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The 2014 Mainland Higher Education Expo, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau (EDB), is being held today and tomorrow (November 1 and 2) at Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre. The Expo will enable students aspiring to pursue further studies on the Mainland to gain a better understanding of the scheme for admission of Hong Kong students to Mainland higher education institutions (Admission Scheme), and also provides information on the participating institutions and their programmes.
The Ministry of Education announced in mid-October detailed arrangements for the Admission Scheme in 2015 based on their results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, thus exempting them from taking the Joint Entrance Examination for Universities on the Mainland. A total of 78 Mainland higher education institutions (list of institutions in Annex) will participate in the scheme.
Speaking at the Expo's opening ceremony today, the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Cherry Tse, said that the increase of the number of participating institutions to 78 and the provision of specialised programmes by some of the newly joined institutions would allow students to choose from a wide array of institution and programme choices and diversified pathways.
She thanked the Ministry of Education for adding a requirement that, "participating institutions cannot refuse to admit candidates with disabilities if the candidates can fulfil the academic requirements, complete the enrolled programmes with their physical condition and take care of themselves in daily life," to the admission principles for institutions. She hoped that this served to further cater for Hong Kong students with special education needs to pursue their studies on the Mainland.
Mrs Tse also noted that the EDB launched the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS) in August 2014 to support Hong Kong students in need who would pursue undergraduate studies on the Mainland under the Admission Scheme. Under the MUSSS, students who pass a means test will receive either a full-rate subsidy of $15,000 or a half-rate subsidy of $7,500 per student per year, depending on their needs. She hoped that the MUSSS would benefit Hong Kong students with financial needs to pursue their studies in programmes and institutions of their choices on the Mainland through the Admission Scheme.
The Expo is open to the public today from 10am to 7pm and tomorrow (Sunday) from 10am to 6pm at Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre. Admission is free.
During the event, there will be talks by the Ministry of Education on details of the application procedures and admission arrangements under the Admission Scheme. The 78 Mainland higher education institutions participating in the scheme will set up exhibition booths and organise talks to provide information on aspects such as faculties and subjects, admission criteria, number of places and tuition fees.
There will also be briefing sessions conducted by representatives from the institutions on the characteristics and career prospects of individual programmes. Some Hong Kong graduates from Mainland institutions will talk about their study life on the Mainland at sharing sessions. In addition, representatives from the education sector and Hong Kong Trade Development Council will give talks on the career prospects of students after their graduation from Mainland higher education institutions.
The EDB and the Hok Yau Club have jointly compiled the "Handbook on the Scheme for the Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions". The handbook provides comprehensive information on the scheme and further study on the Mainland, including information on all the institutions participating in the scheme, programmes offered, strategies on programme choices, and sharing by graduates of Mainland universities. The handbook will be distributed free of charge at the Expo. The e-version will also be posted on the website of the EDB after the Expo (www.edb.gov.hk/expo14).
Ends/Saturday, November 1, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:15
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