Hong Kong must foster the global campuses of the future

Internationalisation in higher education has been garnering public attention recently, but what does it actually mean for undergraduates?

The global economy demands employees who can work comfortably together in multinational teams. It is critical that young people possess the tolerance and understanding of different perspectives to actively participate in whatever community they live or work in.

All eight of Hong Kong's publicly supported tertiary institutions have been making major efforts to encourage such attributes through, among other ways, international student exchanges that not only provide opportunities for young people to experience life abroad, but also bring greater diversity to campuses. More recently, enrolment from outside Hong Kong in full-time local undergraduate degree programmes has further raised awareness.

The moves are encouraged by the University Grants Committee. It raised the cap on the annual intake of non-local undergraduates (overseas and mainland) in first-year, first degree programmes from 4 per cent in 2003 to 20 per cent now.

While the move is a first step, achieving a balanced intake between mainland and overseas students requires more work. Non-local high school students, especially those from outside Asia, need to be made aware of what Hong Kong higher education has to offer. Student quality and geographical diversity must be maintained, and for internationalisation to work, students must be integrated into their host communities.

All this takes time. At the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, we have focused on campus integration. The university has set up "Living Learning Communities" in student residential halls, grouping together students from Hong Kong, the mainland or overseas according to their interest in, say, the arts or the environment, generating cross-cultural friendships and insights.