************************************************************
Five lucky secondary school students in the United Kingdom have won a chance to study at a Hong Kong university this summer, thanks to a competition organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (HKETO).
Hong Kong has a complete and diverse higher education system, with a number of outstanding universities that rank prominently in world league tables. Through the "Hong Kong: A Dream Destination for University Study" competition, UK students are encouraged to pursue tertiary education in Hong Kong. The five winners of the competition will be sponsored to study at one of the summer courses at a Hong Kong university to experience a taste of the city's world-class university life, as well as Hong Kong's cosmopolitan lifestyle and unique culture. The winners can also explore their areas of interest and develop their strengths and potentials before starting at university. Sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and supported by the British Council, the competition has the participation of four key universities in Hong Kong.
To enter, students had to describe why they think Hong Kong would be a great place to study as a university student. More than 50 entries were received in many different forms including essays, websites, blog entries, YouTube videos, and were judged based on content, creativity and presentation. The panel of judges were the Director-General of HKETO, Ms Erica Ng; the Acting Regional Director of the British Council, Ms Julia Amour; the General Manager Europe of Cathay Pacific Airways, Mr Angus Barclay; and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Society, Ms Karen Luard.
The five winning entrants came from all around the UK. They are:
Alexander Johnstone
Reading School, Reading, Berkshire
His entry was a brochure (available on HKETO website: www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/Entry%20-%20Alexander%20Johnstone.pdf)
He will study at The University of Hong Kong this summer.
Taiyba Aftab
Nottingham Academy, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Her entry is a video clip on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2QUvEquK4)
She will study at The City University of Hong Kong this summer.
Jennifer Thorpe
Arthur Mellows Village College, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Her entry is a blog (honkongopportunities.wordpress.com/)
She will study in The City University of Hong Kong this summer.
Rubi Ingaglia
Bablake School, Coventry, West Midlands
Her entry is a video clip on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUb0ocPBosA)
She will study at The Chinese University of Hong Kong this summer.
Viviane Stephenson
Trent College, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire
Her entry is a brochure (available on HKETO website: http://www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/entry_viviane_
stephenson.pdf)
She will study at The University of Hong Kong this summer.
At a sending-off party for the winning students at the HKETO on June 16 (London time), Ms Ng said she instigated this competition to encourage more students from the UK to go to Hong Kong to further their university education. She said Hong Kong enjoys a number of comparative advantages in attracting talents. "The cosmopolitan nature of campus life in Hong Kong is nurturing our students with inter-cultural competence to be future world citizens. Our tertiary institutions are recognised as leading institutions on various international league tables. Three universities in Hong Kong were ranked among the top 40 universities in the world by the QS World University Rankings 2013."
The Chief Executive of the British Council, Sir Martin Davidson KCMG, said, "I still remember arriving in Hong Kong as a young graduate and have very fond memories of my time there. I learned a great deal while I was there - and I hope the winners of this competition will too. Spending time abroad helps our young people to develop international skills, which are vital for life in a global society and work in a global economy, and much sought-after by employers."
Mr Barclay said, "As a proud sponsor of this initiative, it is a real privilege to see so many students benefiting from this scheme. We wish them all the best of luck this summer with their studies in Hong Kong."
Ends/Friday, June 20, 2014
Issued at HKT 02:04
NNNN
