Editorial | ‘Study in Hong Kong’ brand boosted by rise in world rankings
City’s universities now occupy five of the top 70 places in global league table, an encouraging sign on the road to becoming an international education hub
University rankings are increasingly important for students, institutions and communities. Hong Kong’s aspirations to become an international education hub just got a huge boost from the rise of six of the city’s public universities in one global ranking.
It is also encouraging that UK-based education information firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) credited a new “Study in Hong Kong” brand for putting the city on track to draw more global talent and cement its academic reputation.
The latest QS world rankings released last Thursday saw the University of Hong Kong (HKU) climb to 11th place, up from 17th last year and 26th in 2023. It was the best showing for the city’s oldest institution since the league table launched in 2004. HKU was just one spot behind the California Institute of Technology in the US. It was also second in Asia, after the National University of Singapore.
University president Xiang Zhang said the achievement affirmed HKU’s “emergence as a global elite institution” that “actively promotes Hong Kong as a premier hub for global talent”.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) rose four spots to 32nd for its best placing since 2010. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) jumped three places to 44th, while Polytechnic University (PolyU) bettered its score from 57th to 54th.
Institutions further down the list also fared better, with Baptist University jumping from 252nd to 244th. Lingnan University improved from the 711th to 720th range to the 701st to 710th range.