https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325499/feed There are eight higher education institutes in Hong Kong funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC). There is also a number of self-funded institutions, including the Open University of Hong Kong, and public institutions such as the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Five public universities in Hong Kong have ranked in the top 100 of a renowned British publication’s latest global league table, as part of a trend described as a “historic realignment” of academic prowess from West to East. The University of Hong Kong remained the city’s highest-ranked tertiary institution, holding onto 33rd place from the previous year, in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, released on Wednesday. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) ranked 42nd,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3369243/5-universities-hong-kong-rank-top-100-historic-shift-west-east https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3369243/5-universities-hong-kong-rank-top-100-historic-shift-west-east Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:30:05 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Love is a many-splendoured thing – except when seen through the lens of economists, apparently. Prominent economist Terence Chong Tai-leung, a Chinese University of Hong Kong associate professor, confirmed this in an address last week to the university’s New Asia College. In a speech titled “How to invest in your life?”, he basically told the female students at the event that they were wasting their time on academic achievements, since women must aim to marry for money. Don’t pursue a PhD, he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368803/hong-kong-professors-sexist-views-have-been-laid-bare-thats-good https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368803/hong-kong-professors-sexist-views-have-been-laid-bare-thats-good Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Huang Qingchen Huang Qingchen Hong Kong’s first five-year plan marks an unprecedented milestone not only for its economic and social development, but also for how it governs itself. The plan, which drew on 16,000 public submissions – roughly 80 per cent from ordinary citizens – is a testament to the government’s commitment to long-term development, which shows an unusual convergence of public consensus and political will. For a city long accustomed to letting the market hold the reins, crafting a road map clear in aims,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368386/how-hong-kong-remapping-future-higher-education https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368386/how-hong-kong-remapping-future-higher-education Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:30:15 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s university town project is transforming from an ambitious vision into a concrete and deliverable action plan. With applications now open for campuses in Hung Shui Kiu, the government has set out the land, financing framework, timetable and strategic purpose of the first of three university towns. The challenge is to ensure that this flagship project becomes a showpiece of the Northern Metropolis mega development, paving the way for the mission to turn Hong Kong into a global... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3368669/universities-must-rise-northern-metropolis-challenge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3368669/universities-must-rise-northern-metropolis-challenge Thu, 24 Sep 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Michael Jinghan Zeng Michael Jinghan Zeng Hong Kong’s first five-year plan gives its universities an opportunity to show what their research can do for the city. Its ambitions for technology, regional development and international cooperation depend on decisions about institutions and people’s lives. Social scientists should help shape those decisions from the outset. The blueprint explicitly addresses public governance, including civil service performance, departmental coordination and digital administration. It also provides for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368356/hong-kong-needs-social-science-help-deliver-its-5-year-plan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368356/hong-kong-needs-social-science-help-deliver-its-5-year-plan Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Neville Lai Neville Lai When Tung Chee-hwa died, the obituaries predictably described a Hong Kong shipping mogul who became the city’s first postcolonial chief executive. How his government navigated the Asian financial crisis and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic and its retreat from Article 23 were highlighted. There was less attention paid to the political hybrid he embodied. Tung sat as vice-chairman of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368057/how-hong-kong-can-keep-talking-going-when-us-china-officials-dont https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368057/how-hong-kong-can-keep-talking-going-when-us-china-officials-dont Tue, 22 Sep 2026 01:30:08 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Tertiary institutions seeking to establish campuses in one of three university towns planned for the Northern Metropolis megaproject will be given “favourable consideration” if they do not require a government loan to build their facilities, Hong Kong’s education minister has said. The government has expanded all three university towns – formally named in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s annual policy address on Wednesday – and opened applications for interested institutions to submit their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3367902/self-funded-campuses-favoured-hong-kongs-new-university-towns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3367902/self-funded-campuses-favoured-hong-kongs-new-university-towns Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:25:55 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse In response to the August 27 case of a young man lifting up and carrying a young woman at a party, City University authorities have established a student discipline panel. The man was reportedly half-naked while the woman was clad in only shorts and a bra. Am I the only person to think that a mountain is being made out of a molehill here? We run the risk of using a sledgehammer to crack the proverbial small nut. One aspect of this case does merit further examination: the issue of consent. Who... