Latest news with #UniversityGrantsCommittee
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong delegation promotes city as higher education hub in US and UK
The head of a committee overseeing funding for Hong Kong's public universities has led a delegation to the United States and the United Kingdom to promote the city as a destination for higher education. James Tang Tuck-hong, secretary general of the University Grants Committee, attended a conference in San Diego, California, on May 25, before flying to the UK for another forum in Birmingham. 'During the visit, Professor Tang also met with senior management and prominent scholars from top-tier higher education institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom to exchange views on the latest developments in higher education,' a spokesman for the committee said. Tang's visits came as the government pushes ahead with its 'Study in Hong Kong' campaign, launched in last year's policy address, which targets overseas students, especially those from Southeast Asia and countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. The campaign was launched after city authorities doubled the quota for non-local student intake in the city's eight publicly funded universities to 40 per cent in September last year. After the increase, about 30,000 places are available for non-locals. During the delegation's visit to the US, Tang spoke at the NAFSA Annual Conference and Expo about the strengths of the city's higher education sector and the opportunities it could present to overseas students.
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why is Hong Kong scrimping on schools and splurging on elections?
The government took the machete to university funding in February, not only by announcing an expected 2 per cent cut over the next three years during the budget speech, but also with the University Grants Committee dropping the bombshell that the eight public universities would have to return HK$4 billion (US$510.7 million) from their reserves. How the government means to realise its ambition of developing Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education while cutting finding remains a mystery; we can only have faith that the universities will figure out how to make ends meet. Given the government's fiscal resolve towards tertiary education, however, it should come as no surprise that it has no qualms about slashing a major grant to public primary and secondary schools too. Last week, Education Bureau officials met school representatives to propose a 10 per cent cut in the Expanded Operating Expenses Block Grant. Furthermore, schools under the direct subsidy scheme, which are considered semi-private, could face a 2 per cent funding reduction. Taking into consideration other recent developments, the government is putting serious heat on schools. Even with the encouraging news of the inflow of new students , members of families that have settled in Hong Kong via various talent schemes, schools might have to fight to survive.
RTHK
26-04-2025
- Business
- RTHK
No let-up in 'study in HK' push as enrolment soars
No let-up in 'study in HK' push as enrolment soars Christine Choi said that Hong Kong universities have seen a significant surge in non-local students. Photo: Courtesy of Commercial Radio Secretary for Education Christine Choi said Hong Kong must continue to consolidate its academic strengths and step up global promotional efforts after six of the city's universities were ranked in the top 50 of the latest Asian tertiary institution rankings – a testament to the high quality of higher education in the SAR. Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on Saturday, Choi said Hong Kong universities have seen a significant surge in student intakes of non-locals following the government's decision to double their enrollment ceiling to 40 percent, reflecting strong demand for studying in the city. "We are committed to actively promoting Hong Kong's achievements on the global stage, which includes bringing our universities to joint overseas recruitment drives and participating in international higher education conferences and exhibitions to elevate the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand," she said. "Regarding resources, the University Grants Committee has allocated over HK$20 million to a dedicated promotion task force under the city's eight UGC-funded universities, empowering them to strengthen Hong Kong's global presence in higher education." But she urged institutions to adopt a gradual approach to expanding enrollment, warning that rapid increases could strain campus infrastructure and undermine the quality of student experiences. Choi also added that authorities plan to boost student accommodation availability over the coming years, ensuring resources keep pace with the growing influx of non-local students. The education chief also noted that recent US visa restrictions on international students have created instability, prompting parents to explore alternative options for their children's education in other locations. "Hong Kong holds strong appeal for overseas non-local students thanks to a combination of factors," Choi said. "Our universities offer numerous high-quality programs, including several that are ranked within the global top 10, which significantly attract students to choose the SAR," she said. "Additionally, recent US restrictions on student visas have introduced uncertainties for those planning to study abroad. "Parents and students are understandably cautious, as sudden visa denials can disrupt years of academic planning. This has led many to explore alternative destinations."
South China Morning Post
24-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong could preserve Fulbright scheme spirit with a new programme
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement The Fulbright programme is a US cultural exchange programme that aims to improve intercultural relations by 'expanding perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue'. US citizens receive grants to study, conduct research, teach and otherwise make use of their talents abroad, and citizens of partnered countries do the same in the United States. Hong Kong was once a partnered jurisdiction with an RGC-Fulbright (Hong Kong) Scholar Programme. Hongkongers received funds from the Research Grants Council, operating under the University Grants Committee, to go to the US while Americans received funds from Fulbright to come to Hong Kong. However, the RGC-Fulbright programme stopped in the 2020-21 academic year after US President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalisation on July 14, 2020. The programme has not restarted since. As a former member of the RGC, I hope that it can carry on the worthwhile cause of increasing mutual understanding despite the cessation of Fulbright's partnership with Hong Kong. Given that it is highly unlikely that Hong Kong's Fulbright programme will resume any time soon, I would suggest that the RGC's funds for the Fulbright programme be redirected to creating and funding a new exchange programme. Advertisement Such a programme could perhaps be named after Nobel laureate, Charles Kao , an academic who pursued his research both in this city and at international institutions, thus echoing the intercultural element of the suggested programme. The RGC currently has multiple excellent funding programmes that promote research collaboration between Hong Kong and other jurisdictions, including mainland China, France, Germany and the Europe Union. However, these programmes focus mostly on postgraduate research.
South China Morning Post
11-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's universities right to target best and brightest
Upgrading the city into an international education hub has been made a top government priority in recent years, and rightly so. But there are also concerns as the rush to expand non-local admission quotas for universities and to promote the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand has resulted in a surge in intakes from the mainland. Indeed, the influx is not surprising, given our close links, but what matters is that we continue to attract the best and brightest from the mainland and different parts of the world. Advertisement Data from the University Grants Committee, which oversees funding for eight local institutions, showed mainland students accounted for 74 per cent of the non-local, first-year students in the 2024-25 academic year, up from 71 per cent in 2023-24. While more non-mainland students were also admitted, up from 1,111 to 1,463, they represented 26 per cent of the pool, down from 29 per cent. It is good to hear that universities will only accept the most deserving. The Education Bureau said it was policy to attract more overseas students, especially from Asean and Belt and Road Initiative regions through scholarships and other incentives, referring to the state initiative to reinforce ties with other countries via investment in infrastructure projects and trade. The non-local students came from more than 100 countries and regions, according to the bureau. That Hong Kong is a favourite choice among mainland students is only natural. Many opt to study here because of the city's quality higher education and international links, as well as its proximity and shared culture. With five universities within the world's top 100, each with its own strengths and appeal, the city is unique. That is why mainland students have long been drawn here, even before the admissions quota was doubled to 40 per cent by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his policy address in 2023. Staying international is not just about numbers. Ultimately, what matters is quality. As with their overseas counterparts, students from across the border also have gone through a highly competitive system to qualify to study in Hong Kong. Institutions and authorities must not hesitate to cast their net wider to attract the best and brightest from both the mainland and overseas. Advertisement
