Hong Kong's higher education system has achieved remarkable success in the 2027 QS World University Rankings, with five institutions placing among the world's top 100 and two entering the top 20 for the first time. The University of Hong Kong held steady at 11th, while The Chinese University of Hong Kong rose 14 places to 18th, marking Hong Kong's highest-ever representation in the top tier. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology climbed to 33rd, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University entered the top 50 at 50th, and City University of Hong Kong improved to 52nd.
According to QS, Hong Kong is "Asia's most improved higher education system for the second consecutive year" and the second most improved globally among systems with three or more ranked universities. This achievement aligns with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's strategic goal of developing the city into an education hub.
A spokesman for the Education Bureau attributed the success to the government's steadfast investment in education and support through the University Grants Committee. Policy measures such as raising the admission ceiling for non-local students in taught programmes to 50% and increasing over-enrolment for research postgraduate places to 120% have bolstered internationalization. The government is also promoting the "Study in Hong Kong" brand, with the Task Force on Study in Hong Kong expanding outreach on the Chinese Mainland and overseas, including through the Belt and Road Scholarship.
The strong performance extends beyond QS rankings. In the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings, 20 subjects from Hong Kong universities placed in the global top 10. Notably, CUHK, HKU, and The Education University of Hong Kong swept the top three spots for "Education and Educational Research." These results underscore the city's prowess in talent cultivation and academic research.
The Education Bureau spokesman emphasized that the rankings reflect the effectiveness of government policies and institutional efforts to recruit world-class scholars and invest in infrastructure. The government's stable resource allocation, policy guidance, and quality assurance through University Accountability Agreements are crucial. The spokesman added that the strength of Hong Kong's higher education aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan's goals to build a leading nation in education, technology, and talent.
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