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367427/cityus-response-disco-night-misconduct-overreaction https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367427/cityus-response-disco-night-misconduct-overreaction Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A woman convicted of using a forged reference letter to gain admission to a Hong Kong doctoral programme has been spared jail and ordered to perform 160 hours of community service. Fanling Magistrate Kenneth Chan Ping-chau said on Monday that he had decided to “make an exception” for 31-year-old Li Zuer, who earlier admitted falsely claiming that a former teaching staff member at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) had written a reference letter for her in March 2024. The letter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367423/woman-spared-jail-over-forging-phd-reference-letter-education-university https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367423/woman-spared-jail-over-forging-phd-reference-letter-education-university Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:04:09 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Hong Kong is rapidly evolving into an international education hub. With 22 local degree-awarding institutions – nine publicly funded and 13 self-financing – producing around 50,000 graduates annually, the quality of these degrees is cause for concern. The prevailing approach... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3367193/hong-kongs-universities-must-avoid-easy-entry-guaranteed-pass-model https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3367193/hong-kongs-universities-must-avoid-easy-entry-guaranteed-pass-model Mon, 14 Sep 2026 03:30:06 +0000 Edith Lin,Ng Kang-chung Edith Lin,Ng Kang-chung The Hong Kong Police College has become the first government department to offer a bachelor’s degree programme, with the force set to roll out the course for rank-and-file officers by the end of this year. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming announced the development on Saturday, after the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications approved the college’s Bachelor of Policing (Honours) (Security and Criminal Investigation) programme last month. “We hope... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367297/hong-kong-police-college-becomes-first-government-unit-roll-out-degree-course https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3367297/hong-kong-police-college-becomes-first-government-unit-roll-out-degree-course Sat, 12 Sep 2026 09:56:10 +0000 John Cremer John Cremer Hong Kong has been actively advancing links with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries in trade, finance and professional services. Similarly, the city’s local universities have been developing innovative programmes and exchanges to strengthen ties, share knowledge and promote long-term cross-border collaboration between academia and industry. A prime example is the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s (PolyU) Belt and Road Advanced Programme in Power and Energy. This year’s cohort of 45... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/special-reports/article/3366782/hong-kong-universities-power-belt-and-road-initiative-through-strategic-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/special-reports/article/3366782/hong-kong-universities-power-belt-and-road-initiative-through-strategic-ties Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Hong Kong has long distinguished itself through world-class universities, an internationally respected healthcare system and a reputation for excellence that attracts talent from across the globe. If the city is serious about being an international education and innovation hub,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3366352/why-hong-kongs-medical-schools-should-phase-their-cantonese-requirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3366352/why-hong-kongs-medical-schools-should-phase-their-cantonese-requirement Tue, 08 Sep 2026 03:30:06 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Kazakhstan has recorded the largest student population and fastest enrolment growth at Hong Kong’s public universities among Central Asian countries in recent years, according to official data, while students from the country say the city is the most preferred regional higher education destination in Asia among their peers. Among Hong Kong’s tertiary education institutions, City University (CityU) enrolled the largest share of Kazakhstani students. CityU council chairman Michael Ngai Ming-tak... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366700/hong-kong-emerges-leading-asian-study-destination-kazakhstani-students https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366700/hong-kong-emerges-leading-asian-study-destination-kazakhstani-students Tue, 08 Sep 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu The vast majority of Hong Kong’s students are back in school now. With traffic expected to be horrendous last week, it was good that the government sounded the warning early, urging residents to allow more time for their morning commute. The government did more than that, actually. The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre was working at its highest operational tier at 6.30am on September 1 to monitor and coordinate public transport and traffic flow. Deployment of staff on the ground ensured... