Five Hong Kong universities continue to rank among global top 100, helping to consolidate status as international education hub
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According to the latest THE World University Rankings, the University of Hong Kong ranks globally at 33rd, the Chinese University of Hong Kong at 42nd, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology at 58th, and the City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University have risen to 70th and 79th respectively, continuing to rank among the global top 100.
The spokesperson said, "The long-standing high rankings of Hong Kong's universities at the forefront of international rankings not only reflect the achievements of the local higher education sector in striving for excellence and scaling new heights, but also bear witness to the Government's proactive leadership in guiding the post-secondary education sector to achieve outstanding results through policy measures such as seeking innovation and change, and expanding capacity while enhancing quality. The Government will continue to spare no effort in promoting the comprehensive integration of the higher education sector into the overall national development, contributing to the country's endeavour to build a leading country in education."
The recently promulgated First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address further strengthen Hong Kong's development momentum and build the city into an international hub for high-calibre talent. Measures include driving the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT) under "One Town, Five Elements" to promote capacity expansion and quality enhancement of post-secondary education. The Government will consolidate Hong Kong's internationalised and diversified educational advantages under "one country, two systems", align with the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education, strengthen basic, emerging, and cross-disciplinary development and the nurturing of top-notch talent, deepen international co-operation, and promote the integrated development of education, technology, and talent to better serve the country's endeavour to develop into a leading country in education.
To dovetail with the development of the NMUT, the Government will implement a series of measures, including increasing the number of the University Grants Committee-funded research postgraduate places to 9 600 by the 2030/31 academic year; gradually increasing the annual quota of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme to 550 places by the 2029/30 academic year; providing additional funding of $20 million per academic year to support knowledge transfer; and allocating $40 million annually to the Fund for Innovative Technology-in-Education. With the continuous relaxation of the ceiling for non-local students enrolled in self-financing local post-secondary programmes, and the intensified promotional efforts through the cross-departmental Task Force on Study in Hong Kong, local institutions will continue to attract exceptional students from over 100 countries and regions across the globe, consolidating Hong Kong's leading position as an international post-secondary education hub.
The spokesperson concluded, "Even in the face of intense global competition, the performance of Hong Kong's universities continues to remain stable and excellent. Looking ahead, with the comprehensive implementation of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, the promotion of the integrated development of education, technology, and talent, and the development of the NMUT, Hong Kong's higher education is ushering in a golden period of development full of promising potential. We will continue to promote the all-round connectivity in areas such as talent training, frontier scientific research, and industry-academia-research collaboration, optimise resource allocation, support various institutions in consolidating their existing advantages while pioneering innovation, and nurture more outstanding talent equipped with both international perspective and exceptional capabilities, thereby making greater contributions to the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and the country."
Ends/Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Issued at HKT 8:15
Issued at HKT 8:15
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