The Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance has been established under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau.

Minister of Education Chen Baosheng and Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung witnessed the launch of the alliance at a ceremony today at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology.

The institute is a leading member of the alliance alongside Peking University.

Mr Yeung said the bureau has been very supportive of the strengthening of collaboration among Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas universities.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Alliance, launched in 2016, has taken forward collaborations such as a co-operation agreement signed last June to facilitate exchanges and sharing of resources among the libraries of the leading universities of the three places.

"The launch of the Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance would further promote exchanges on academic and research fronts between universities of Beijing and Hong Kong," he said.

"I trust that by bringing together the leading universities of Beijing and Hong Kong, the alliance would create synergy and reinforce complementarity in nurturing talents and scientific research and achieve mutual benefits."

Mr Yeung and Mr Chen also visited Po Leung Kuk Wong Wing Shu Primary School to see how it uses multifaceted learning and extracurricular activities to help students realise their potential.

Mr Chen said the ministry will present 5,000 book sets to local primary schools, covering Chinese history, geography, scientific knowledge and literary classics, to express its support and care for Hong Kong's education and students.