Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin (right) poses for a photo with Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek (left) after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on education cooperation on Aug 17, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The Education Bureau on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan to enhance education collaboration between the two places.

The MoU was signed by Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin and Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek, according to a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government statement.

Choi said the agreement showed the HKSAR government’s efforts in strengthening educational ties and exchanges with the Belt and Road countries and commitment to developing Hong Kong into a regional education hub

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"The MoU marks an important milestone in the partnership between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan in the field of education. We have signed 10 MoUs with countries along the Belt and Road to date," Choi was quoted as saying in the statement.

She said the agreement showed the HKSAR government’s efforts in strengthening educational ties and exchanges with the Belt and Road countries and commitment to developing Hong Kong into a regional education hub.

“I am confident that the MoU will further strengthen education interflow and collaboration between the two places," Choi added.

According to the statement, the MoU provides for a framework to facilitate strategic education collaboration between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan and covers mutually beneficial initiatives, including the exchange of expertise and experience; exchange of educational literature, teaching aids and demonstration materials; and exchanges of scholars, teachers, experts, students and other education personnel.

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After the signing of the MOU, Choi met Kazakh students studying in the University Grants Committee-funded universities to learn about their school life in Hong Kong and encouraged them to stay in in the city for career development after graduation.

She said that the government will continue to implement measures to attract outstanding non-local students to pursue their studies in Hong Kong.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin (center) and Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek (third right) meet Kazakh students studying in Hong Kong universities after the signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding on education cooperation on Aug 17, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The EDB has been offering the Belt and Road scholarships since the 2016 to encourage outstanding students from designated Belt and Road countries and regions to pursue undergraduate studies in Hong Kong.

After the signing of the MoU, up to 10 scholarships will be offered annually to students from Kazakhstan starting from the 2024/2025 academic year.