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UK secondary school students win places at university summer school in Hong Kong (with photos)
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     Five lucky secondary school students in the United Kingdom (UK) have won a chance to study at a Hong Kong university this summer, thanks to a competition organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (HKETO).

     Hong Kong has a complete and diverse higher education system, with a number of outstanding universities that rank prominently in world league tables. Through the Hong Kong: A Dream Destination for University Study competition, UK students are encouraged to pursue tertiary education in Hong Kong. The five winners of the competition will be sponsored to study one of the summer courses at a Hong Kong university to experience a taste of the city's world-class university life, as well as Hong Kong's unique lifestyle and culture. The winners can also explore their areas of interest and develop their strengths and potential before starting at university. Sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and supported by the British Council, the competition has the participation of four key universities in Hong Kong.

     To enter, students had to describe why they think Hong Kong would be a great place to study as a university student. Entries were received in many different forms including essays, websites, blog entries and YouTube videos, and were judged based on content, creativity and presentation. The panel of judges were the Director-General of the HKETO, Ms Erica Ng; the General Manager Europe of Cathay Pacific Airways, Mr Angus Barclay; the Chief Executive of the British Council, Mr Martin Davidson; and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Society, Ms Karen Luard.

     The five winning entrants come from all around the UK. They are:

Elysia Warner
Burgess Hill School for Girls, West Sussex
Summer School: The University of Hong Kong

Anna Giddins
Nottingham Girls' High School
Summer School: City University of Hong Kong

Kieran Smith
Clayesmore School, Dorset
Summer School: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Max Aitchison
The Glasgow Academy
Summer School: The University of Hong Kong

Anjum Jahan
Nottingham Girls' High School
Summer School: The Chinese University of Hong Kong

     The five winning entries can be viewed on the HKETO website at www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition.¡@

     At the sending-off party at the HKETO on June 21 (London time), Ms Ng said Hong Kong had expanded and improved its education system over the past several decades. "In the latest ranking of an international report, three of Hong Kong's universities have made it to the top 50 universities in the world. Our universities have attracted 21,000 non-local students from all over the world in the last academic year," Ms Ng said. She encouraged the winners to make the best use of the opportunity to explore and experience the city and school life in Hong Kong.

     Mr Davidson said he was very impressed by the quality of all the applications. "It's wonderful to see the enthusiasm of all these ambitious UK students for experiencing some study abroad. Hong Kong has just performed very well in the latest Times Higher Education world rankings for institutions under 50 years old, and it also has great culture to experience. I'm sure these five young people will gain a huge deal from their time there."

     Mr Barclay added, "As a member of the judging panel, I was impressed by the quality and diversity of entries and it was a tough challenge to choose the winners. It is truly encouraging to see how much enthusiasm and interest there is today for young students to study in Hong Kong. We are proud to be part of such an important initiative in increasing awareness of the educational opportunities that are available in Hong Kong and forming the next generation of citizens of the world."

Ends/Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:45

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