The Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC) and the James M. and Cathleen Stone Centre on Socio-Economic Inequality in Asia (HKU Stone Centre) at The University of Hong Kong successfully concluded two notable events focused on understanding and addressing socio-economic inequality. The two-day programme brought together world-renowned scholars and emerging researchers for a workshop on inequality in China and the world, followed by a hands-on training session on leading international databases on income and wealth inequality.
Group photo of the distinguished speakers and organisers from the two-day event series on socio-economic inequality.
On March 25, 2026, the Workshop on Socio-Economic Inequality in China and the World was held at the Social Sciences Chamber. The day was structured around four dynamic sessions, each exploring a critical dimension of inequality.
The first session, Income Inequality and Social Mobility, featured presentations from Professor Peter Lanjouw (Luxembourg Income Study; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Professor Satoshi Araki (HKU), Dr. Li Yang (ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research), and Professor Lai Wei (HKU).
The second session, Cultures, Organisations and Institutions, brought together Professor Danqing Wang (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Professor Wenjuan Zheng (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Professor Isak Ladegaard (HKU), and Professor Sijie Hu (HKU) to explore institutional and cultural dimensions of inequality.
The third session, Wealth Accumulation and Transmission, featured contributions from Professor Philippe Van Kerm (Luxembourg Income Study; University of Luxembourg), Professor Xiaoguang Fan (Zhejiang University), Professor Zhi Li (Nanjing University), and Mr. Xiaojie Shen (Peking University).
The fourth session, Home Ownership and Gender Dynamics, included presentations by Professor Feng Tian (Fudan University), Professor Heng Chen (HKU), Professor Chunhui Ren (Lingnan University), and Professor Michael B. Wong (HKU).
Each session was followed by open floor discussions, fostering rich exchanges between speakers and attendees.
Scholars from around the world presented their latest research on socio-economic inequality during the four sessions of the March 25 workshop:
Directors and partners of the SSRC and HKU Stone Centre
The following day on March 26, the focus shifted to research methodology with a Training Session on the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) and Luxembourg Wealth Study (LWS) Databases. Held at the Social Sciences Function Room, the training provided participants with a comprehensive introduction to these premier resources for cross-national research.
The training was led by distinguished figures from the LIS: Professor Peter Lanjouw and Professor Janet C. Gornick (Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality at the City University of New York), who provided an overview of research applications, followed by Ms. Teresa Munzi, Director of Operations at LIS, and Professor Philippe Van Kerm, Research Director at LIS, who guided participants through the practicalities of working with the databases.
The session featured a live demonstration, offering attendees a hands-on opportunity to explore the structure and content of the LIS and LWS databases. This interactive format was particularly well-received, with participants actively engaging on their own laptops under the guidance of the LIS experts.
The two-day event series underscored HKU’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge research and methodological excellence in the study of inequality. By bringing together an international community of scholars and providing hands-on training with world-class data resources, the SSRC and the HKU Stone Centre are committed to strengthening their role as key hubs for inequality research in Asia.