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366393/hong-kongs-local-schools-should-not-have-brace-worst https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366393/hong-kongs-local-schools-should-not-have-brace-worst Mon, 07 Sep 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan A cabinet secretary fretting about his daughter’s university choice might once have been considered a private family matter. In Donald Trump’s America, it has become official content. US transport secretary Sean Duffy recently appeared with his family in a road trip series carried on the department’s YouTube page. In one episode, his daughter, Paloma, said if she were admitted to Harvard University, she would probably urge her parents to let her attend. Duffy, however, warned the university had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366124/what-trump-officials-dig-harvard-means-hong-kong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366124/what-trump-officials-dig-harvard-means-hong-kong Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Some elite schools in Hong Kong have been criticised for failing to provide sufficient learning opportunities or challenging tasks to stretch top performers, with reviewers urging teachers to design questions and tasks with greater depth. The remarks appeared in the Education Bureau’s External School Review reports, which assessed 68 secondary and primary institutions. Some institutions were told to better cater for learners’ diversity, including by setting extended activities for pupils who... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365874/elite-hong-kong-schools-urged-raise-bar-challenge-high-ability-students https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365874/elite-hong-kong-schools-urged-raise-bar-challenge-high-ability-students Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:30:06 +0000 Zhonghua Sheng Zhonghua Sheng On the morning of August 19, LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Area. After deploying its second stage and payload into orbit, the rocket’s first stage touched down softly at a recovery site in Gansu province using deployable landing legs. It was China’s first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster that had just completed an orbital mission – a feat previously achieved only by SpaceX. Just over a month earlier,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365219/reusable-rocket-milestone-opens-door-hong-kongs-space-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365219/reusable-rocket-milestone-opens-door-hong-kongs-space-ambitions Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Edith Lin,Kristen Cheung Edith Lin,Kristen Cheung Hong Kong’s elite Diocesan Boys’ School is set to offer the International Advanced Level curriculum from 2027, becoming the city’s first school to offer three university pathways if it secures the Education Bureau’s approval. Headmaster Ronnie Cheng Kay-yen made the announcement on Saturday at a Primary One admission talk at its Mong Kok campus, after the school obtained approval from Cambridge International Education and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. “We are now waiting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365711/hong-kongs-diocesan-boys-school-become-first-offer-3-university-pathways https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365711/hong-kongs-diocesan-boys-school-become-first-offer-3-university-pathways Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:55:25 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong’s education authorities will revamp the senior secondary school science and extended maths curriculum by providing additional syllabus options from the 2029-30 academic year, in a bid to attract more students and nurture talent in the field. The Education Bureau also said it had asked schools to actively encourage students interested in science and mathematics to take two or more science subjects to create a synergistic effect. The bureau said in a circular to schools on Monday that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365107/hong-kong-revamp-senior-secondary-science-and-maths-curriculum-2029-30 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3365107/hong-kong-revamp-senior-secondary-science-and-maths-curriculum-2029-30 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 02:00:24 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong public universities have admitted a record number of students applying outside the local exam system, with the intake surging by 63 per cent over seven years to account for nearly 30 per cent of the 15,000 government-funded places, the South China Morning Post has found. Meanwhile, the intake of home-grown students taking the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exam has dropped by 7 per cent, causing its proportion to fall from 82 per cent to 72 per cent, sparking calls for a cap on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364971/record-non-dse-admissions-hong-kongs-universities-spark-calls-quotas https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364971/record-non-dse-admissions-hong-kongs-universities-spark-calls-quotas Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Nearly two-thirds of Hong Kong students who requested a reconsideration of their university placement due to reviewed entrance exam results will receive a better outcome than previously allotted. The office for the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Jupas) said on Thursday that it had received 453 requests for reconsideration following the rechecking and review of Diploma of Secondary Education results. Of those, 287 applicants, or 63.4 per cent, will receive a university admissions... