The city is reshaping global higher education and positioning itself as an attractive destination for cross-border holistic learning, research, and innovation by aligning public investment, institutional strategy, and industry partnerships to attract diverse international students and researchers.

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Hong Kong takes decisive initiative amid a shifting global higher education landscape as student mobility diversifies beyond traditional destinations and universities forge practice-oriented partnerships and programmes that build cross-border competencies for a fluid global talent market. The city has amplified the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, expanded institutional collaboration, and aligned policy with institutional strategy to attract a broader mix of students, exchanges, and teaching and research partnerships.

The successful conclusion of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) 2026 Conference and Exhibition reflected and accelerated the transformation of numerous dialogues and sessions into tangible and impactful pathways for mobility, partnership, and innovation.

Supported by the Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the University Grants Committee (UGC) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, with The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) as the lead host and the other seven UGC-funded universities as co-hosts, APAIE 2026, drew more than 3,500 education leaders and professionals from across 72 countries and regions, with over 600 exhibiting organisations creating immediate opportunities for deepened partnerships and new collaborations.

Global partnerships in higher education are essential to sustainable development, a conviction voiced at the conference by Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland: “When universities think and act together across borders, we can solve the world's greatest challenges.”

At APAIE 2026, the Presidents’ Dialogue embodied this conviction, bringing 25 university presidents and 45 senior leaders together to explore collaborative solutions and cross-border opportunities. The Hong Kong Government has reinforced this shared vision with bold investments to position the city as an international education hub.

Professor Lily Kong, President of Singapore Management University, emphasised Hong Kong’s dual strengths: “One wonderful thing about Hong Kong is its strong international flavour combined with deep regional expertise in the Chinese Mainland and East Asia, much like Singapore’s profound knowledge of Southeast Asia. That anchoring blend — an outward-looking perspective with a distinct Chinese and Hong Kong character — makes partnerships between Hong Kong and Singapore universities especially powerful in contributing insights to the world.”

Holistic learning in Hong Kong and beyond

For a holistic experience that blends academic rigour with cultural understanding, local universities offer programmes that immerse students at the intersection of Western and Chinese cultures. President of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Professor Alexander Wai, cited as an example the university’s “One University, Two Campuses” approach and the “Extended Study Programme” in the GBA: “We give students direct access to HKBU’s Zhuhai campus and curated study tours across the region, so they gain both comparative perspectives and practical, place-based learning.”

Source: News - South China Morning Post