An independent consultant study the Hong Kong Trade Development Council commissioned has affirmed the educational value of internationalising Hong Kong's student body and the huge export potential of its higher education services, the Education & Manpower Bureau says.

In response to the report's release today, the bureau said the Government's new policy to facilitate the entry of non-local students into Hong Kong is precisely to drive development in the direction of internationalisation.

Hong Kong is proud to be host to a range of top-notch post-secondary programmes. Education in Hong Kong also has a special appeal to Mainland parents and students, due to its proximity to the homeland and the unique blend of Chinese and Western cultures.

Hong Kong should aspire to be the regional education hub, serving also the educational needs of the country and the Asian community, the bureau said.

Educators urged to make good use of new policy

Against this background, the council's study is most timely and provides useful information for service providers and pointers for their internationalisation pursuits.

The bureau believed its new policy, which enables more non-local students - in particular those from the Mainland, Macau and Taiwan - to enter Hong Kong for different types of programmes at different levels, is a positive response to the study's recommendations.