The Chairman of University Grants Committee (UGC), The Hon Mrs CHA, May Lung Laura, welcomed the announcement by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address on measures to attract outstanding non-local students to study in our higher education institutions, and to stay and work in Hong Kong.

"Having more non-local students in Hong Kong will increase the diversity of the student body. The presence of non-local students enhances cultural exchange, provides a more challenging and stimulating environment to local students, and widens their perspective. The benefit does not stop at university, but will allow Hong Kong to attract talent for our economy to prosper, and also cultivate invaluable long-term relationships among our future leaders in Hong Kong and in other places," Mrs Cha said.

"The measures announced in the Policy Address will attract more non-local students to come to study in UGC-funded institutions in Hong Kong. In this light, the provision of scholarships demonstrates government commitment to strengthening support to both local and non-local students and is a very welcome initiative. We also understand the need to ensure that the UGC-funded institutions are able to cope with the increased demand. The UGC will facilitate the UGC-funded institutions to draw up phasing plans for admitting the additional non-local students."

Mrs Cha said that the UGC looked forward to hearing further details from the Government about the measures, and would work in partnership with institutions on the implementation.

The Policy Address announced that to attract more outstanding students to study in Hong Kong, the Government would introduce a package of measures which included increasing the admission quotas for non-local students to local tertiary institutions, relaxing employment restrictions on non-local students, as well as providing scholarships to strengthen support to local and non-local students.

UGC Secretariat

10 October 2007