LCQ14: Attracting Mainland universities to operate in Hong Kong
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Question:
The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address proposes to study the development model for the Northern Metropolis University Town (University Town) and explore the strategic direction for attracting leading universities in the Mainland and overseas to establish a base in Hong Kong, with a view to further promoting Hong Kong as an international education hub. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will study the attraction of top Mainland universities to establish branch campuses in Hong Kong, and formulate a concrete action blueprint in this regard, including a mechanism for selecting and attracting target institutions, site selection arrangements and a phased implementation plan; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as there are views that attracting top Mainland universities involves institutional co-ordination issues, such as mutual recognition of academic qualifications, programme articulation, student recruitment arrangements and deployment arrangements for teaching staff, whether the Government will consider establishing a joint working group with the relevant Mainland departments to conduct preliminary studies on issues relating to the mode of operation, degree-awarding mechanisms, arrangements for mutual recognition of credits, cross-boundary flows of scientific research funding, etc, for Mainland universities establishing branch campuses in Hong Kong, and explore the establishment of a bilateral education co-operation framework by drawing on the experience of Hong Kong higher education institutions operating in the Mainland; and
(3) given that the Government has set aside some 100 hectares of land for the University Town and established the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town, whether the authorities will consider adopting a "one university, two campuses" model or other innovative modes of operation when planning the University Town, and reserve space for top Mainland universities to establish branch campuses in Hong Kong; whether the authorities will study the establishment of a dedicated fund or the introduction of tax concession measures, so as to support the long-term development of Mainland higher education institutions operating in Hong Kong?
Reply:
President,
For two consecutive years, the Chief Executive has put forward in the Policy Address the goal of developing Hong Kong into an international education hub and a cradle for future talents, and proposed leveraging the development opportunities in the Northern Metropolis and its close connections with the Mainland to provide the post-secondary education sector with valuable opportunities to expand its capacity and enhance its quality. Our consolidated reply to the various parts of the question raised by Professor the Hon Alex Fan is as follows:
Last year, the Government set up the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town (WG), led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to study the development mode for the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT). The WG will conduct field trips on the successful models of university towns elsewhere and seek views. It will also explore the possible way forward to deeply integrate industry development with the academic sectors where Hong Kong has an edge, alongside the strategies for attracting leading universities and research institutes in the Mainland and overseas to establish a base in Hong Kong.
The NMUT is an important strategic initiative for developing Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub. Local post-secondary institutions are actively leveraging their unique characteristics, advanced disciplines, extensive experience and global networks to introduce more inter-institutional, interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral and cross-boundary branded programmes, research collaborations and exchange projects with renowned Mainland and overseas institutions in a flexible and innovative manner. This will attract world-class scholars and outstanding students to Hong Kong and enable the NMUT to leverage its role as a super-connector performing the functions of "bringing in" and "going global" in the field of post-secondary education.
The WG will continue to make recommendations on the development mode and specific facilities of the NMUT, which will break away from traditional models. It will actively explore strategies to attract leading universities or research institutes to establish a base in Hong Kong, and consider measures conducive to the development of the NMUT, so as to facilitate Hong Kong's development into an international post-secondary education hub.
Meanwhile, the Government will continue to support the development of Hong Kong's post-secondary institutions in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including supporting them in forging cross-disciplinary partnerships with these cities to leverage the distinctive characteristics and competitive edges of Hong Kong's higher education sector, as well as creating favourable conditions for scientific research and development, knowledge transfer and commercialisation. These efforts aim to promote the conduct of research activities of a high academic standard and nurture high-calibre talents needed for the country's development by synergising the complementary academic structures and facilities of the Hong Kong and Mainland campuses.
The Government will roll out three post-secondary education sites in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area shortly for application by the University Grants Committee-funded universities and universities of applied sciences for campus development, and $10 billion will be earmarked for providing loans to support campus development. The details of the land allocation and loan arrangements will be announced in due course.
Ends/Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:00
Issued at HKT 12:00
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