Following is a question by Professor the Hon Alex Fan and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (March 18):
      
Question:
      
     The 2025 Policy Address has explicitly stated that the Government will intensify its efforts to promote the international recognition of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (DSE) and propel Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education. It has been reported that the Government is exploring with the Mainland the development of an international version of the DSE curriculum. However, there are views that although DSE's international accreditation network has expanded to over a thousand higher education institutions worldwide, its internationalisation process remains at the stage of passively admitting non-local candidates, and there is yet an active global branding strategy and a blueprint for the systematic export of the system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) what specific strategies are in place to promote the internationalisation of DSE in the long run, including the design framework and assessment standards for the international version of the DSE curriculum, as well as the division of roles between the Government and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) in curriculum development and quality monitoring; whether the authorities will formulate a Blueprint for the Internationalisation of DSE covering areas such as target markets, development stages and performance indicators; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) as some members of the sector have suggested that the authorities should consolidate the existing education and promotion resources, leverage Hong Kong's unique advantage as an East-meets-West education hub, and establish a dedicated fund to support the HKEAA and frontline schools in conducting international curriculum benchmarking studies and training teachers for the international version of DSE, whether the authorities will consider the relevant suggestions and roll out measures, such as enhancing the existing Belt and Road Scholarship scheme to cover outstanding candidates of the international version of DSE, or promoting DSE accreditation through the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as the Secretary for Education indicated at the policy briefing for the Panel on Education of this Council on January 27 this year that, in order to attract non-local students to enrol in the international version of the DSE curriculum, the Government is collaborating with the country to study the establishment of an entrance examination similar to the National College Entrance Examination for non-local students wishing to study in Hong Kong or the Mainland, of the specific progress of the study, and whether the scope of the study covers areas such as the curriculum framework, target markets, collaboration mode with the Mainland, mode of setting up overseas examination venues, cross-border examination administration mechanisms, and strategies for promoting international student recruitment; whether the authorities will announce specific policy directions and an implementation timetable upon completion of the study?

Reply:

President,

     Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. Hong Kong boasts a multitude of world-class higher education institutions, being the only city in the world with five universities among the global top 100, six within Asia's top 50, and four among the 10 most international universities worldwide. This position attracts outstanding talent from around the globe to pursue studies and research in Hong Kong. With this advantage, the Education Bureau (EDB) is proactively promoting the "Study in Hong Kong" brand; and branding the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) as an internationally recognised qualification for further studies, would contribute to developing Hong Kong into an international education hub. The internationalisation of DSE, in terms of increasing the number of overseas institutions recognising it as an admission requirement, can attract more students to consider taking the DSE curriculum while broadening the academic and employment pathways for DSE candidates. On the other hand, developing an international version of DSE - potentially administered outside Hong Kong - will facilitate access to tertiary education in Mainland and Hong Kong for overseas students or Hong Kong students residing abroad. The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address announced that, on a trial basis, schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) will be allowed to apply for an increase in the number and size of classes to expand their intake of non-local students with student visas. It is another measure towards educational internationalisation. The increase in non-local students will help local students gain a deeper understanding of different places, broaden their international horizons, enrich their cross-cultural understanding, facilitate cultural inclusion, and advance the internationalisation of DSE. The EDB very much welcomes these non-local students to choose to study the DSE curriculum at DSS schools in Hong Kong, enabling them to use their DSE results to apply for local tertiary institutions, as well as numerous higher education institutions globally and on the Mainland that recognise DSE results. The EDB will closely monitor relevant developments.

     The EDB provides the following consolidated reply to the questions raised by Professor the Hon Alex Fan:

     Currently, the DSE qualification is widely recognised by institutions worldwide. Not only can candidates use their DSE results for local university admission or employment, but they can also apply directly to non-local universities or tertiary institutions. Over 2 100 non-local higher education institutions have listed their general admission requirements for DSE results on the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) website and/or their official websites, with this number continuing to grow. Among them, 165 Mainland higher education institutions have admitted Hong Kong students on the basis of their DSE results. Official education authorities in six European countries, including Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and Austria, accept eligible students applying directly to all public universities in their respective countries using DSE results. The Association of Indian Universities, representing over 1 000 higher education institutions in India, has recognised that the DSE qualification is equivalent to India's high school graduation qualification, allowing candidates to apply directly to Indian higher education institutions and universities with their DSE results.

     Since the introduction of DSE in 2012, the HKEAA has been consistently promoting and securing recognition of the DSE qualification among governments, higher education institutions, international assessment bodies and employers worldwide, thereby opening up diverse pathways for further studies and employment for candidates. Over the years, the HKEAA has actively participated in different major local and overseas education fairs and conferences, as well as the Mainland Higher Education Expo co-organised by the Ministry of Education and the EDB, through exhibition booths and meetings with overseas institution representatives to deepen understanding of the DSE's academic credentials across different sectors. The HKEAA has also proactively liaised with official representatives from various countries to promote recognition of the DSE qualification. In the future, the EDB will step up their efforts to promote the international recognition of DSE to various sectors. Through a range of education exhibitions and activities overseas and on the Mainland, the EDB will promote DSE to all sectors of society, thereby enabling DSE candidates to have more options for further education.

     Besides, with the implementation of national policies such as "Study in China" and local initiatives like "Study in Hong Kong", the EDB is currently collaborating with relevant bodies to initiate studies on establishing an international version of DSE. Given the numerous aspects and conditions involved, relevant work presents considerable challenges and must be advanced carefully, which includes launching the initiative on a pilot basis to gather data and assess the situation. The EDB's long-term goal is to establish an internationally benchmarked public examination of its kind that facilitates access for foreign students to higher education institutions both on the Mainland and in Hong Kong. Technical explorations and studies on relevant arrangements are underway.

     Regarding the Belt and Road (B&R) Scholarship, as the scheme operates on a merit basis, non-local students from B&R countries and regions pursuing full-time publicly-funded undergraduate or research postgraduate programmes in Hong Kong may be nominated by their institutions for the scholarship, regardless of whether they have been admitted based on International DSE results. The following criteria will be applied in selecting scholarship recipients, with appropriate adaptations to cater for different groups of students: (i) high standard of academic performance; (ii) demonstration of leadership and good communication skills; (iii) valuable contribution to the institution/society; and/or (iv) strong commitment to the Hong Kong community.

Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:30

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