The president of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is hoping that HK can step up efforts to entice more students from Belt and Road countries to study here, saying this would solidify links and set the territory up to reap real economic benefits down the line.
Professor Teng Jin-guang, who is a member of the 70-person HK delegation attending the Belt and Road forum in Beijing, stated that his school has already been doing its part to connect its students with important Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partners.
"We've been actually sending students to Belt and Road countries to do service learning, Kazakhstan, for example, Cambodia, Rwanda… We are going to provide a service to communities in need," he said.
In Rwanda, where only about half of the population is linked to the national electricity grid, he specifically mentioned one project in which local students assisted with the installation of solar panels.
Bringing in more students from Belt and Road countries would have both short- and long-term benefits, according to Teng.
"If you attract the best talent from these countries to come to HK, study in HK, and some of them stay in Hong Kong to work, this not only fills a gap for us in talent shortage, but also they will be our very important links to these countries," he said.
"Therefore, we will have more opportunities of developing our economy, and business with these countries, and this will also allow us to take a greater part in the overall Belt and Road Initiative," he added.
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