Hong Kong to Build 'Study in Hong Kong' Brand, Develop Northern Metropolis University Town
Chief Executive John Lee announced on 16 October that Hong Kong will strive to build the "Study in Hong Kong" brand, nurture future talents, and develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education.
The Chief Executive explained that the creation of the “Study in Hong Kong” brand will involve hosting international education conferences and exhibitions, enhancing collaboration and exchanges between local post-secondary institutions and their counterparts around the world, as well as attracting overseas students through scholarships and other incentives.
The government will also set up a Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies, beginning the next academic year. The scheme will offer scholarships each year to up to 1,200 local students enrolling in designated local postgraduate programmes.
Also in the educational realm, Mr Lee said a bill will be introduced next year to improve the regulatory and quality assurance mechanisms of self-financing post-secondary institutions. He added that the government has earmarked over 80 hectares of land in the Northern Metropolis for a Northern Metropolis University Town, and will encourage local post-secondary institutions to develop branded programmes, research collaboration and exchange projects with renowned Mainland and overseas institutions.
Source: https://www.news.gov.hk/eng/2024/10/20241016/20241016_094507_904.html
Implication to UK universities
Hong Kong joins its East Asian peers in seeking to attract more international students and implementing policy towards becoming an education hub. On the one hand, this could impact student mobility to the UK in the sense that local students may be more attracted to new and upcoming study options in their home country as higher education institutions internationalise further and experience upgrades. At the same time, an increase in international students to Hong Kong, with its long-standing ties to the UK, could open up to a larger market of potential students who could move on to study in the UK after their time in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's strategic initiatives will help rejuvenate the education sector and expand its growth prospects with a potential rise in the number of international students studying in Hong Kong. There remain a myriad of opportunities for UK universities eager to expand their global footprint through fruitful partnerships and student exchange programmes; the establishment of the Northern Metropolis University Town is one such opportunity for UK institutions to engage in research collaboration and develop branded programmes in partnership with local institutions. This is therefore an opportune time for UK to refresh its engagement with Hong Kong universities especially amid declining student mobility to the UK and enrolment in TNE.