Throughout Hong Kong Baptist University’s (HKBU) 70-year journey, the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (the United Board) has been one of its most steadfast partners. Grounded in a shared mission, the two institutions have worked hand in hand to cultivate generations of faculty, staff, and students who combine academic excellence with integrity, leadership, and social responsibility. In this issue, we are honoured to feature Dr. Pareena Gupta Lawrence, President of the United Board, who reflects on this enduring partnership and offers her insights on higher education.

A partnership built on shared values
Since 1972, the United Board has supported HKBU’s development in various ways, from sponsoring overseas academic exchanges and campus ministry initiatives to funding leadership programmes in whole-person education. More than half a century later, this alliance remains as strong as ever. Its success is rooted in a shared commitment to whole-person education.

“Whole-person education embodies the United Board’s Christian identity and mission in higher education, which coincide with the guiding educational philosophy of HKBU,” Dr. Lawrence notes. “I see that as the foundation of our relationship, and we continue to build upon it.” She attributes the partnership’s longevity not only to shared values, but also to generations of committed leaders.

A notable example is Professor Albert S.C. Chan, President Emeritus of HKBU, who significantly benefitted from a United Board scholarship early in his academic journey. His journey reflects the virtuous cycle of giving back that the United Board seeks to foster: from scholarship recipient to institutional leader and, ultimately, benefactor. In 2015, Professor Chan made a personal gift of HK$1 million to HKBU through the United Board, honouring the organisation that set him off on an illustrious academic path.

This storied partnership has become even more meaningful over time. During a visit to HKBU in 2023, Dr. Lawrence met with Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, to exchange views on the future of higher education and explore opportunities for further collaboration. She was particularly impressed by how fully he has embraced the partnership’s legacy and significance. “President Wai has truly honoured this longstanding commitment,” she affirms.

The enduring importance of whole-person education
In an ever-changing, technology-driven world, universities face growing pressure to improve rankings, enhance graduate employability, and prepare students for an uncertain future. However, Dr. Lawrence believes the pursuit of these objectives should not obscure their fundamental responsibility to students.

“Rankings can be improved in strategic ways, but a commitment to doing the right thing for students is what truly matters,” she says. “We strongly believe in the mission of Christian higher education, which emphasises the formation of character, virtue, and a sense of purpose. These are critically important to a student’s development. Education should prepare students not only to succeed and build a good life, but also to serve.” While the impact of an education with such emphases may not be directly or immediately reflected in rankings, its long-term value is far more significant. “Your graduates will become strong leaders and nation builders, and your reputation will ultimately grow,” she explains.

By nurturing character alongside academic excellence, universities can equip students not only for successful careers, but also for meaningful lives of service and leadership. Dr. Lawrence believes this mission is even more critical in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). “Whole-person education has an even more important role today, when knowledge transfer and academic work are increasingly automated or mediated by AI. This is where we cultivate essential human qualities like critical thinking, empathy and interpersonal skills and most importantly discernment — the very capabilities that distinguish us from machines.” In her view, HKBU is well-positioned to lead the way in values-based education and can help shape the future of higher education in Hong Kong.

Expanding a century-long mission
Founded in China in 1922, the United Board has grown its focus from an initial nexus of 13 Christian colleges and universities in China into a dynamic network of 253 institutions and organisations across 27 countries and regions. Guided by its Strategic Plan for 2026-2031, the organisation continues to expand its reach into underserved countries and regions, including Timor-Leste, Northeast India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Mekong region.

“These are countries and regions where institutions often have limited resources and global exposure,” Dr. Lawrence notes. “Sometimes this work can feel daunting, and it’s easy to feel discouraged and think that we cannot make a difference. But even if we can change the trajectory of just one institution, that matters.”

Expanding the United Board’s mission across Asia is by no means an easy task. In some countries, the presence of Christian organisations is treated with suspicion, while in others, geopolitical tensions and complex political realities can make cross-border engagement challenging. Yet, despite these obstacles, Dr. Lawrence believes that higher education is uniquely adept at transcending borders and boundaries and fostering mutual understanding. “Higher education is often a bridge. We view our work as soft diplomacy. We are building relationships and networks as no one knows how geopolitics may change over the next decade?”

A legacy of adaptation and impact
Since becoming President in 2023, Dr. Lawrence has witnessed numerous examples of the United Board’s influence. She cites Christ University in Bengaluru, India, where over two decades, the United Board supported the development of more than 20 university leaders. These alumni of the United Board’s fellowship and leadership programmes have guided Christ University’s transformation from a college of around 2,000 students into a multi-campus university serving over 30,000. “Seeing the impact our programmes had on the university was both inspiring and humbling,” she reflects.

