Lingnan Education Organization Limited (LEO) is a statutory stakeholder of Lingnan University. It is also the sponsoring body of three aided secondary schools, namely Lingnan Secondary School, Lingnan Dr Chung Wing Kwong Secondary School and Lingnan Hang Yee Memorial Secondary School in Hong Kong. It also operates Lingnan Kindergarten (Siu Sai Wan).  We are committed to providing an excellent and positive learning environment to our students so that they can enjoy the benefits of a holistic education through a rich campus life, with “Education for Service” as our motto.

Lingnan education has a long history dating back to Guangzhou in 1888. Christian College, predecessor of the former Lingnan University, was established in  Guangzhou in 1888.   Until it ceased in operation in 1952, the former Lingnan University enjoyed quite a reputation and cultivated a multitude of talents amid wars and changes of regimes.  The University had many students from Hong Kong and Macau, and also established affiliated secondary and primary schools in many places.  Classes temporarily held in places like Shaoguan and Hong Kong in the years of war.  One of those affiliated schools has developed into Lingnan Secondary School of today.

Today’s Lingnan University, initially named as Lingnan College, was established in 1967 by a group of enthusiastic alumni of the former Lingnan University of Guangzhou.   In 1967, Hong Kong was still a British colony.  Tertiary learning places were inadequate and only very few secondary school students could study in local universities.  Having seen the need, a group of Lingnanians founded Lingnan College to provide tertiary education for Hong Kong students based on the traditional Lingnan spirit of service.  It was an act of giving back to Lingnan education, out of their cherished memory of the former Lingnan University.  This Lingnan College has become today’s Lingnan University.  Please refer to the e-book “The Old Spirit in a New Setting” for details.

LEO is an important stakeholder in the establishment and development of Lingnan University. First, LEO is the founding body and the operator of Lingnan College until the entitlement of Lingnan College into Lingnan University in 1999. Second, LEO owned the then Lingnan College’s campus site in Stubbs Road. The site was surrendered to the Hong Kong Government in exchange for part of the the Tuen Mun campus where Lingnan University is located today. Thus, LEO is the major provider of Lingnan University’s campus site. Third, LEO continues to remain a sponsor and supporter of Lingnan University’s sustained development. According to the Lingnan University Ordinance, the Council and Court of the University shall consist of seven council members and nineteen court members nominated by LEO, and supports and sponsors Lingnan University in its various activities, including donations for scholarships and bursaries, buildings and amenities and other development supports.   

In addition to continuing to support the development of Lingnan University, LEO also operates a number of schools to serve students of different ages in order to inherit and carry forward the “Red Grey Spirit”. The schools include Lingnan Secondary School, Lingnan Dr. Chung Wing Kwong Memorial Secondary School, Lingnan Hang Yee Memorial Secondary School, Lingnan Kindergarten (Siu Sai Wan), Lingnan No. 2 Kindergarten (Siu Sai Wan) and Lingnan Nursery (Siu Sai Wan).

The process of establishment of LEO is set out in the first section of Chapter 7 of “The Old Spirit in a New Setting”.