Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin visited Beijing yesterday and today with a delegation of Hong Kong higher education institution leaders.

The delegation called on the Ministry of Education and met Minister Huai Jinpeng today. Ms Choi expressed her gratitude to the ministry and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for arranging the study tour.

She also thanked them for providing the Hong Kong higher education institutions’ representatives with a comprehensive understanding of the overall development of the country, the strategy of building a leading country in education and the latest advancements in education and technology of the nation.

Ms Choi pointed out that the Hong Kong SAR Government endeavours to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education.

The key measures for this purpose include collaborative development of higher education in Hong Kong and the Mainland, encouraging post-secondary institutions to strengthen international exchanges, supporting local institutions' expansion to attract more non-local students to study in the city, and planning ahead for future development of higher education to complement the national development strategies.

The education chief added that Hong Kong will build on the unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, complement the national strategy of invigorating the country through science and education, make the most of its role as the gateway for international connections, and strive to build the "study in Hong Kong" brand, leveraging its strengths to contribute to the country.

The delegation then visited Peking University and attended a sharing session by the university's Honorary Dean of the National School of Development Prof Justin Lin on his thematic report.

The delegation also met the representatives of Mainland members of the Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance to discuss ways to deepen co-operation between the universities of the two places on talent cultivation, student admission and employment, and scientific research. The universities alliance was jointly established by 12 universities of Beijing and eight Hong Kong universities funded by the University Grants Committee.

Yesterday’s itinerary covered a tour of the Changping Laboratory and a visit to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank headquarters, as well as the Beijing Centre of the University of Hong Kong.