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364608/over-60-students-get-better-outcomes-after-seeking-university-admission-review https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364608/over-60-students-get-better-outcomes-after-seeking-university-admission-review Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:00:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The percentage of non-Chinese-speaking students who sat Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams and were admitted to the city’s public universities has remained persistently low over the past five academic years, with no clear signs of a change in sight. Veteran educators who teach such pupils, classified by the government as NCS students, attributed the trend to three main factors: high failure rates in core mathematics; deficiencies in Chinese-language studies; and a lack of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364215/how-help-more-hong-kongs-non-chinese-speaking-students-reach-university https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364215/how-help-more-hong-kongs-non-chinese-speaking-students-reach-university Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Two Hong Kong universities have secured places in the top 100 of an academic ranking that assesses 1,000 institutions worldwide. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) rose five places from 67th last year to 62nd, while City University (CityU) climbed four places from 99th to 95th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, released by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy on Saturday. Launched in 2003, the annual ranking was initially published by Shanghai Jiao Tong University before ShanghaiRanking... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364200/university-hong-kong-cityu-secure-spots-global-university-top-100 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3364200/university-hong-kong-cityu-secure-spots-global-university-top-100 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:20:24 +0000 Ryan Ip,David Yu Chak-wai Ryan Ip,David Yu Chak-wai Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis University Town is no longer just a planning concept. After site visits by a university town task force, the government has reportedly absorbed lessons from overseas models, expanded the university town area to more than 1,000 hectares, received 19 proposals from local institutions and moved towards phased site tendering and development. The project has become something more significant: a test of what Hong Kong wants its higher education system to do in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3363760/hong-kongs-new-university-town-test-citys-global-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3363760/hong-kongs-new-university-town-test-citys-global-ambitions Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, vice-chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), is a world-renowned molecular geneticist widely regarded as the Hongkonger closest to winning a Nobel Prize, but he maintains “a calm attitude” about it. In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Lo appeared dispassionate about whether he would receive the prestigious award. Instead, he credited his success to his team and spoke enthusiastically about his... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363408/cuhk-chief-dennis-lo-calm-about-talk-nobel-prize-groundbreaking-test https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363408/cuhk-chief-dennis-lo-calm-about-talk-nobel-prize-groundbreaking-test Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has said “the path is open” for the revival of the institution’s main student union, so long as it registers with authorities in accordance with the law. Dennis Lo Yuk-ming also pushed back on claims that the university was overreliant on intake from mainland China, arguing that it was making strides in diversification. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, he said the pathway to re-establishing a central union remained... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363355/path-open-revival-cuhk-student-union-if-it-registers-dennis-lo-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363355/path-open-revival-cuhk-student-union-if-it-registers-dennis-lo-says Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:00:11 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The leader of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has called for greater financial support to develop a proposed 300-hectare (741 acres) university town near the border with mainland China, including funding for local institutions to build campuses, arguing that expansion will help navigate future challenges. In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post, CUHK president Dennis Lo Yuk-ming said Hong Kong universities needed to expand their presence in the Northern... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363363/cuhk-chief-calls-more-funds-campuses-northern-metropolis-university-town https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363363/cuhk-chief-calls-more-funds-campuses-northern-metropolis-university-town Sat, 08 Aug 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft The student union of Hong Kong’s Lingnan University has announced it will dissolve after nearly six decades in operation due to “changes in the situation both on and off campus”, marking the latest in a spate of closures among such organisations in recent years. In a social media post on Thursday, the student union said it had passed a resolution to dissolve after holding a recent joint meeting. Its decision means that only two of Hong Kong’s public universities still have active student unions,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363258/hong-kongs-lingnan-university-student-union-ceases-operations-after-6-decades https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363258/hong-kongs-lingnan-university-student-union-ceases-operations-after-6-decades Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:03:42 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu A tertiary institution in Hong Kong has apologised for mistakenly sending an email to all 11,139 of its applicants telling them that they had been admitted and asking them to pay an acceptance fee, saying the error was an administrative oversight. The blunder involving Tung Wah College (TWC) in Kowloon on Wednesday sparked angry complaints online for briefly raising the hopes of candidates who had yet to receive university offers, only to dash them hours later. More than 45,000 students using... