Lingnan University, founded in Guangzhou in 1888, is now one of the eight major public universities in Hong Kong, a member of the World Alliance of Liberal Arts Universities, a founding member of the Asia Liberal Arts Universities Alliance, a member of the Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities Alliance, and the International Association of Higher Education Business Schools (Association of International Business Schools). AACSB) certified member. Lingnan University pursues the philosophy of liberal arts education and is unique in Hong Kong's higher education sector. In 2015, it was named one of the top ten liberal arts universities in Asia by Forbes.