SED leads university delegation to visit Xi'an (with photos)
10.10.2023

The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (October 10) concluded her visit to Xi'an. During the tour, she led a university delegation to attend the University Alliance of the Silk Road Forum 2023, a meeting to promote co-operation between higher education institutions of Hong Kong and Central Asia, and a seminar on admission of Mainland students to Hong Kong's higher education institutions. They also visited various education units to learn about the latest local education development. Dr Choi led the delegation to attend the University Alliance of the Silk Road Forum 2023 on the morning of October 8, and conducted exchanges with leaders of various organisations and representatives of over 50 universities from 21 countries or regions on the topics of education-industry integration and innovative talent cultivation; digital technology and innovative practices in higher education; and education collaboration under the Belt and Road initiative towards the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. They also attended a meeting to conduct exchanges on the fostering of closer co-operation between higher education institutions of Hong Kong and Central Asia. Dr Choi said that the Government is committed to developing Hong Kong as a regional education hub. Leveraging the distinctive advantages of enjoying the Mainland's strong support and being closely connected to the world, the Government hopes to attract global academic talent to pursue further studies and develop a career in Hong Kong. The city boasts a multitude of world-class higher education institutions, with five universities ranking top 100 in world university rankings, making Hong Kong one of the world's most concentrated places of top universities. The Government has also capitalised on the opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative and established the Belt and Road Scholarship to encourage outstanding non-local students to pursue further studies in Hong Kong. On the same afternoon, Dr Choi and the delegation visited iHARBOUR, which was jointly established by the Ministry of Education and the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government, to learn about the latest development of the national advanced technologies. Later, they attended a seminar on admission of Mainland students to Hong Kong's higher education institutions and exchanged views on admission work and support provided to Mainland students. They also met Hong Kong students studying at Xi'an Jiaotong University to understand their learning and daily lives. In addition, Dr Choi yesterday (October 9) called on the Director-General of the Department of Education of Shaanxi Province, Mr Wang Shusheng, to discuss educational issues of mutual interest. She also visited Changqing No.8 High School to exchange views with its leaders and learn about its fine arts education. Today, Dr Choi called on representatives of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government to discuss further promotion of education exchanges and co-operation between Shaanxi and Hong Kong. Dr Choi and the delegation will return to Hong Kong tomorrow morning (October 11).