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363064/devastated-tung-wah-college-says-sorry-false-admission-offers-10000-hopefuls https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363064/devastated-tung-wah-college-says-sorry-false-admission-offers-10000-hopefuls Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:58:02 +0000 Veronica Qi Veronica Qi Top scorers who have secured places at the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) medical school have expressed a desire to pursue both clinical care and medical research, with one student, inspired by her doctor, saying she wants to pass on “hope and courage” to society. Their comments followed the release of the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Jupas) results on Wednesday. About 34 per cent of students who applied through the university admissions system secured tertiary education... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363046/saved-baby-hku-medical-newbie-aims-pass-hope-and-courage-society https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3363046/saved-baby-hku-medical-newbie-aims-pass-hope-and-courage-society Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:13:37 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin About 34 per cent of students who applied through Hong Kong’s university admissions system have secured tertiary education places this year, marking a slight drop from last year amid stiffer competition. When the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Jupas) results were released on Wednesday, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) each said they had offered places to half of the 24 top scorers in this year’s Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE)... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362970/34-hong-kong-students-win-university-diploma-spots-under-admissions-system https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362970/34-hong-kong-students-win-university-diploma-spots-under-admissions-system Wed, 05 Aug 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung A surgical procedure for Alzheimer’s disease being tested in Hong Kong has the potential to improve patients’ ability to take care of their basic needs such as getting dressed and remaining socially engaged. The ongoing clinical trial, launched by researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), involves an operation that drains an abnormal build-up of two protein types in the brain. The clinical application was pioneered by a mainland Chinese doctor in Hangzhou as early as 2018 and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3362720/completely-new-person-can-surgery-help-alzheimers-patients-regain-basic-skills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3362720/completely-new-person-can-surgery-help-alzheimers-patients-regain-basic-skills Mon, 03 Aug 2026 03:00:13 +0000 Kate Chan Kate Chan Playing a musical instrument helps medical students perform surgical tasks 10 per cent faster and more skilfully, according to a study by the University of Hong Kong (HKU). The results showed that students with musical experience completed surgical tasks in an average time of 223.5 seconds, compared with 249.3 seconds for those without, making them nearly 26 seconds faster. The experience of Sien Gurr, a sixth-year medical student at HKU who started learning the violin at the age of four and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3362721/playing-musical-instrument-helps-medical-students-perform-surgical-tasks-better-study https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3362721/playing-musical-instrument-helps-medical-students-perform-surgical-tasks-better-study Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung An educational trust established by Hong Kong-based conglomerate Jardine Matheson will end its prestigious undergraduate scholarship programme for Oxford and Cambridge universities after a strategic review, redirecting the funds to institutions in Asia. According to the Jardine Foundation’s website, students starting their studies later this year will be the final cohort of undergraduate “Oxbridge” scholars to be covered by the programme. The move marks the end of an undergraduate scholarship... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362723/jardine-foundation-cut-scholarship-scheme-oxford-cambridge-undergrads https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362723/jardine-foundation-cut-scholarship-scheme-oxford-cambridge-undergrads Sun, 02 Aug 2026 14:39:31 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A group of 87 mainland Chinese families who came to Hong Kong under talent visa schemes has lost a legal bid to challenge the government’s policy changes that affected their children’s access to publicly funded university places as dependants. High Court Judge Russell Coleman on Friday ruled that there was no irrationality in the Education Bureau’s requirement that children of parents who arrived through the schemes must have lived in the city for at least two years before they can enjoy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362597/mainland-chinese-families-lose-legal-challenge-over-public-university-fees https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3362597/mainland-chinese-families-lose-legal-challenge-over-public-university-fees Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:35:39 +0000 Quentin Parker Quentin Parker Three years ago, I warned in these pages that the greatest existential threat to humanity might not emerge from a stray asteroid or a cosmic cataclysm but from uncontrolled artificial intelligence (AI). Today, the trajectory towards an AI Armageddon has not merely accelerated, it has violently careered off the rails of human oversight. The academic debates of previous years regarding a voluntary six-month pause in AI development have been buried under an avalanche of hyper-autonomous, unaligned... