New | The woman behind Hong Kong's big push to drive technological innovation
Fanny Law wants a cultural shift in the city to get young people to consider science as a career instead of the traditional emphasis on banking and finance
Hong Kong’s investors and young people need to be more open to opportunities in science to help boost the sector in the city, according to the chairperson of Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP).
“In Hong Kong, we do have issues of culture, because traditionally our investors, businesses, have thrived very well on financial services and also property,” Law said, “They bring in huge profits and even more quickly, so the incentive to invest in science and technology is probably not there.”
Another hurdle is that although children in Hong Kong perform well in science and maths against their international peers, parents still favour careers in investment banking over a research lab, according to Law.
“We have to work in parallel, we cannot just try to talk parents into allowing their children to go into science without at the same time letting them see very clearly what the career path is,” Law said of the government’s responsibility to guide the growth of a vibrant science industry in the city.