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SED encourages overseas graduates to return to contribute (with photos)
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The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, met a group of university students from Hong Kong, including four furthering their studies under the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES), during his duty visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on May 23 (London time).
Mr Ng was pleased to note that the students had adapted well to the new learning and living environment and built networks with students and teachers in London and from around the world.
Mr Ng invited the students to return to Hong Kong after graduation and make good use of their world-class education, global vision and international networks to contribute to Hong Kong and the country.
Launched in 2014, the HKSES aims at supporting outstanding local students to pursue studies in world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong. All awardees receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of $250,000 per annum, whichever is lower. In addition, a means-tested bursary is granted to students who need additional support to pursue their study, subject to a ceiling of $200,000 per student per annum.
Starting from the 2015/16 academic year, the HKSES has benefited three cohorts of students, with up to 100 students per cohort. The Scheme has been well received by the community with the number of applications rising from 658 for the first cohort to 856 for the third cohort.
The HKSES is currently subject to a review of its outcomes, including the feedback and information on the employment or further studies of those graduates returning to Hong Kong this summer. The review is expected to be completed in the third or fourth quarter of 2017. The exchange between Mr Ng and the students would also help the Education Bureau map out the way forward.
Mr Ng also attended the plenary of Going Global 2017, an international education conference organised by the British Council, and held bilateral meetings with the Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Mr Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, and the Regional Director for Education, UK Trade and Investment, Mr Geoff Gladding. He also visited the Institute of Education of the University College London and attended a roundtable meeting at the London School of Economics and Political Science for exchanges on higher education.
Mr Ng will join experts of the UK and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on May 24 to speak at one of the parallel sessions of Going Global 2017 on "City 2050: building skills for an uncertain future".
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:59
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