Hong Kong's Secretary for Education, Christine Choi, revealed that the city's eight publicly funded universities have received approximately 850 transfer inquiries related to "sudden policy changes in overseas higher education" as of late June, with 36 admission offers extended so far. The University of Hong Kong leads with 16 offers, followed by HKUST (15), CUHK (3), and Lingnan University (2), whose two American transfer students specialize in global sustainability and philosophy.
Internationalization Push Accelerates
The government is aggressively promoting Hong Kong's higher education globally, with CUHK set to host the 2025 APAIE Annual Conference & Exhibition – a premier global education event attracting 2,500 university leaders worldwide. Funding for the University Grants Committee's internationalization task force will double to HK$40 million, strengthening recruitment networks and the "Study in Hong Kong" brand.
Diversified Recruitment Strategy
With non-local undergraduate quotas now raised to 40%, institutions are adopting targeted approaches that focus on Belt and Road countries and the ASEAN regions. Choi noted encouraging growth in international applications surpassing mainland Chinese numbers, though some universities haven't maximized quotas due to hostel and faculty constraints. The 40% cap remains a flexible, phased target.
Northern Metropolis Education City Blueprint
A development framework for the Northern Metropolis University Education City will be released in early 2025, aiming to mobilize private capital and global partnerships. This follows last week's legislative approval of the Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance amendments, enhancing quality assurance for self-financing institutions.
Hostel Expansion
8,000 new dormitory places have been added through the Hostel Development Fund, with a total of 13,000 expected in the coming years. A new initiative converting hotels/commercial buildings into student housing will launch this month, with some spaces operational by 2026/27.
Addressing concerns about universities returning HK$4 billion reserves amid fiscal constraints, Choi emphasized ongoing support through increased scholarships and non-local student quotas. The government is also reviewing the definition of "local students" for subsidized programs, with transitional arrangements to be announced before the next JUPAS application cycle.
Context: The developments follow Harvard University's recent international student policy controversies that redirected global academic attention to Asian education hubs.
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