Efforts to internationalise Hong Kong¡¯s higher education sector appear to be paying off, with universities reporting rapidly growing interest from the US and elsewhere.

Several Hong Kong-based universities have reported sharp increases in international applications, particularly from Western countries, after the city moved to position itself as a welcoming destination for US-based students and researchers unsettled by crackdowns on elite institutions such as Harvard University.

¡°We¡¯re seeing growing interest not only from the US but from many parts of the world,¡± Ka-Ho?Mok, vice president of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, told ̽»¨ÊÓƵ.

¡°Taking my university as an example, non-local and international applications to our academic programmes have increased by 50 to 60 per cent in the last two to three years. We¡¯ve also attracted academics and faculty members from the UK, the US, as well as across Asia, Africa, and Europe during the same period.¡±

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Hong Kong¡¯s shift toward greater internationalisation aligns with its broader government strategy ¨C with a cap on non-local students lifted from 20 per cent to 40 per cent last year. For scholars, visa and research funding schemes have been streamlined.

Although?the city¡¯s universities have always been?seen as highly internationalised, this is mainly?as a result of?taking large proportions of students from mainland China. Its challenge has been to diversify recruitment beyond its near neighbours.

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Scholars from the West have also previously expressed scepticism about the level of academic freedom in the territory, particularly after the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2019.

However, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) said?that this academic year it will?host students from more than 80 countries and has received a record-breaking number of non-local applications.

Nearly half of this year¡¯s incoming international cohort hails from regions outside mainland China, it said, including Europe, Australia, Africa and the Americas.

¡°In light of recent policy shifts in the US, HKUST has extended invitations to Harvard and other outstanding students in the US, offering them supportive options to continue their academic journey in the face of uncertainty,¡± an HKUST spokesperson said.

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¡°Since the announcement, we have received hundreds of enquiries and have issued over a dozen admission offers."

Experts say recent political interference in US higher education ¨C including the high-profile case of Harvard University ¨C has prompted some top-tier academics to reconsider their futures, creating a potential ¡°golden opportunity¡± for institutions in Asia.

Hong Kong¡¯s academic pull has also been buoyed by improved performance in institutional rankings and opportunities provided by its links to research and tech clusters across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, focusing on AI, biomedical research and fintech.

¡°The Greater Bay Area offers a wonderful research platform, as well as new opportunities for international collaborations,¡± said Ka-Ho?Mok.

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But he said more work needed to be done to ensure more international scholars are encouraged to come.

¡°Attracting talent to work and stay in Hong Kong is not only related to university governance and policy,¡±?Mok?noted.

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¡°Different sectors and stakeholders should work together to create an ecosystem conductive to attracting talent.¡±

?tash.mosheim@timeshigehreducation.com