Working partners: Secretary for Education & Manpower Professor Arthur Li (second left) shakes hands with Minister of State for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Bill Rammell at the signing ceremony.

Hong Kong and the United Kingdom today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Education Cooperation to strengthen the collaboration in education and to promote the exchange of students and staff between the two places.

This is the first Memorandum on education cooperation signed at a governmental level between Hong Kong and the UK.

Representing the two governments at the signing ceremony were Secretary for Education & Manpower Professor Arthur Li and Minister of State for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Bill Rammell.

Based on the memorandum, the two places will promote the development of mutually beneficial relations in the fields of education and research.

They will strengthen partnerships and strategic collaboration that supports internationalisation of education and lifelong learning; enhances excellence and creativity in teaching, learning and research; contributes to professional development in the education sector.

Both sides will also promote exchanges of students, scholars and academic staff between the educational institutions of the two places.

Speaking at the ceremony Professor Li said the memorandum represents the earnest efforts of both sides towards the objective of strengthening education cooperation, adding it would lay a solid foundation for further collaboration and exchanges between the institutions and students of the two places.

Mr Rammell said the agreement would increase the education links at all levels between the UK and Hong Kong.

"It will help us share experiences and build good practice, including through exchanges of students and academic staff. This is what the Prime Minister's Initiative for international education is all about," he said.