https://www.scmp.com/rss/519522/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com William Yiu William Yiu The reserves of Hong Kong’s largest international school group have more than tripled to HK$3.75 billion (US$480.8 million) in over a decade, even as it taps different income sources to offset shrinking government subsidies, the South China Morning Post has found by reviewing the organisation’s annual reports. The English Schools Foundation (ESF) also said in its annual report for the 2024-25 academic year that it expected increased competition for students and it would modernise its marketing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351498/esf-reserves-reach-hk375-billion-even-government-subsidies-shrink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351498/esf-reserves-reach-hk375-billion-even-government-subsidies-shrink?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:30:09 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu For the first time, all eight Hong Kong public universities have been ranked among the top 100 in a widely watched Asian league table, with the city’s two oldest tertiary institutions ranking among the region’s top 10. Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer of Times Higher Education (THE), also highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a world-leading education hub, noting it remained the only metropolis with as many as five universities listed in the global top 100 since 2024, an achievement he said no... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351201/all-hong-kong-public-universities-make-asian-league-table-top-100-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3351201/all-hong-kong-public-universities-make-asian-league-table-top-100-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:02:58 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu At least five Hong Kong universities have backed the government’s proposal to launch study tours aimed at attracting non-local secondary students to pursue higher education in the city, with programmes featuring topics such as AI. The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the city’s oldest tertiary institution, said it would offer up to 35 programmes this summer, giving outstanding non-local students a chance to earn full scholarships. In this year’s government budget, education authorities said they... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3344975/hong-kong-universities-back-ai-themed-study-tours-woo-non-local-students?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3344975/hong-kong-universities-back-ai-themed-study-tours-woo-non-local-students?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:00:41 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities are open to supporting universities in issuing bonds to fund the development of the proposed University Town in the Northern Metropolis, with lawmakers calling for a dedicated approval and credit rating mechanism. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po told a meeting of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee on Thursday the issuance of a “tertiary education bond” to support the University Town’s construction would be considered. The University Town, which will include the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3344766/authorities-open-backing-universities-issuing-bonds-fund-megaproject-campuses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3344766/authorities-open-backing-universities-issuing-bonds-fund-megaproject-campuses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:43:54 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong public universities had more than 20,000 non-local undergraduate students in the second academic year since the government doubled quotas, a 17 per cent year-on-year increase, as the education minister promised to review the threshold. The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) saw the sharpest increase in non-local undergraduate students under the policy, jumping by 90 per cent over three academic years, followed by Baptist University. Starting in the 2024-25 academic year, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3343576/how-many-non-local-students-are-going-hong-kong-universities-quota-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3343576/how-many-non-local-students-are-going-hong-kong-universities-quota-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:01:59 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A mainland Chinese student has been jailed for three months in Hong Kong for paying an impostor to take an English proficiency test in Cambodia on her behalf and submitting the results to a local university to meet graduation requirements. Tuen Mun Court on Monday ruled that a community service order would not help Huang Xinyi turn over a new leaf after a probation officer’s testimony about her “distorted values” and “deep-rooted disregard” for academic honesty. Magistrate David Chum Yau-fong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3342068/mainland-chinese-student-jailed-3-months-hiring-imposter-take-toefl-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3342068/mainland-chinese-student-jailed-3-months-hiring-imposter-take-toefl-test?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 06:34:27 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye City University of Hong Kong has bought an office property in Kowloon for HK$1.96 billion (US$252 million), joining a growing list of educational institutions buying office assets amid depressed prices as the city’s office market shows early signs of stabilising. CityU Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the university, has acquired the low-rise office block at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong from Singapore-based Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust. The agreement was signed on December 10, with... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338488/cityu-joins-ranks-schools-snapping-hong-kong-offices-festival-walk-buy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3338488/cityu-joins-ranks-schools-snapping-hong-kong-offices-festival-walk-buy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 06:52:02 +0000 Edith Lin,Vivian Au Edith Lin,Vivian Au Ambiguous rules, lax supervision and uncoordinated policies involving at least four departments are among some deep-rooted problems contributing to the inferno that killed 160 residents in Hong Kong, analysts have said, as the Post reviewed what went wrong. Some industry insiders also questioned whether housing authorities, who oversee a lesser-known independent checking unit, should have played a bigger role in supervising the renovation of Wang Fuk Court, a subsidised housing estate in Tai Po,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336287/hong-kong-inferno-exposes-regulatory-silos-lax-oversight-who-accountable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336287/hong-kong-inferno-exposes-regulatory-silos-lax-oversight-who-accountable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin,Susan Su Edith Lin,Susan Su Hundreds of property owners in Hong Kong are grappling with uncertainties after 28 private buildings and estates were ordered to suspend renovation work carried out by a contractor linked to the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court and two other firms. Residents at three of the estates told the Post they had already spent millions of Hong Kong dollars on the projects and were now uncertain whether the work was proper or how long the delay would last, with some struggling to choose a new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335249/residents-hong-kong-estates-where-renovation-work-suspended-wonder-what-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335249/residents-hong-kong-estates-where-renovation-work-suspended-wonder-what-next?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:30:19 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin As Hong Kong mourns the victims of the deadly Tai Po blaze and questions emerge on accountability, experts have called for much tighter supervision of building maintenance and fire safety by authorities to hold relevant parties responsible so that future tragedies can be averted. They gave this assessment as the government set up an interdepartmental task force to probe Wednesday’s fire, including the cause, the reasons it spread so quickly and the factors leading to the heavy casualties. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334643/what-are-right-lessons-hong-kongs-worst-fire-7-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334643/what-are-right-lessons-hong-kongs-worst-fire-7-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Edith Lin,Leopold Chen Edith Lin,Leopold Chen Systemic failings around supervision of building maintenance in Hong Kong, and a lack of coordination between departments charged with ensuring it is done properly, both needed to be addressed to prevent tragedies such as the Tai Po fire happening again, experts and sector representatives have said. The regulation of polystyrene foam boards was particularly important, they added, with the preliminary investigation into the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court finding that the fire started on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334582/hong-kong-construction-clampdown-needed-after-fire-industry-must-act-too-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334582/hong-kong-construction-clampdown-needed-after-fire-industry-must-act-too-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin,Vivian Au Edith Lin,Vivian Au Beatrice Mok* and her husband have mixed feelings about moving out of their crumbling old tenement building in To Kwa Wan, a Hong Kong district they have lived in for around four decades. The couple, both in their sixties, are finding the thought of bidding farewell to their quiet waterfront neighbourhood, dubbed the “five streets”, hard but the trek up the stairs of their eight-storey building, as well as dealing with bits of falling concrete and water leakage in their flat, also leaves them... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332551/good-deal-all-can-hong-kong-urban-renewal-bodys-payout-review-fix-problems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332551/good-deal-all-can-hong-kong-urban-renewal-bodys-payout-review-fix-problems?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:30:18 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li With more than six decades of experience, veteran tailor Benny Woo has dressed some of Hong Kong’s most prominent figures, including tycoon Li Ka-shing and Cantopop star Andy Lau Tak-wah. The 77-year-old, who has decided to close his eponymous street-level shop in Sheung Wan by the end of the month, has also witnessed how the city’s once-booming, world-famous tailoring industry has gradually waned amid changing fashion trends and disappearing shoppers. “Business used to be great. Managerial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332003/it-used-be-great-suit-maker-recounts-rise-and-fall-hong-kong-tailoring-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332003/it-used-be-great-suit-maker-recounts-rise-and-fall-hong-kong-tailoring-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 01:00:44 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Seven of Hong Kong’s eight publicly funded universities have admitted a smaller proportion of students who took the local school curriculum over the past decade, while increasing their intake of those who sat international exams, official statistics show. The only one institution to buck the trend is the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where the proportion of local students who sat the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) has increased during the same period. The Post analysed the latest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3330330/non-local-exams-rise-hong-kong-public-universities-admit-fewer-dse-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3330330/non-local-exams-rise-hong-kong-public-universities-admit-fewer-dse-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 01:00:21 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The debut ranking of Hong Kong’s largest teacher training institution in the top 10 per cent of universities worldwide fosters better self-awareness, its president has said, while stressing the school is defined by more than the rating. Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) president John Lee Chi-kin told the Post in an exclusive interview that the institution took part in the ranking exercise by the prominent British publication, Times Higher Education, following the suggestions of some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3330293/debut-ranking-top-10-globally-boosts-self-awareness-hong-kongs-eduhk-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3330293/debut-ranking-top-10-globally-boosts-self-awareness-hong-kongs-eduhk-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 10:00:25 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The number of international first-year students at Hong Kong’s public universities remained below pre-pandemic levels in the last academic year despite the government doubling quotas for non-locals, with an admissions official saying Singapore has emerged as a growing education powerhouse. The official from a local university also said some overseas students preferred to study in Singapore over Hong Kong because the city state’s strong rankings reflected its educational status. In Hong Kong,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328660/hong-kong-fight-foreign-university-students-singapore-emerges-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328660/hong-kong-fight-foreign-university-students-singapore-emerges-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 01:00:17 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial As the only city in the world with five universities among the global top 100, Hong Kong has long cemented its leading position in higher education in the region. It has scaled new heights with a record six institutes in the latest world top 200 ranking by Times Higher Education, further reinforcing its aspiration to become an international study and talent hub. The Education University of Hong Kong is to be commended for attaining the 195th spot for its first appearance in the list, while the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328491/hong-kongs-universities-go-strength-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328491/hong-kongs-universities-go-strength-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 23:15:13 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Six Hong Kong institutions have been listed among the world’s top 200 universities, a record for the city, with the British compiler of the table attributing their higher rankings to increased investments in research and staffing. The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the city’s oldest, rose from 35th to 33rd place, the highest among all the local institutions, while the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) registered the biggest jump, moving from 66th to 58th. Renowned British... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328255/6-hong-kong-universities-set-new-record-global-top-200?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328255/6-hong-kong-universities-set-new-record-global-top-200?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Nepali-Hongkonger Gurung has been on the job market for four months and feels he is hitting a dead end. He has been in Hong Kong for more than three decades, but this is his worst stretch of being unemployed, the fifty-something said. After losing his construction job in June this year, Gurung, who uses his surname as the name by which his friends address him, found himself competing in a market where he felt increasingly disadvantaged. At his last project at the airport earlier this year, he... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3327292/why-hong-kongs-tightened-imported-labour-rules-still-rankle-local-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3327292/why-hong-kongs-tightened-imported-labour-rules-still-rankle-local-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Joyce Yip Joyce Yip This summer’s barrage of severe rainstorms and typhoons wreaked havoc at Kit-ching’s farm. She had planned for a break in August, the honeymoon period between sowing and harvest, but toppled trees, collapsed fences and upheaved topsoil would cost her weeks, if not more, of repairs. “I can’t keep up with climate change,” she says. “Thankfully, most of the crops I planted 10 years ago have developed strong, deep roots to brave these tropical storms. The new seedlings don’t stand a chance.” A... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3326993/can-nam-chung-village-hong-kong-survive-amid-climate-change-and-urban-sprawl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3326993/can-nam-chung-village-hong-kong-survive-amid-climate-change-and-urban-sprawl?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 11:15:10 +0000 Edith Lin,Vivian Au Edith Lin,Vivian Au A flooded hotel lobby and promenades engulfed by seas whipped up as Super Typhoon Ragasa bore down on Hong Kong provide timely lessons for urban planning in coastal and other low-lying areas, experts have said. They called for flood-resilient features and higher breakwaters on Wednesday after a storm surge and downpours associated with Ragasa battered the city’s coastline, inundating streets and promenades. Storm surges flooded restaurants, parks and even the lobby of the 425-room Fullerton... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326742/lessons-ragasa-lashing-hong-kong-coastal-areas-must-be-learned-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326742/lessons-ragasa-lashing-hong-kong-coastal-areas-must-be-learned-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong building owners could incur millions of dollars in costs and require a year to repair glass curtain walls damaged by storms, experts have said, as Super Typhoon Ragasa sparks safety concerns with its potential record wind speeds. The Observatory warned on Monday that Ragasa could pose a “considerably larger” threat than Super Typhoon Mangkhut, which resulted in at least 500 cases of smashed windows or glass curtain walls in 2018. Building experts said on Monday that owners and property... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326437/hong-kong-could-incur-millions-building-repairs-typhoon-damage-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326437/hong-kong-could-incur-millions-building-repairs-typhoon-damage-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Ninety-four-year-old Lo King-fai introduced himself as a Hong Kong fighter in the war of resistance when President Xi Jinping shook his hand at the Victory Day military parade in Beijing. “I told President Xi that I was a veteran of the war of resistance from Hong Kong,” he said proudly in an interview with the Post. The Chinese president smiled and acknowledged the veteran by calling him “an old hero”. Lo was part of a 360-strong city delegation to Beijing that attended celebrations marking the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324390/who-94-year-old-hong-kong-war-veteran-who-shook-hands-president-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324390/who-94-year-old-hong-kong-war-veteran-who-shook-hands-president-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the effects of the conflict and its aftermath, and how they continue to affect China’s place in the world. In the third part of a series, the Post looks at Hong Kong’s experience and one veteran’s call for the people’s sacrifices to be remembered. Lam Chun witnessed the brutality of war up close in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong when she was just eight years... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3323729/keeping-light-shining-dark-days-japanese-occupation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3323729/keeping-light-shining-dark-days-japanese-occupation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:30:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Amid intense superpower tech rivalry, it’s somewhat comforting that there are still neutral events where global talent can learn and compete with each other in a friendly and productive environment. One such major event is the annual Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, held in Santa Clara, California, earlier this month. It aims to showcase cutting-edge inventions from around the world and connect inventors with manufacturers, commercial agents, investors and promoters. It’s a place... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322122/hong-kongs-tech-talent-tomorrow-shines-amid-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322122/hong-kongs-tech-talent-tomorrow-shines-amid-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 22:45:12 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong has achieved record-breaking success at a US technology innovation event, securing 27 gold medals, 16 silver and eight special prizes. The innovation team from Lingnan University emerged as the biggest winner among the 50-strong delegation from eight institutions in its debut at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, held in Santa Clara, California, from Friday to Sunday last week. It received 13 awards – eight gold medals and five prizes spanning fields such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3321566/hong-kong-universities-shine-silicon-valley-tech-festival-record-51-awards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3321566/hong-kong-universities-shine-silicon-valley-tech-festival-record-51-awards?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 08:09:58 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Ambrose Li Elizabeth Cheung,Ambrose Li Hong Kong researchers are developing a rapid test for chikungunya fever that they hope will detect the mosquito-borne disease at an earlier stage, as part of the city’s efforts to harness technology to combat the public health risk. Ricky Chiu Yin-to, founder and CEO of biotechnology company Phase Scientific, said on Monday that his team was working to develop a rapid blood test that could yield results in 10 to 15 minutes. The product, which uses blood from a finger prick, aims to detect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321465/hong-kong-biotech-firm-races-develop-chikungunya-fever-test-early-detection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321465/hong-kong-biotech-firm-races-develop-chikungunya-fever-test-early-detection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:05:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft In the second of a two-part series on Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups, Connor Mycroft looks at deep-rooted problems still dragging down these communities despite improvements in education and income levels. Read part one here. Pakistani Humza Ejaz moved to Hong Kong four months ago, optimistic that he would find a good job and start a new life with his wife and newborn daughter. Equipped with a master’s degree in information technology and about eight years’ experience with multinational... