UGC Secretary-General visits Sweden, France and Germany
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The Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Professor James Tang, led a delegation to visit Sweden, France and Germany from September 9 (Gothenburg time) to 19 (Frankfurt time) as part of efforts to promote Hong Kong's development into an international hub for post-secondary education.
Professor Tang, along with the delegation from all eight UGC-funded universities under the aegis of the Heads of Universities Committee's Standing Committee on Internationalisation (HUCOMSCI), attended the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference and Exhibition in Gothenburg, Sweden. During a dedicated session, Professor Tang presented the strengths and opportunities of Hong Kong's internationalised and diversified higher education environment that welcomes academics and students from around the world to pursue their aspirations in Hong Kong. With the funding support from the UGC, the HUCOMSCI also set up the Hong Kong Pavilion to promote the "Study in Hong Kong" brand, support the publicity for recruiting overseas students to study in Hong Kong, and expand the international collaboration network.
Speaking at the session at the EAIE Conference and Exhibition, Professor Tang pointed out, "The Government has been allocating abundant resources to propel the vibrant development of Hong Kong's higher education sector, supporting universities to step up their efforts in nurturing talent and advancing scientific research, garnering the international reputation that we take pride in. Five of the UGC-funded universities are ranked among the world's top 100, six within Asia's top 50 and four among the most international universities in the world. Many programmes offered by our universities are among the best worldwide. This reflects Hong Kong's solid foundation and unique strengths in becoming a premier international hub for post-secondary education. Meanwhile, the upcoming Asia-Pacific Association for International Education Conference and Exhibition in 2026, to be held in Hong Kong, will gather leaders and representatives from the higher education sector worldwide and offer local post-secondary institutions an opportunity to further enhance co-operation and exchanges with their counterparts around the world."
At the Dinner Reception hosted by Hong Kong, the representative of the Hong Kong Teaching Excellence Alliance also shared some of the latest initiatives the Hong Kong higher education sector launched in the face of upcoming challenges, which showcased Hong Kong's education sector's commitment to teaching excellence.
During the duty visit, Professor Tang and representatives of the eight UGC-funded universities met with the delegation of French universities in Paris, France, at the France-Hong Kong Day. They exchanged views on the latest developments in the higher education sector and discussed how to deepen and consolidate the long-term France-Hong Kong collaboration.
Additionally, Professor Tang also engaged with senior management from prominent research funding and academic institutions in France and Germany to discuss emerging trends and collaboration opportunities in higher education and research. He highlighted that the remarkable research achievements of Hong Kong's higher education sector are well recognised worldwide, with some 70 per cent of Hong Kong's research outputs assessed as internationally excellent in the University Grants Committee's Research Assessment Exercise 2020. The Research Grants Council under the UGC supports large-scale research projects and cutting-edge work through various schemes and in collaboration with other research funding agencies both nationally and internationally. There are over 7 000 active research collaborations with more than 70 countries and regions on the Mainland and overseas. These achievements underscore Hong Kong's steadfast determination to advance research development. The first Research Summit organised by the Research Grants Council will take place at the end of 2025, showcasing Hong Kong's research excellence and facilitating international exchanges among researchers.
"Hong Kong's outstanding universities have been a welcoming academic home for top scholars and talented students from around the world. As an international hub for higher education, Hong Kong's doors are always open to all who want to realise their academic pursuits and experience the learning and research opportunities offered by one of the world's most dynamic cities," said Professor Tang.
As announced in the 2025 Policy Address, the enrolment ceiling for self-financing non-local students in taught programmes at UGC-funded universities will be further raised from the current level equivalent to 40 per cent of local student places to 50 per cent, effective from the 2026/27 academic year. Universities may progressively increase their intake of non-local students based on their individual circumstances. Moreover, the over-enrolment ceiling of UGC-funded research postgraduate programmes will be further increased from 100 per cent to 120 per cent starting from the 2026/27 academic year. These two initiatives will help attract more talented students to pursue their studies and research in Hong Kong, thereby building Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent.
Ends/Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Issued at HKT 19:58
Issued at HKT 19:58
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