This story of growth mirrors the United Board’s own history of embracing change. “We began our work in China, and when that was no longer feasible, we could have simply withdrawn altogether. Instead, we adapted,” she explains, noting how the organisation first moved its focus to Northeast Asia and later pivoted to include South and Southeast Asia. “It’s this legacy of being called to serve where the needs are greatest that defines us. Our history reminds us that our mission requires constant evolution and an openness to new possibilities, empowering us to serve effectively in an ever-changing world.”

“We are standing on the shoulders of giants,” she continues. “The people who came before us laid the foundation, and it is now our responsibility to continue that work. My hope is to move our mission forward so that future generations can continue to adapt, innovate, and serve where they are needed most.”

Impacting lives
While the United Board’s long-term impact is often measured in terms of institutional transformation, its mission is equally evident in the lives it touches. Last year, after an international agency unexpectedly withdrew funding, many students across Asia were left without financial support to complete their studies, several of them attending our network institutions.

“The students had nowhere to go,” Dr. Lawrence recalls. “Many could not return home. It was an incredibly difficult situation.” Although student scholarships have not been a direct priority within the scope of the United Board’s work, the Board of Trustees nonetheless approved an emergency grant to support many of these students.

Dr. Lawrence has met several of the students personally. “You can see how a single decision can change the trajectory of people’s lives,” she says. “The Christian element of our mission is that you step in where you are called to serve. We could have walked away claiming direct student support is not our mission, but we didn’t. It was a very moving and proud moment for me.”

Coming home to serve
Born in India, Dr. Pareena Gupta Lawrence pursued her early studies there before moving to the United States, where she completed her doctoral degree and embarked on a career in higher education that spanned more than 25 years, eventually taking on roles as dean, provost, a university president and a senior fellow. After decades of service in the United States, she felt being called to return to Asia.

“As you grow in age, home, where you are originally from, begins to take on increasingly greater meaning,” she reflects. “For me, that home was not necessarily India, but Asia. I felt that I had contributed what I could in the United States, and it was time to return and serve the region where I came from.”

Her search for a meaningful role ultimately led her to the United Board, which offered a unique opportunity to serve not just one university, but a network of institutions across the region. “I truly believe God was preparing me for this role through every stage of my journey,” she says.

Empowering women leaders
This personal journey also informs her dedication to supporting other women in their own paths. Drawing on her own leadership experience in the United States and Singapore, Dr. Lawrence recognises the importance of professional networks in supporting women’s advancement. Having benefitted from such networks throughout her career, she hopes to create similar opportunities for women across Asia.

This aspiration is reflected in the United Board’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2031, which places a strong emphasis on, among other things, advancing women’s leadership in higher education. Although women comprise a significant proportion of university faculty and staff, they remain underrepresented in senior leadership positions. Through initiatives that equip women with leadership skills and professional networks, the United Board aims to empower more women to advance into leadership roles while supporting and learning from one another.

Dr. Lawrence also encourages women to recognise their own abilities and feel confident in putting themselves forward. “Women tend to undersell their abilities, and they often don’t negotiate the terms of an offer. Women with ambition are also often viewed critically, as ambition is still sometimes considered an unbecoming quality in women. We want women to know that it’s okay to be ambitious,” she says. At the same time, she stresses that this mission is not about women versus men, but about collaboration. “Women need male allies to help them in their professional success. This is about making our institutions better for everyone.”

“We make the road by walking”
Looking back on her decades of services in higher education, Dr. Lawrence encourages students to pursue their aspirations with courage and resilience. Her guiding philosophy is captured in a song by a little-known singer Steve Romanoff, “We Make the Road by Walking”, in particular the part that goes:

“We make the road by walking
Farther than the eye can see
We build our trust by talking
Of our faith in you and me
We reach our dreams by dreaming
Even when we lose our way
For if we persevere, we will find our way again
It doesn’t matter where and when we start
It only matters that we do
When the best dreams in our heart
Overcome the fear in us”

The message echoes her conviction that progress is achieved through perseverance and action, not merely vision. “I always tell students that we make the path by walking,” she concludes. “You don’t do it just by dreaming about it. You have to take action. And as you create your own path, I hope you make the journey a little smoother for those who come after you. Lastly, as Hong Kong Baptist University celebrates its 70th anniversary, I offer my warmest congratulations and look forward to seeing the University continue to inspire, innovate and serve generations to come.”