As international geopolitical dynamics become increasingly complex and variable, Hong Kong continues to uphold its internationalization, inclusivity, and diversity advantages. With the firm support of the Central Government, Hong Kong is being developed into a hub for high-end talent. As the only city with five universities ranked among the global top 100, Hong Kong is now facilitating the gathering of international high-end talent for exchange and collaboration.
In a recent interview with Wen Wei Po, the newly appointed President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Dennis Lo, noted that factors such as international political tensions may encourage more overseas scholars and mainland students to consider developing their careers in Hong Kong, creating an opportunity for local universities to recruit talent. The university is also actively formulating a strategic plan for 2026 to 2030, focusing on establishing a talent hub to attract the best talent to CUHK.
The changing international landscape inevitably impacts academia and research. Recently, there has been a trend of Chinese scientists returning from abroad, and many European countries are planning to attract talent more aggressively.
"In terms of recruitment, some professors might consider working in Hong Kong, so this environment could be an opportunity for us to recruit more talent." As the president of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, Lo elaborated on the talent opportunities in Hong Kong amid the current global changes.
HK's advantages from multiple aspects
Hong Kong offers advantages such as a low tax regime and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) market. Lo believes that as scholars face turbulent times abroad, they may start considering other places to work.
"Hong Kong has been actively competing for talent while promoting innovation and technology, and with its low tax system and GBA market, it may attract professors who want to develop technology, establish themselves, or start businesses."
Similarly, elite students from the mainland may have more opportunities to consider studying in Hong Kong. "Some mainland students who originally aimed for renowned universities in the U.S. may choose Hong Kong instead after seeing the turmoil." He emphasized that even with funding cuts, universities must allocate sufficient resources for talent recruitment.
Promotion of local education
Lo further pointed out that CUHK has several recruitment initiatives and has recruited about 150 scholars from around 20 countries or regions since 2023. Starting from the 2024/25 academic year, the government will increase the cap on non-local undergraduate students to 40%, with CUHK currently at 23.6%.
"The increase has been quite rapid, but we cannot increase too quickly due to considerations like accommodation."
He particularly emphasized the goal of expanding the scale to enroll more elite students, especially from regions with fewer students studying in Hong Kong. "We hope to provide more opportunities for regions that have had fewer students come to study here. For example, we have innovative projects, including collaborations with key schools in Malaysia and Singapore, inviting their academic counselors to Hong Kong to get to know us better and consider CUHK as an option for their students."
On the other hand, Lo stressed that enhancing student experience is one of the key focuses for the university's future development. As Hong Kong's only publicly funded university with a college system, he believes this structure can provide a well-rounded education for students. He intends to further develop colleges for postgraduates. "Cambridge and Oxford have more than one graduate college, but everything needs to be gradual. So, the first step is to establish the first graduate college and develop a strategy... Of course, our university is not small, so having more than one would just be normal."
Lo also admitted that there are still many issues to address, including site selection and funding support, hoping to achieve results in the next five-year plan.
When asked how universities can better address the issue of "fake degrees" when enrolling non-local students, Lo emphasized that all universities in Hong Kong need to improve in this area. He shared that university presidents are currently reviewing how to strengthen checks using artificial intelligence (AI).
"We have brought in AI experts to suggest some systems, but we also need to assess their feasibility."
(Source: Wen Wei Po)
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