With Asia rising as an economic super power, Hong Kong is emerging as a prime education destination. Aparna Sundaresan introduces you to the region
Enclosed by the vast expanse of China and washed by the waters of the South China Sea is the autonomous and special administrative region of Hong Kong. Known as the melting pot of the East and the West and as the land of ample business opportunities, Hong Kong is today being recognised as a world-class higher education destination.
A Brief Background
Hong Kong was a colony under the British Empire for over a hundred years, from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s. Therefore, although Cantonese is the local language, English is one of the official languages.
Hong Kong and China function under the principle of “one country, two systems”. Hong Kong has its own laws, judiciary, government and immigration policies. This means the country is not bound to China’s communist system.
ÔHong Kong is economically healthy and stable. The Hong Kong dollar is the eighth most traded currency in the world.
What Hong Kong Offers Students
Highly-rated universities that offer internationally recognised degrees in a variety of subjects. For years, Hong Kong mirrored the UK system of education with three-year undergraduate degrees, but it internationalised the system in 2012, rolling out four-year degrees instead.
Contrary to popular perceptions, most courses at universities are taught in English. Although, if you do want to learn Cantonese or even Mandarin, that is possible too.
Hong Kong is the gateway to China as the mainland is just a train ride away. Some universities allow foreign students to study in Beijing or Shanghai for a year or two.
After graduating, foreign students are allowed to stay back and work in Hong Kong. The government issues work visas even if the student does not have an offer of employment, provided the student applies within six months of graduating.
The student body is diverse and international. Local students are friendly and hospitable and more than eager to show foreign students around.
Living in Hong Kong : The Pros and Cons
The standard of living is high, so the quality of amenities is good. Unfortunately, this means housing is exceptionally expensive, but fret not: many of the universities’ student accommodations are cheap and located in prime areas.
The public transport system is excellent. Buses, minibuses, taxis, trains, trams – there are numerous ways to go from one place to another. The train is the fastest way to travel and is cheap. The taxis too are not very expensive.
There is much to eat and discover in Hong Kong. Cantonese cuisine is easy to come by and sample, what with several restaurants all over the region. Cheap yet quality meals are available aplenty. Vegetarians might be apprehensive about eating out, but there are a surprising number of vegan restaurants. These are, however, expensive.
A lesser known aspect of Hong Kong is that most of its landscape is covered by national parks which offer many outdoor sporting opportunities like cycling, trekking, hiking and rock climbing.
Where to Study
Hong Kong has eight government-funded universities that accept international students
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
As one of Hong Kong’s youngest universities, HKUST has made a name for itself in research. It is often ranked the second best university in Hong Kong. Its campus is an impressive 600,000 square metres in size in the scenic environs of Clear Water Bay. All the balconies and walkways of HKUST provide a breathtaking view of the South China Sea.
Best Subjects: Business and Management, Engineering, Pure Science
City University of Hong Kong (CITYU)
From its humble beginnings of just nine academic programmes and less than 1000 students, CityU has come a long way, especially in recent years, to become an internationally recognised university. Its campus, situated in Kowloon, is known for the facilities and services it offers students, from academic to recreational. CityU places importance on innovative teaching and holistic learning.
Best Subjects: Linguistics, Statistics
The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIED)
HKIEd is known for its teacher training courses. Formed by the merger of five colleges, it is the only Hong Kong university dedicated to teacher education which it does in concert with related social science and humanities subjects. It has plans to expand to a full-fledged university, but as of now, only its teacher training programmes are recognised.
Best Subjects: Early Childhood Education, Education Policy and Leadership
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
The oldest and most famous university of Hong Kong, HKU is recognised internationally as a quality university and is consistently ranked as the top university in Asia. HKU has the largest international student body and receives maximum funding from the Hong Kong government. It is the only university situated in Hong Kong island, the nerve centre of Hong Kong.
Best Subjects: Engineering, Auctorial Science, Medicine, Mathematics, Law
The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIED)
HKIEd is known for its teacher training courses. Formed by the merger of five colleges, it is the only Hong Kong universitydedicated to teacher education which it does in concert with related social science and humanities subjects. It has plans to expand to a full-fledged university, but as of now, only its teacher training programmes are recognised.
Best Subjects: Early Childhood Education, Education Policy and Leadership
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (POLYU)
The largest government-funded university in terms of student population, PolyU has forged links with businesses and industries to emphasise a workplace learning experience. PolyU is often recruiters’ choice of institute to pick graduates from. It has a 1200+ strong international staff of professors and offers more than 170 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Many of these courses are unique to PolyU on account of its industrial connection.
Best Subjects: Engineering, Social Sciences, Accounting, Business and Management
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
Hong Kong’s second oldest university, HKBU’s education policy is deeply rooted
in Christian heritage. It has a dual focus of education and research which secured it the 13th place among all Asian universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2011. HKBU is the only Hong Kong university to have founded a university in mainland China – the Beijing Normal University.
Best Subjects: Chinese Medicine, Social Sciences
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
Although another research-based institute, CUHK is known for the sheer number of courses it offers and its flexible degree structure. It is the second oldest university in Hong Kong. Its courses are taught in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. CUHK is the only Hong Kong university that has Nobel Prize Laureates serving as its professors. It has a collegiate system of functioning and has nine colleges under its umbrella, all differing in their history and character and retaining independence in their day-to-day affairs.
Best Subjects: Mathematics, Physical Science, Engineering, Business and Management
Lingnan University (LU)
LU is Hong Kong’s only liberal arts university and its curriculum stresses on service-based learning. Though its student body is small, LU gives its students international exposure through exchange programmes. LU guarantees campus accommodation for all international students throughout their studies and thus has the highest residential rate of all higher education institutes in Hong Kong.
Best Subjects: Visual Studies, Social Sciences
Volume 2 Issue 8