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3362071/openai-agents-autonomous-hack-warning-world https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3362071/openai-agents-autonomous-hack-warning-world Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Xiang Zhang’s decision to leave the helm at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 2028 marks more than a routine leadership transition. It signals the start of a new chapter at one of the region’s most prestigious universities, while opening a window for new thinking and synergy as the city strives to become an education and talent hub under the national five-year development blueprint. Announcing his move in an email to the university community, Zhang said he realised that it was time for HKU to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3362008/next-hku-chief-will-need-more-academic-stature-administrative-skills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3362008/next-hku-chief-will-need-more-academic-stature-administrative-skills Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:45:08 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Salary growth for Hong Kong degree graduates slowed to a five-year low in 2025, with average annual earnings rising by just 2 per cent and sitting at HK$28,000 (US$3,570) a month as underemployment hit a record high. The University Grants Committee (UGC) released the graduate employment figures for last year on its website on Friday. According to the data, the average annual salary of degree graduates stood at HK$336,000. The figure represented an average of HK$28,000 per month and a 2 per cent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3361793/salary-growth-hong-kong-degree-graduates-slows-5-year-low https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3361793/salary-growth-hong-kong-degree-graduates-slows-5-year-low Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:48:49 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The University of Hong Kong will roll out a screening programme at pharmacies across the city early next year to identify people at high risk of osteoporosis and prevent bone fractures. The institution’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine on Thursday launched the city’s first community pharmacist-led osteoporosis screening programme. The scheme uses a screening algorithm that allows pharmacists to identify high-risk patients during routine visits and refer them to family doctors for bone density... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3361578/university-roll-out-screenings-pharmacies-uncover-osteoporosis-cases https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3361578/university-roll-out-screenings-pharmacies-uncover-osteoporosis-cases Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:20:49 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong has retained its 17th place among the world’s top destinations for students, but British rankings firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has said that high living costs along with the steepest tuition fees in East Asia continue to deter international applicants. QS also identified limited international diversity and a persistent shortage of accommodation for students as key challenges for the city. In the QS Best Student Cities list for 2027, which provides an overview of the best places to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3361353/hong-kong-retains-17th-spot-among-top-cities-students-high-costs-hurt https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3361353/hong-kong-retains-17th-spot-among-top-cities-students-high-costs-hurt Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Cheng Xianyue Cheng Xianyue Hong Kong’s decision to introduce its first five-year plan has prompted familiar questions. Does this signal greater government intervention at the expense of the free market? Will it make Hong Kong’s development model more similar to that of the mainland? Could it overlap with the annual policy address and budget? And without detailed key performance indicators, might it become little more than a symbolic document? These concerns deserve a serious response. For Hong Kong, the purpose of a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3360529/hong-kongs-5-year-plan-will-shore-market-governance-and-vision https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3360529/hong-kongs-5-year-plan-will-shore-market-governance-and-vision Sun, 19 Jul 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Kate Chan Kate Chan While a score of seven points out of a maximum of 42 in Hong Kong’s Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams might seem low to some, for non-verbal student Tam Chun-yu it is a massive accomplishment, achieved by typing his answers with just one finger. At the Hong Kong Red Cross John F. Kennedy Centre, Tam, 20, was among candidates receiving their DSE results on Wednesday, securing level 2 passes in English, Chinese and information and communication technology (ICT), and a level 3 in Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3360716/dse-candidates-overcome-physical-challenges-achieve-hard-earned-results