SLGP Co-director & Lecturer

Dr. CHU Vivian

BSc, MSc (UCL), PhD (HKU)
   (852) 3917 5539
Biography

Dr. Vivian Chu is a lecturer at the Centre for Civil Society and Governance in the Faculty of Social Sciences. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Geography) and a Master of Science (Environment, Science and Society) from the University College London. She received a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests lie in environmental policy, collaborative governance and sustainability. Her doctoral research focuses on the role of policy entrepreneurs in cross-boundary environmental management in Southern China. Vivian’s recent research revolves around the themes of commoning in the peri-urban, sustainable behaviour and policy tools, as well as sustainability assessment. Dr. Chu teaches a number of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses on environmental policy and sustainability, some of which with a specific focus on energy sustainability and social entrepreneurship. She is a Fellow of Advance HE, the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education.

Education
2011–2016The University of Hong Kong
PhD (Geography)
2009–2010University College London
MSc Environment, Science and Society
2006-2009University College London
BSc Geography
Professional & Community Services
2025-present The University of Hong Kong
Centre for Civil Society and Governance
Programme Co-director, MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership and Governance (SLG) and Lecturer
2022-2025     The University of Hong Kong
Centre for Civil Society and Governance
Deputy Programme Director, MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership and Governance (SLG) (formerly known as Corporate Environmental Governance (CEGP) and Lecturer
2020-2022The University of Hong Kong
Centre for Civil Society and Governance
Assistant Lecturer

 

2016-2019The University of Hong Kong
Faculty of Social Sciences
Policy for Sustainability Lab
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Research

Governing Green Transitions (GOGREEN)

Forest Village – Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong sustainable village programme

Selected Publications

Koliba, C., Barnes-Ricketts, M., Arrona, A., Ansell, C., Lam, W. F., Larrea, M., Chu, V. H. Y., & Barnes-Ricketts, D. (2026). Community capitals and the co-creation of green transitions in rural agriculture. In C. Ansell, E. Sørensen, & J. Torfing (Eds.), Governance of the local co-creation of the green transition: A global perspective (pp. 70–95). Edward Elgar.

Torfing, J., Ansell, C., Azizi, S., Bhandari, R., Berger, M., Chu, V. H. Y., Chen-Florea, A. L. Q., Lam, W. F., Navarrete, C., Sørensen, E., Temocin, P., Vedeld, T., & Zhao, J. (2026). The role and impact of private entrepreneurs initiating and facilitating local green co-creation. In C. Ansell, E. Sørensen, & J. Torfing (Eds.), Governance of the local co-creation of the green transition: A global perspective (pp. 175–215). Edward Elgar.

Chu, V.H.Y. (2026) Non-state actors in transboundary coastal environmental cooperation: a case study from Southern China’s Greater Bay Area. Frontiers in Ocean Sustainability. doi: 10.3389/focsu.2025.1575438

Williams, J.M. Chu, V.H.Y., Lam, W.F. and Ho, S.T. (2025) Nudging into the future of virtual reality: a systematic review of sustainability orientated nudges in policy and the future role of XR. Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70145(Impact factor: 8.2, Q1 [Development studies])

Lam, W. F. & Chu, V. H. Y. (2024). A collaborative approach to rural revitalization in Hong Kong (GOGREEN Case Report Series No. 15), Roskilde: Roskilde University. ISBN: 978-87-7349-162-1

Chu, V. H.Y., Chui, C. H., Lam, W. F., & Williams, J. M. (2024). Breaking down purchasing intentions: selecting policy instruments for sustainable consumption. Journal of Asian Public Policy, 1-26.

Williams, J. M., Chu, V. H. Y.*, Lam, W. F., & Law, W. W. Y. (2024). Nested Institutions for Nested Problems: Commoning for Rural Revitalisation in the Peri-Urban Setting. International Journal of the Commons, 18(1), pp. 456–474. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/ijc.1266

Gibb, D., & Chu, V. H.Y.* (2024). Socio-economic inequalities in climate policies: unpacking energy efficiency barriers in low-income households. Journal of Asian Public Policy, 1-23.

Williams, J. M., Chu, V. H. Y., Law, W. W. Y. (2024) Designing rural stewardship incubation: Informing approaches for citizen participation in the Forest Village Programme (Phase 1: 2021-24), Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong.

Chu, V. H. Y., Lam, W. F., Law, W. W. Y., Yiu, S. (2023) Sustainability Impact Assessment: Framework and Report on HSBC Rural Sustainability, Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong. [Available upon request by email (ruralsd@hku.hk)]

Chu, V.H.Y., Lam, W.F. and Williams, J.M. (2023) Building robustness for rural revitalisation: A social-ecological systems perspective. Journal of Rural Studies, 101, 103042.

Chu V.H.Y., Law W.W.Y. and Williams J.M. (2022) Advocacy coalitions in rural revitalisation: the roles of policy brokers and policy learning, Environmental Science and Policy, 136: 9-18.

Williams J.M., Chu V.H.Y*., Lam W.F. and Law W.W.Y. (2021) Revitalising Rural Communities, SpringerBriefs on Case Studies of Sustainable Development, Singapore: Springer (*corresponding author)

Chu V.H.Y. and Lee A.K.Y. (2019) Institutional obstacles and opportunities for policy entrepreneurship in cross-border environmental management: a case study in China’s Greater Pearl River Delta region, Asian Geographer, 36:2, 165-183

Lee, F. and Chu, V.H.Y. (2017) Policy entrepreneurship, policy diffusion and transboundary environmental regulation: Evidence from Southern China, Mondes en Développement, 177:1,13-27

All
Associate Director
Professor LUM Y.S. Terry
Executive Director and Principal Lecturer
Dr. LAW Winnie
Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. CHEN Luan
Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. FENG Naikang
Post-doctoral Fellow
Dr. PAN Emily
Assistant Director
Ms. CHICK Katie
Assistant Director
Ms. CHOW Joyce
Project Manager
Mr. LEUNG Darwin
Assistant Project Manager
Dr. HU Taihua
Assistant Project Manager
Ms. LAW Renee
Assistant Project Manager
Mr. LEUNG Ryan
Senior Project Officer
Ms. CHAN Karen
Senior Project Officer
Ms. KAN Mimi
Senior Project Officer
Ms. LAU Bonnie
Senior Project Officer
Ms. LEUNG Vivian
Senior Project Officer
Ms. YEUNG Daisy
Senior Project Officer
Ms. YIU Sianna
Research Assistant
Miss NG Tsz Ning
Research Assistant
Miss CHIN Carmen
Agroforestry Technician
Mr. KWOK Joe
Farm Assistant
Mr. LEE Graffin
Farm Assistant
Ms. ZHANG Yiying
Administrative Assistant
Ms. YUEN Jamie
Executive Officer
Ms. SHAM Ginny
Honorary Lecturer
Dr. BURNETT Margaret
Honorary Senior Fellow
Mr. CHEN George
Honorary Professor
Professor DOLŠAK Nives
Honorary Senior Fellow
Professor HO Lusina
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ir. Dr. LAI Elizabeth
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Ir LAU Sophia
Honorary Professor
Professor LO Alex
Adjunct Professor
Professor NG Jeanne
Honorary Professor
Professor PRAKASH Aseem
Adjunct Professor
Professor TAI Agnes K Y
Adjunct Associate Professor
Dr. TSOI Joyce
Honorary Fellow
Ms. YEUNG Raina
Adjunct Professor
Professor ZHANG Jianyu