Nobel Laureate James Heckman and Former Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng to Speak at HKU

The HKU School of Governance and Policy will host the Global Leaders Series on November 3–4, 2026, bringing two distinguished voices to campus for lectures on some of the most pressing questions in global economics and geopolitics.

On Nov 3, Professor James Heckman, the 2000 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences and Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Public Policy at The University of Chicago, will deliver a lecture titled “China’s Fertility Decline: Sources, Implications and Policy Responses.”

Professor Heckman was awarded the Nobel Prize for his development of theory and methods for analysing selective samples, work that transformed how economists evaluate labour markets, education programmes, and social policy. In subsequent decades, his research expanded into the economics of human development, with a particular emphasis on early childhood investment. His work has demonstrated that the rate of return on human capital investment is highest in the earliest years of life — findings with direct implications for how societies respond to demographic change.

A panel discussion will follow, with commentary from Professor Richard Wong, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of HKU and Chair of Economics, as well as Professor Queenie Li of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at HKU’s LKS Faculty of Medicine.

On Nov 4, The Honourable Mary Ng, Canada's longest-serving trade minister, will speak on “Navigating a Multipolar World: The Growing Role of Middle Powers.” During her tenure from 2018 to 2025, Ms Ng oversaw negotiations on major trade agreements across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, and was a principal architect of Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy. She led Canada's engagement with ASEAN, chaired the CPTPP Commission in 2024, and represented Canada at the G7, G20, WTO, and APEC. Since retiring from politics, she has served as a strategic advisor on trade, geopolitical risk, and inclusive growth.

Her lecture will examine how middle powers — nations that are neither superpowers nor small states — are playing an increasingly important role in shaping international order amid rising geopolitical complexity.

Both sessions will take place from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Digital Interactive Lab, 2/F Main Library, HKU. Each lecture will be followed by a panel discussion and interactive Q&A session.

Registration is open on a first-come, first-served basis. To attend, visit the official event page here.