LCQ3: Reforming university programmes to meet market needs
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Question:
The Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection report published by the Labour and Welfare Bureau in September this year points out that, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), the number of entry-level job vacancies in enterprises has dropped significantly from around 80 000 in 2022 to around 31 000 in 2025, representing a decrease of more than 60 per cent. In addition, the report projects a manpower shortage of about 130 000 in Hong Kong by 2028, reflecting the issues of supply-demand imbalance, as well as skill mismatch in the labour market. Regarding the reform of university programmes to meet market needs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will, in the light of the aforesaid projection results, study reforming the existing four-year undergraduate programmes by implementing a "three-year classroom learning and one-year full-time internship" model, whereby the fourth academic year will be converted into an internship year to enable students to gain early workplace exposure and increase their work experience;
(2) whether it will review and enhance the content of undergraduate programmes, including strengthening training in the application of AI, interdisciplinary knowledge and practical problem-solving capabilities to reduce talent-skill mismatches; and
(3) among the undergraduate programmes currently offered by the University Grants Committee-funded universities, how many list internships and related assessments as graduation requirements; whether the Government will encourage universities to adopt a compulsory internship system involving corporate participation in assessment across more disciplines?
Reply:
President,
The Government has been promoting parallel development of conventional academic education and vocational and professional education and training, providing young people with learning pathways with multiple entry and exit points and cultivating diversified talent for the society. Hong Kong has introduced the four-year undergraduate programmes since the 2012/13 academic year, to provide students with ample time and space to build a solid academic foundation while achieving more balanced development through classroom learning, project-based learning, exchanges, internships and other learning experiences, thereby promoting the education direction of whole-person development and lifelong learning, while aligning with mainstream international education systems. Universities are a vital force in the development of human civilisation. The World Class University Presidents Forum, inaugurated in Hong Kong today, is themed "Higher Education Reimagined: Innovating for the Future". In his keynote speech, the Minister of Education emphasised that universities embody the dual values of civilisation inheritance and leading development, and always uphold cultivating values and nurturing people as their core mission. University education is not about tailor-making manpower supply for job vacancies at a particular point in time.
Our replies to the questions raised by Professor the Hon Priscilla Leung are set out below:
(1) and (3) Reform of university curricula should be based on professional judgements regarding disciplinary knowledge structures, patterns of student development, teaching resources and academic standards. It should not be driven by a single indicator of labour market supply and demand. Relying solely on labour market supply-and-demand data to request for university curriculum reform is neither consistent with educational professionalism nor helpful in addressing the various problems of the labour market.
At present, the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities establish graduation requirements according to the academic content and professional needs of different disciplines. Many programmes have already incorporated internships into their curricula. The universities have the flexibility to determine the duration and format of internships in the light of actual circumstances. Amongst others, some programmes, such as those in education, healthcare and social work, require students to complete internships before graduation to ensure that students acquire the professional skills required by the sectors. Some professions, such as law, accountancy and engineering, also require graduates to accumulate work experience or complete traineeships after graduation before obtaining professional qualifications.
Mandating a one-year full-time internship as a graduation requirement for disciplines such as the humanities and pure sciences that place greater emphasis on training in respect of academic depth, theoretical foundations and research methods would not only compress students' time for classroom learning and research, but also undermine the professional space for institutions to design curricula according to the characteristics of the disciplines and the needs of students. At the same time, making internship a graduation requirement for all disciplines, with assessment led by enterprises, would face practical operation challenges in terms of the stability of internship placement supply, the consistency of assessment standards, and the suitability for non-vocationally oriented disciplines. Therefore, we support institutions in arranging internships flexibly according to the characteristics of the disciplines, and in strengthening internship elements in appropriate areas, so as to maintain the flexibility of the four-year curriculum.
In fact, in response to society's demand for various types of professionals, the Education Bureau has been actively promoting applied degree programmes and has promulgated the Guidelines on Developing Applied Degree Programmes, clearly setting out work-based learning as a core component of applied degree programmes. Institutions have launched a number of applied degree programmes, providing students with an alternative choice and nurturing more applied talent for society. We have always encouraged universities to deepen their collaboration with enterprises, with enterprises providing internship opportunities and participating in curriculum design and teaching, so as to cultivate more diverse talent that meets market needs.
At present, the Government has not collected data on the number of the undergraduate programmes currently offered by the UGC-funded universities that list internships and related assessments as graduation requirements.
(2) Apart from their mission to create knowledge and promote innovative research, universities should equip the younger generation to cope with a knowledge-based, technology-driven and rapidly changing environment, as well as a broad and interdisciplinary knowledge base, and transferable skills such as creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and lifelong learning. These attributes enable young people to demonstrate resilience and navigate an uncertain future with confidence, regardless of changes in the labour market. The four-year academic structure provides the necessary time and space for students to develop a comprehensive range of capabilities that will stand the test of societal changes and enable them to continue to grow in different environments, through diverse and enriching learning experiences.
The UGC-funded universities have been continuously reviewing and enhancing their undergraduate curricula in response to market demand and technological developments. Through the triennial Planning Exercise, the Government steers the universities towards alignment with the strategic development of the nation and Hong Kong. The Strategic Platform on Talent Development in Higher Education was also established for the 2025/26 to 2027/28 triennium to facilitate close communication among relevant bureaux/departments, universities and industries on manpower trends and needs, and encourage the universities to refine their curricula in closer alignment with policy objectives and market demand. For example, during the 2025/26 to 2027/28 triennium, the UGC-funded universities are introducing a total of 27 undergraduate programmes related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) or the "eight centres". Many of these programmes integrate technology with other fields, such as the humanities, finance and healthcare, with a view to strengthening training in the application of AI, interdisciplinary knowledge and problem-solving skills. The Government is commencing preparations for the 2028/29 to 2030/31 triennial Planning Exercise and will maintain close communication with the universities on talent development and manpower demand, with a view to continuously strengthening the alignment between the knowledge and skills of the younger generation and Hong Kong's future economic and social development.
President, the times are changing rapidly and technology is advancing by the day. In the latest QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027, five Hong Kong universities are among the top ten, with three of them entering the top five, setting a benchmark for Asian universities. The key to Hong Kong universities' continued high standings in international university rankings lies in producing influential and high-quality research outputs. As a result, curricula could not be planned for university education solely according to market demand. Market demand is characterised as diverse, fluid and difficult to predict accurately. If universities were to reform their curricula according to the same set of manpower shortage data, it would instead create a new round of homogeneous mismatch, and even turn university education into vocational training, which is contrary to its original values. Reform of the university academic structure is a matter of great importance. University curricula should respond to societal needs, but this must be subject to professional educational deliberation and through continuous improvement and self-innovation by universities.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:25
Issued at HKT 16:25
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