https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3360716/dse-candidates-overcome-physical-challenges-achieve-hard-earned-results Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:18:29 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Classrooms in prime office buildings may look like an odd fit. But Hong Kong’s economic situation makes the arrangement not only practical but mutually beneficial. Given that office and retail vacancies remain relatively high, and universities struggle to secure enough teaching space amid a boom in non-local enrolment, converting commercial premises into off-campus teaching facilities offers a rare alignment of interests and a win-win for both sectors. At least six universities in Hong Kong have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3360096/universities-buying-prime-hong-kong-property-win-both-sectors https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3360096/universities-buying-prime-hong-kong-property-win-both-sectors Sun, 12 Jul 2026 23:15:14 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu As Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1, the South China Morning Post talks to the city’s senior officials about the administration’s achievements so far and what may lie ahead. The first tender for the university town in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis will be launched in two months, with successful bidders to be announced after the site formation of the plot is completed by the end of this year, the education minister has revealed. Secretary for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3359486/hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-university-town-tender-launch-2-months https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3359486/hong-kongs-northern-metropolis-university-town-tender-launch-2-months Sun, 05 Jul 2026 23:30:12 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. In the article, “Hong Kong’s focus on rankings distorts universities’ true mission” (June 24), the author appears to suggest that the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) offers a more objective yardstick because it does not rely on self-reported data and subjective... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3359240/western-centric-university-rankings-overlook-asias-rise https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3359240/western-centric-university-rankings-overlook-asias-rise Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:30:05 +0000 Ningrong Liu Ningrong Liu The recent visit of Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, carried the task of accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. This is not another urban expansion, but a strategic test of whether Hong Kong can reinvent its role in the nation’s innovation landscape. At its core, the Northern Metropolis bears a dual mission. For Hong Kong, it must become a growth engine, creating a third curve of development, beyond finance and real estate, by nurturing original... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3358157/how-northern-metropolis-university-town-can-deliver-innovation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3358157/how-northern-metropolis-university-town-can-deliver-innovation Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong The Hong Kong University Students’ Union publication Undergrad, founded more than 70 years ago and one of the city’s longest-running campus news outlets, has ceased operations after failing to recruit enough members to form a new editorial board. In a statement on Sunday, the student union’s 2025 editorial committee said it had twice attempted since last September to recruit members for this year’s board, but in vain. As a result, the publication stopped operating with immediate effect. “Today,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3358670/hku-student-publication-undergrad-shuts-down-after-74-years-amid-recruitment-woes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3358670/hku-student-publication-undergrad-shuts-down-after-74-years-amid-recruitment-woes Sun, 28 Jun 2026 15:43:39 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The global higher education landscape has shifted markedly over the past five years, with universities across Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and mainland China, climbing international rankings while more than 70 per cent of US institutions slipped, a South China Morning Post analysis has found. UK-based education data firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) said the trend signalled that excellence in higher education was no longer dominated by a handful of Western countries, attributing the improved... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3358602/why-are-hong-kong-mainland-china-universities-gaining-ground-global-rankings https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3358602/why-are-hong-kong-mainland-china-universities-gaining-ground-global-rankings Sat, 27 Jun 2026 09:37:33 +0000 Jess Ma,Kristen Cheung Jess Ma,Kristen Cheung Hong Kong’s leader has announced that a public consultation for the final policy address of his current term will begin on Monday, with the exercise also set to gauge views on the city’s first five-year plan. After meeting tertiary education leaders to discuss the plan, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Thursday that the consultation would start next week. “The consultation will collect opinions on both the five-year plan and the policy address, with the government to organise and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3358291/john-lee-begin-public-consultation-terms-final-policy-address-monday https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3358291/john-lee-begin-public-consultation-terms-final-policy-address-monday Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:12:32 +0000