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319336/no-cantonese-no-career-can-hong-kong-do-more-help-ethnic-minority-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319336/no-cantonese-no-career-can-hong-kong-do-more-help-ethnic-minority-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s Lingnan University has acquired commercial assets in a residential building in New Territories, joining a number of schools and universities that have snapped up real estate assets amid a slump in values. The university bought the shopping arcade, ground floor shops and a car park in the T-Plus residential tower for about HK$120 million (US$15.3 million), a 40 per cent discount to the asking price of HK$200 million, according to agents. The asset has a total gross area of 39,228 sq... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318300/hong-kongs-lingnan-university-buys-t-plus-assets-40-discount-amid-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318300/hong-kongs-lingnan-university-buys-t-plus-assets-40-discount-amid-property-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:24:25 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s South Lantau ecotourism plans could be reduced to property projects that threaten the environment if authorities fail to set clear guidelines, green groups and academics have warned ahead of Wednesday’s deadline for developers to express their interest. Greenpeace, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, seven other groups and an academic also said on Wednesday that the government’s approach, which includes allowing developers to propose ecotourism projects with residential... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316680/hong-kongs-south-lantau-ecotourism-plan-may-harm-environment-green-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316680/hong-kongs-south-lantau-ecotourism-plan-may-harm-environment-green-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:55:17 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong’s public universities will push to enrol more “quality overseas students” to ensure greater diversity on campuses, a minister has said, after mainland Chinese candidates made up more than 70 per cent of their first-year, non-local undergraduates in the 2024-25 academic year. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said that four local universities had sent 36 offers to those affected by the United States’ recent policy changes for international students, noting they had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3316549/hong-kong-public-universities-seek-more-top-notch-overseas-students-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3316549/hong-kong-public-universities-seek-more-top-notch-overseas-students-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:13 +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, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Hong Kong launched a city-level Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) in 2016, which is now due for an update. The two-month public... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3316093/precious-public-input-needed-protect-hong-kongs-biodiversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3316093/precious-public-input-needed-protect-hong-kongs-biodiversity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Over the past month, one of the biggest hit streaming shows globally has been a fictional drama about a young man who plots revenge after his family is murdered. The made-in-China historical fantasy is the latest major production to showcase the growing international influence of one of the country’s fastest growing cultural exports – storytelling. In the week after its May 18 debut, Legend of Zang Hai topped multiple overseas rankings in 15 regions, including the No 1 spot on Disney+ in Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3316205/palace-intrigue-conquers-global-screens-are-c-dramas-chinas-new-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3316205/palace-intrigue-conquers-global-screens-are-c-dramas-chinas-new-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 22:00:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial University rankings are increasingly important for students, institutions and communities. Hong Kong’s aspirations to become an international education hub just got a huge boost from the rise of six of the city’s public universities in one global ranking. It is also encouraging that UK-based education information firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) credited a new “Study in Hong Kong” brand for putting the city on track to draw more global talent and cement its academic reputation. The latest QS world... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3315415/study-hong-kong-brand-boosted-rise-world-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3315415/study-hong-kong-brand-boosted-rise-world-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 22:15:16 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Six public universities in Hong Kong have risen in a global ranking, with the city’s oldest jumping to 11th place and beating two prestigious mainland Chinese institutions. Britain-based education information firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) said the city’s new “Study in Hong Kong” brand should help it attract global talent and cement its reputation as a premier academic destination amid the government’s funding cuts. The latest edition of QS’ world rankings, released on Thursday, saw the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3314972/6-public-universities-hong-kong-rise-global-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3314972/6-public-universities-hong-kong-rise-global-rankings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:01:07 +0000 Kawala Xie,Laura Zhou Kawala Xie,Laura Zhou Newly elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has signalled a desire to ease tensions with North Korea, halting propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the border – and turning to China for support. In a 30-minute phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, six days after taking office, Lee urged China to play a “constructive role” in the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. Xi responded that China would make efforts to resolve the issue, saying that peace and stability on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314456/lee-jae-myung-turns-china-ease-north-korea-tensions-will-beijing-take-sides?