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The Secretary for Education (SED), Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, as invited by university heads, will leave Hong Kong tomorrow (July 26) for visits to the United States and Belgium to exchange views with overseas funding and research agencies in the higher education sector and learn about the latest developments of these areas.
Upon his arrival in Washington, DC, Mr Ng will visit the National Science Foundation and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. He will also call on the Arlington County Advisory Committee on Higher Education.
Mr Ng has accepted an invitation to attend and address the World Assembly and International Conference of the World Organization for Early Childhood Education during his stay in the capital city of the US. He will also meet with some academics and members of the Hong Kong community there.
Mr Ng will then fly to Belgium. He will meet and exchange views with senior officials of the European Research Council in Brussels on July 30.
Accompanying the SED will be the President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Timothy Tong; the President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Tony Chan; and the Political Assistant to the SED, Mr Jeff Sze. The Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Dr Richard Armour, will take part in the US leg, while the Chairman of the Research Grants Council of the UGC, Professor Benjamin Wah, will join the Belgium leg.
Mr Ng will return to Hong Kong on August 1. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, will be the Acting SED.
Ends/Saturday, July 25, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:00
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