The inaugural Greater Bay Area Innovative Education Development Forum and the launch ceremony of the Hong Kong Advanced Talent Education Association (HKATEA) were successfully held on Friday in Tsim Sha Tsui, focusing on how to link government, schools, and talent families to provide educational and community support.
Organized by the Hong Kong Talent Development Foundation and co-organized by the China Tianjin-Hong Kong-Macao General Chamber of Commerce, the event brought together policy advisors, university leaders, primary and secondary school principals, media representatives, and talent families to explore how Hong Kong can retain top talent through enhanced education and social integration support services.
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Legislative Council member Chan Cho-kwong noted that the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan and Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan have clearly laid out the city's development directions in education, talent, and technology.
"Today's launch ceremony serves as clear support for Hong Kong's talent initiatives, namely attracting and nurturing talent, and bolstering the comprehensive support systems behind them," he said.
President of Hong Kong Talent Development Foundation, Zheng Feng, said that since its establishment in 2023, the HKATEA has been committed to building an innovative educational platform that bridges premium educational resources between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.
"The most difficult part of education has never been explaining a knowledge point, but seeing every individual as a person," Zheng emphasized.
He added that by connecting talent through education, the association aims to bridge information gaps, offer community support, and empower the younger generation through mentorship programs.
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Moreover, to make information more accessible to newly arrived families, an inauguration ceremony was held at the event for the "Hong Kong One-Stop Information Mini Store”.
Zheng stated that the launch of the Mini Store responds to the SAR government's "Study in Hong Kong" initiative. "Policy and educational information will no longer rely solely on verbal briefings. Instead, physical materials are provided for everyone to pick up according to their needs," he said.
Plans are underway to expand this one-stop display stand to the mainland and various partner venues, allowing interested families to directly access comprehensive information on Hong Kong's education and policies, Zheng added.
On the education front, the former Secretary for Education in the Hong Kong Government, Eddie Ng Hak-kim, highlighted Hong Kong's top-tier global educational competitiveness, its diverse array of international schools, and the unique advantages of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, which is recognized by more than 1,000 universities worldwide.
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Dion Chen, principal of Ying Wa College and vice-chairman of the Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, advised parents to help their children prepare early for language transitions and curriculum differences.
Regarding career prospects at Hong Kong higher education institutions, Laura Lo Shuen, associate vice-president of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, illustrated the unique strengths of local universities. She described them as both "aspiring for excellence and grounded in practical impact”.
"On one hand, our universities rank among the world's best with outstanding scientific research; on the other, every institution strives to integrate with industries to provide students with internships and credit-bearing workplace experiences," Lo added.
Contact the writer at yancyfang@chinadailyhk.com
