The Committee on Education, Technology & Talents, led by Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, today convened its inaugural engagement session with its newly established Panel of Advisors.

The panel is a high-level exchange platform comprising members from various sectors, including community leaders and professionals. Its two-year term started on August 25.

At today's session, the panel engaged in in-depth discussions on the objective of establishing Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talent.

It affirmed the effectiveness of the current-term Government's talent attraction measures, adding that in view of external challenges the city can position the “eight centres” concept more precisely, while refining the measures enacted to further enhance effectiveness and the diversity of the talent pool.

It said the Government should also enhance training and its use of local talent to strengthen support for the future development of Hong Kong.

Moreover, the Panel of Advisors agreed to intensify efforts to attract teaching and research talent in order to establish the city as an international education hub, and to leverage the Hong Kong Park area of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone to provide more development opportunities for promising technology start-ups and talent.

The session also reviewed the latest situation regarding Hong Kong's overall population and labour force, and the progress being made in talent attraction and retention.

In the face of an ageing population and pressure on the labour supply, the panel said it supported the Government’s introduction of timely and appropriate measures in response to these challenges.

Mr Chan expressed gratitude for the members' acceptance of their appointments, and said he looked forward to working closely with them to pool wisdom and ideas with a view to promoting the integrated development of education, technology and talent.