The World Class University Presidents Forum was held at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology on November 4 and 5, drawing presidents and senior management from around 50 world-leading institutions.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is dedicated to transforming the city into an international education hub, a vision that includes developing three university towns within the Northern Metropolis (NM).

This initiative has garnered significant attention from participating universities, with university presidents from the UK, Spain and South Africa expressing interest in exploring various models of participation.

Stuart Croft, University of Warwick Vice Chancellor & President, said the Hong Kong SAR Government is being very strategic, future-oriented and globally oriented.

"With the whole concept of economic growth being driven with universities, with industry, facilitated by government, the triple helix model, where else in the world is there something of this scale and ambition?"

Professor Croft predicted that over the next decade, the world's top universities will transform their partnership model to embedding activities. 

"That is what is going to make the difference, and of course the Northern Metropolis gives a fantastic opportunity for Hong Kong universities to build that embedding process, possibly earlier, possibly more deeply than elsewhere in the world, " he said. 

In the latest QS Asia University Rankings, Hong Kong has five universities in Asia’s top ten.

Mosa Moshabela, Vice Chancellor & Principal of the University of Cape Town in South Africa noted that Hong Kong’s high concentration of top-tier universities, paired with its convenient transport and lifestyle, promotes student and faculty mobility while bolstering the "Study in Hong Kong" initiative.

"I think it can really offer a good place for brain circulation. For my university, for example, it would be of interest for students and faculty to come in, especially for a relatively short stay of six months. A relatively short stay would be really good for exposure, in-depth exposure to what's happening in Hong Kong, especially if it is linked to industry." 

Participating presidents also highlighted the flow of talent, which they said tends to gravitate toward places with strong innovation and research ecosystems. 

They expressed hope that the Hong Kong SAR Government would proactively offer incentives to attract and retain talent and support the development of the university town project.