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314456/lee-jae-myung-turns-china-ease-north-korea-tensions-will-beijing-take-sides?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 01:00:26 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Two former and two current student union committee members of Lingnan University in Hong Kong have been arrested for allegedly stealing nearly HK$1 million (US$127,450) to pay off credit card bills and personal loans, as well as to fund investment accounts. Police said on Thursday that they were considering freezing the accounts of two students to trace the union’s funds. The force added it must keep the informant’s identity confidential when asked if Lingnan University had reported the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3313130/4-lingnan-university-students-hong-kong-arrested-over-hk1-million-theft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3313130/4-lingnan-university-students-hong-kong-arrested-over-hk1-million-theft?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:27:29 +0000 Hong Kong public universities have pressed ahead with efforts to admit more non-local students after authorities doubled their intake limits, with one institution saying the number of first-year undergraduates it has from outside the city has risen by nearly 200 per cent. The University Grants Committee (UGC), which allocates funds to local tertiary education institutions, said efforts to admit more non-local students would be gradual and take into account each university’s capacity. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3276702/universities-hong-kong-welcome-more-non-local-students-after-city-doubles-intake-limit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3276702/universities-hong-kong-welcome-more-non-local-students-after-city-doubles-intake-limit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:30:12 +0000 The average annual salary of university graduates in Hong Kong last year hit HK$314,000 (US$40,213), a 3.6 per cent jump on 2022, but the smallest increase since 2021. Graduates from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) remained the top earners among the eight publicly-funded institutions, with an average salary of HK$385,000 a year and the lowest unemployment rate at 1.2 per cent, it was revealed on Friday. The latest figures released by the University Grants Committee (UGC), which covered 20,773... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3273028/average-salary-hong-kong-graduates-last-year-smallest-amount-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3273028/average-salary-hong-kong-graduates-last-year-smallest-amount-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:46:54 +0000 Hong Kong’s subdivided homes, notorious for their poor living conditions, are set to be regulated after the city leader reviews a proposal to be issued by a cross-departmental task force next month. In the first of a three-part series, Vivian Au and Edith Lin look at how standards may be set and enforced. Hong Kong cleaner Yu Yu-fen makes her way up a makeshift flight of stairs and has to stoop to go through a passageway less than a metre high before arriving home. Her 40 sq ft space is the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3272134/hong-kong-aims-wipe-out-notorious-subdivided-flats-will-new-rules-help-or-hurt-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3272134/hong-kong-aims-wipe-out-notorious-subdivided-flats-will-new-rules-help-or-hurt-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 01:00:16 +0000 With China long established as the world’s factory, the United States has led a push to divert manufacturing and supply chains away from the world’s second-largest economy. In this three-part series, we look at whether the widely termed “China plus one” strategy is working for global manufacturers. At the Paris Olympics, all the cuisine will be French, but mass-produced goods from China will be everywhere, from cutting-edge sports equipment to dinky souvenirs. It is a grand summer stage on which... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3271872/paris-olympics-chinese-manufacturers-won-big-games-even-started?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3271872/paris-olympics-chinese-manufacturers-won-big-games-even-started?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 22:00:08 +0000 Hongkonger Lai Kwan-yi cannot study for long periods of time due to her spinal muscular atrophy, but the 19-year-old has not let that stop her from excelling in this year’s university entrance exams. Lai achieved a score of 25 marks in her best five subjects and a perfect 5** in Chinese for the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams, the results for which were released to about 49,000 candidates on Wednesday. “You should know your own goals and abilities – don’t just wait for others to give... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3270806/hong-kong-dse-students-special-education-needs-revel-exam-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3270806/hong-kong-dse-students-special-education-needs-revel-exam-results?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:00:38 +0000 It is natural for all organisations – commercial, NGOs, governments – to want to paint as positive an image of themselves and their activities as possible. In the business world, it can help draw customers and investors; for charities it can assist in attracting donations; for governments it can establish credibility which brings benefits in terms of smooth governance. But there can also be a downside. When the public relations effort is too good, it can create too rosy a picture. A company... