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.
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.
