Hong Kong leaps to fourth place and ranks first in Asia in World Talent Ranking 2025
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For the second consecutive year, Hong Kong improved across all three ranked talent competitiveness factors. Hong Kong's ranking rose by eight places to 20th in "Appeal", and by one place for both "Readiness" and "Investment and Development" to third and 12th respectively. Among the indicators, Hong Kong continued to top the ranking in the percentage of graduates in sciences. The city rose to third in the availability of finance skills, and ranked fifth in the remuneration of management as well as effectiveness of management education.
A Government spokesman said, "Hong Kong ranking first in Asia in the IMD's World Talent Ranking is clear evidence that the policies and measures of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in education, innovation and technology (I&T), and talent admission have found the right direction and are getting results. Hong Kong's post-secondary education is highly internationalised and diversified. The city boasts five of the world's top 100 universities with outstanding research talent, making it an international hub for exchanges and collaboration among high-calibre talent. The Government strives to establish the 'Study in Hong Kong' brand and stays committed to investing in education. Its unwavering support for institutions' continuous innovation and optimisation helps give full play to the strengths of first-class universities, and ties in with the institutions' capacity expansion and quality enhancement. The Government has also introduced a series of specific policies and measures such as scholarship programmes to attract quality talent from around the world and nurture local talent, with a view to consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international post-secondary education hub, and aligning with the national strategy of becoming a leading country in education."
The HKSAR Government fully understands the vital role of talent in technology and other developments, and announced in the 2024 Policy Address the establishment of the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talent, and to formulate policies to attract and cultivate talent, foster the development of technologies, as well as to promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talent. In The World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 top 100 innovation clusters published on September 1, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster came first globally for the first time, which reflects the high international recognition of the I&T capacity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, reflecting that it is an ideal place for global I&T talent from around the world to develop and grow their careers.
The spokesman said, "The talent attraction measures of the current-term Government are effective. We will continue to target the manpower demand of Hong Kong's strategic positioning of 'eight centres' and refine the measures in a timely manner, enhance training of relevant local talent, and at the same time further enhance the diversity of the talent pool and effectiveness of the talent attraction measures to strengthen the talent support for the future development of Hong Kong. As at end-August this year, over 520 000 applications were received under various talent admission schemes, with over 350 000 applications approved. Over 230 000 people of talent arrived in Hong Kong through various talent admission schemes over the same period. We welcome the continued arrival of outside quality talent and their family members to boost Hong Kong's labour force, effectively enhance our population structure, replenish the manpower shortfall and inject continuous impetus to Hong Kong's economic growth."
Ends/Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Issued at HKT 9:40
Issued at HKT 9:40
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