips on study abroad, career pathways, and further studies, including the Master of Philosophy and Postgraduate Diploma in Education programmes.

DON’T miss this chance to ask questions, gain insights, and start planning your ES path ahead!!!

03/09/2026

Seminar Series, 2026-27 Semester 1

Nicholas Luke, Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong

Waking into Newness of Life: Resurrection and Folly in A Midsummer Night's Dream

4:00PM September 10, 2026 (Thu)
Seminar Room 7.45, 7/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

This is an in-person only event. Sign up here:
https://english.hku.hk/event/601/10-Sep-2026

02/09/2026

[UPDATE] Seminar Series, 2026-27 Semester 1

Andrew Ross, Associate Professor, University of Canberra

Digital Fandom, Discourse, and K-Pop Demon Hunters

4:00PM September 3, 2026 (Thu)

[NEW VENUE] Room 4.36, 4/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

26/08/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have rescheduled the Visionary Machines: Literature & Art/Tech Showcase to 20–23 November (Friday–Monday).

Please save the new dates—we can’t wait to show you our interactive poetry exhibits, student designs, and artist responses!

Here is the updated schedule:

LAUNCH & PRIZE-GIVING

Friday, 20 Nov | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
HKU Arts Tech Lab

DAILY SHOWCASE

20–23 Nov (Fri–Mon) | 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM daily
HKU Arts Tech Lab

Thank you so much for your understanding and support. We hope to see you all there!

Best wishes,
Dr. Tara Lee
Assistant Professor | Director of Outreach and External Liaisons
School of English
Faculty of Arts
The University of Hong Kong

25/08/2026

Seminar Series, 2026-27 Semester 1

Andrew Ross, Associate Professor, University of Canberra

Digital Fandom, Discourse, and K-Pop Demon Hunters

4:00PM September 3, 2026 (Thu)
Seminar Room, Room 7.45, 7/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

This is an in-person only event. Sign up here:
https://english.hku.hk/event/600/03-Sep-2026

21/08/2026

Hope you had a great summer! We are excited to share this semester’s School Seminar Series lineup:

• Sept 3 (Thu): Andrew Ross, University of Canberra, 'Digital Fandom, Discourse, and K-Pop Demon Hunters'

• Sept 10 (Thu): Nicholas Luke, University of Hong Kong, 'Waking into Newness of Life: Resurrection and Folly in A Midsummer Night's Dream'

• Sept 24 (Thu): Peter Kennedy, University of Hong Kong, 'Tom Stoppard & Politics'

• Nov 12 (Thu): Tara Lee, University of Hong Kong, 'Book Launch: William Blake and Romantic Biology: Evolution, Originality, and Organic Form' (Respondent: Prof. Li Ou, CUHK)

• Nov 19 (Thu): Julia Kuehn, University of Groningen, 'The Art of Being There: Marianne North’s Brazilian Journeys in Paint and Prose'

For full details, please see the attached poster and visit our webpage: https://english.hku.hk/event/Seminar_Series/2026-2027/First_Semester 🔗

See you there!

Best wishes,
Dr. Tara Lee
Assistant Professor | Director of Outreach and External Liaisons
School of English
Faculty of Arts
The University of Hong Kong

12/08/2026

On 6 June 2026, the HKU School of English hosted the first MAES Alumni Shenzhen Meetup with 2025 graduates. Our alumni joined Dr Kang, Dr Heim, Dr Murray, Dr Gresham, Mr Cheng, & Dr Pak for lunch, quiz games, and a scenic walk at Shenzhen OCT Park. A highly successful reunion!

We are making an effort to contact our MAES alumni and join them together in a WeChat group so they can stay in touch with their cohort. Please check your HKU email for more information and a QR code to join your alumni group!

06/08/2026

Professor Luke Kennard at the University of Birmingham, winner of the 2021 Forward Prize for Best Collection and recently longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize, visited the School of English for a small poetry workshop with MFA and undergraduate students and local poets. The session included discussion of his latest poetry collection The Book of Jonah and structured writing exercises. The workshop was a special extension of the School’s Black Box Writers' Series, and we were grateful for his generous engagement with the MFA and our broader literary community.

04/08/2026

The School of English is very excited to announce that our brand-new minor in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies (DRTP) will be offered starting 2026-27. The minor aims to meet the rising need for professionals with strong foundations in theatre studies, dramatic literature and performance practice in Hong Kong by offering a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum than existing theatre minors. It integrates theory, practice, and critical inquiry to provide a well-rounded educational experience. The minor will introduce students to key methodologies in theatre-making and performance analysis, alongside a broad study of theatre history, dramatic literature, and contemporary performance. Through core and elective modules, students will engage with diverse traditions, cultural contexts and performance practices—locally and globally. Students admitted in 2025-26 and thereafter are eligible for declaring a minor in DRTP. For more information, please visit https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/Drama,_Theatre_and_Performance_Studies.

Address

Room 7. 35, 7/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU, Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong

Telephone

+85239172749

Website

https://english.hku.hk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when HKU School of English posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to HKU School of English:

Want your university to be the top-listed University in Hong Kong?