GBA Study Tour · Two-City Field Guide
Two Cities.One Corridor of Power.
A practical field guide for the 2026 IBS RANEPA programme: Hong Kong for academic and institutional perspectives; Shenzhen for innovation and industry.
What is GBA?
You may wonder: I’m coming for Hong Kong and Shenzhen—what’s GBA? It is the Greater Bay Area: China’s plan to turn 11 southern cities—Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and others—into one giant, connected mega-region. Think of the San Francisco Bay Area, but bigger: more than 88 million people and an economy larger than Italy’s. The goal is to let money, people and goods flow more freely across the region, combining Hong Kong’s finance, Macao’s tourism, and mainland China’s technology and manufacturing strength. In short, it is building a “super city” to become the world’s leading innovation and trading hub by 2030—and you are heading straight into its heart. Cool, right?
Journey
The programme arc
Seven moments from arriving in Hong Kong to departing from Shenzhen. The city chapters hold the detailed schedules.
- 0110 AUG
Arrive in Hong Kong
Land, check in and settle into the programme.
- 0211–13 AUG
Learn & meet Hong Kong
CUHK lectures, InvestHK and HKMA.
- 0314 AUG
Celebrate & explore Hong Kong
Graduation, a cultural route and the harbour.
- 0415 AUG
Cross Shenzhen Bay
Coach transfer, border formalities and hotel arrival mark the transition between the two chapters.
- 0516 AUG
Explore Shenzhen
A day to discover the city at your own pace.
- 0617–19 AUG
Discover Shenzhen innovation
CDI learning, company visits and a farewell lunch.
- 0720 AUG
Depart from Shenzhen
Close the journey and fly home from Shenzhen Bao’an.