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3270253/rosy-view-hong-kongs-finances-wont-prepare-people-fee-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3270253/rosy-view-hong-kongs-finances-wont-prepare-people-fee-hikes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Martin Choi Martin Choi The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (HKCGI) is launching an academy to elevate the standards of sustainability and corporate governance in the city through education, professional certification and events. HKCGI’s sustainability governance academy, launching on July 31, aims to promote sustainability-related advocacy, education and research, according to a pamphlet obtained by the Post. The academy will be open only to those who have passed the institute’s environmental, social and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3270152/hong-kong-institute-launch-sustainability-governance-academy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3270152/hong-kong-institute-launch-sustainability-governance-academy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jul 2024 01:29:24 +0000 Stephen McCarty Stephen McCarty It’s a kind of magic – not the 1980s stadium rock extravaganza type, more the movie-make-believe sort. “Editing is magic!” says Mary Stephen, Hong Kong-born film and documentary editor and the calibre of practitioner to whom the description “legendary” is frequently applied. Stephen is speaking on video, from her Paris home, about a long career spent almost entirely in the comparative dark, yet one without which numerous films and documentaries would be unrecognisable, as well as, undoubtedly,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3269339/hong-kong-director-who-became-eric-rohmers-editor-mary-stephen-life-film?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3269339/hong-kong-director-who-became-eric-rohmers-editor-mary-stephen-life-film?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 03:15:08 +0000 As the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation convenes this week in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to use the forum to renew calls for a multipolar global order amid heightened tensions with Western nations. The Central Asian economic and security alliance – established by China and Russia in 2001 – accounts for more than 40 per cent of the world’s population, and is on track to expand to 10 members this year with the addition of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269029/india-sending-message-chinas-show-narendra-modi-skips-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269029/india-sending-message-chinas-show-narendra-modi-skips-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:00:09 +0000 William Yiu,Tom Shuai William Yiu,Tom Shuai The average cost of nurturing an undergraduate student each year at public universities in Hong Kong has soared by 42 per cent over a decade, with each medical student costing as much as HK$578,000 (US$74,000) per year. The unit cost for medical and dental students is more than double that for those studying non-laboratory disciplines such as business, language, education and the social sciences. But several representatives in the education sector who spoke to the Post dismissed the idea of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267423/should-hong-kong-charge-higher-fees-more-expensive-university-courses-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267423/should-hong-kong-charge-higher-fees-more-expensive-university-courses-medicine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:30:13 +0000 Hong Kong students can easily cover an annual university tuition fee increase of about 5 per cent by taking up more part-time jobs, an academic turned lawmaker has said, dismissing the impact of the move on undergraduates. But a student representative on Thursday disagreed with lawmaker Lau Chi-pang, saying some of his peers would also have to support their families with their jobs on top of dealing with other expenses. Authorities announced tuition fees would rise by HK$2,400 (US$307) to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267356/not-big-problem-hong-kong-lawmaker-dismisses-impact-55-annual-university-fee-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267356/not-big-problem-hong-kong-lawmaker-dismisses-impact-55-annual-university-fee-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:33:11 +0000 University tuition fees in Hong Kong will rise by HK$2,400 (US$307) in 2025 and another HK$2,500 in each of the following two years after a nearly three-decade freeze, authorities have said, leading to an ultimate increase of 17.6 per cent. Eric Chan Kwok-ki, the city’s No 2 official, said on Thursday that the change was unrelated to the government’s deficit of more than HK$100 billion in the previous financial year and authorities had no plans for further fee increases. “Our target has nothing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267333/university-fees-hong-kong-rise-176-over-next-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3267333/university-fees-hong-kong-rise-176-over-next-3-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 05:11:25 +0000 Once considered a niche practice, performance art has firmly taken root in Hong Kong and is proving especially popular with younger audiences craving real-life interaction after years of enforced virtual living during the pandemic. This is despite Hong Kong’s new laws and political climate reducing the freedom of artists engaged in the often political art form, with practitioners in the city still finding room to express themselves in public. In Hong Kong, the history of performance art –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3266592/how-performance-art-thriving-hong-kong-despite-new-laws-and-political-climate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3266592/how-performance-art-thriving-hong-kong-despite-new-laws-and-political-climate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2024 09:15:09 +0000