Month: March 2025

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The Education Bureau announced today that the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) agreement has been obtained to progressively relax the quota for admission of Mainland students by the six self-financing institutions to join their degree programmes.

They are also allowed to admit students from all provinces of the country, with a view to supporting the development of the self-financing post-secondary education sector, making contributions to Hong Kong’s development into an international education hub.

The six institutions are Metropolitan University, Shue Yan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Tung Wah College, and the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong under the Vocational Training Council.

Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin said she is grateful for the support of the MoE towards the capacity expansion and quality enhancement of self-financing post-secondary institutions, noting that the relaxation arrangement can harness the advantages of Hong Kong’s self-financing sector to nurture talent for the country and the city.

“The bureau will keep in view institutions’ track record of operating self-financing programmes, performance in student admissions and utilisation of the prevailing quota, and liaise with the MoE to explore feasible further enhancements as and when appropriate.”

From the 2025-26 academic year, the quota for Mainland, Macau and Taiwan (MMT) students of full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate programmes of these institutions will be increased in phases to 40%, in an orderly and progressive manner with regard to their utilisation of the prevailing quota.

Concurrently, the bureau will rationalise the calculation methodology of the relevant quota to provide self-financing institutions with greater certainty in admission planning and more effectively utilising the educational resources of institutions.

Under the prevailing policy, save for MMT students, there is no quota restriction on the admission of non-local students to full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

The quota for MMT students enrolling in full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate programmes is 10% to 20% at the present, and there is no quota restriction for postgraduate programmes.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced in his Budget speech today that the Government will enhance its talent-related schemes and promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand by holding more global education conferences to trawl for talent.

Mr Chan said that top talent will be invited to Hong Kong under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme for development and both the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents & Professionals and the General Employment Policy will be enhanced to allow young non-degree talent with professional and technical qualifications and experience to join skilled trades that face manpower shortages in the city.

The Government will also launch enhancement measures to provide greater flexibility for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, which has so far received more than 880 applications, with an expected investment of over $26 billion.

In addition to planning the second “Global Talent Summit ˙ Hong Kong” that is scheduled to be held early next year, the Government will attract more students to study in Hong Kong via various measures including the Belt & Road Scholarship.

To stimulate primary and secondary school students’ interest in innovation and technology, technology-related bodies including Cyberport have been invited to co-ordinate the efforts of more than 100 technology enterprises to engage in exchanges with the students to share frontier exploration and startup experience in technology through product displays and site visits in the coming year.

On the post-secondary education front, Mr Chan highlighted that the Government will launch a new round of the Research Matching Grant Scheme, totalling $1.5 billion, to attract more organisations to support research endeavours and raise the quota of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme to 400 places per year.

As the self-financing post-secondary institutions complement publicly-funded ones in providing diversified articulation pathways, the Government has launched a new round of the Land Grant Scheme and the Start-up Loan Scheme, under which land sites are granted at a nominal premium with interest-free loans to support capacity expansion and quality enhancement of self-financing institutions.

On the medical front, the Financial Secretary pointed out that the Task Group on New Medical School has invited local universities interested in setting up the third medical school to submit proposals. The task force expects to complete its assessment and formulate recommendations later this year. 

He added that the Government will set aside resources to support universities in the development of the new medical school on a matching basis.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong is due to depart today for Beijing, where together with Secretary General of the World Internet Conference (WIC) Ren Xianliang he will tomorrow attend a press conference to announce details of this year’s WIC Asia-Pacific Summit, which will be held in Hong Kong.

Prof Sun will return to Hong Kong tomorrow. During his absence, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Lillian Cheong will be Acting Secretary.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The beauty and mystery of the Moon have captivated the human imagination for millennia. Channelling that fascination into scientific discovery, China launched its lunar exploration programme in 2004.

Chang’E-8, part of the programme’s fourth phase, is scheduled to be launched around 2028 to lay the groundwork for the construction of a China-led international lunar research station.

The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) has been appointed by the China National Space Administration to lead an international collaboration project under Chang’E-8 and develop a multifunctional lunar surface robot for scientific exploration.

Multifunctional role

HKUST Space Science & Technology Institute Director Prof Yu Hongyu explained that the robot is equipped with dual robotic arms and  is capable of deploying and installing instruments, collecting lunar surface samples and more.

After the Chang’E-8 probe lands, the robot will need to retrieve other probes or sensors from it and move them to their designated locations.

“Precise control of the robotic arms is a challenging task. The process requires avoiding collisions with other instruments and positional accuracy.”

The Moon’s extreme temperatures and lack of satellite navigation systems pose additional challenges, so the robot is designed to perceive the topography of the Moon, plan and change its paths accordingly.

“In response to the Moon’s low-gravity and harsh environmental conditions, we are developing a software to ensure that the robot can autonomously adapt its posture and functions based on the environmental changes,” Prof Yu added.

Another key feature of the robot is its ability to serve as a mobile charging station to charge various lunar surface equipment.

“In the future International Lunar Research Station, there will be several robots and instruments working collaboratively. They require a stable energy supply. Our robot, fitted with solar panels, can provide wireless charging capabilities,” Prof Yu  elaborated.

Lunar linkup

To complete the international collaboration project, the Government has established the Hong Kong Space Robotics & Energy Centre under the InnoHK Research Clusters.

Led by HKUST, the centre brings together researchers from the local and mainland universities, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology as well as the South African National Space Agency.

The Innovation & Technology Commission estimates that the centre will provide training for around 20 PhD students and employ over 70 researchers in related fields. It aims to build Hong Kong’s aerospace technology capabilities, driving innovation from concept, research, production, testing to system integration.

As aerospace technology is a multidisciplinary field, the centre will not only enhance Hong Kong’s aerospace research and engineering capabilities, but also generate industry impact for sectors such as engineering, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, computing and communications, promoting their development.

Strong support

Noting that Hong Kong has a solid foundation in basic research and development (R&D), Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong said the Government strongly backs local universities and research institutions in conducting aerospace technology-related research and supporting the country to become the world’s leading spacefaring nation.

He noted that the centre will capitalise on Hong Kong’s distinct advantages under “one country, two systems”, enhancing the city’s R&D capabilities and international scientific reputation.

“In recent years, China has achieved remarkable accomplishments in the field of deep space exploration. The level of deep space exploration capability is an important indicator of a country’s scientific and technological strength.

“Through deeply engaging in national space missions and strengthening international scientific and technological co-operation, the centre will facilitate the transformation and application of cutting-edge technologies related to aerospace, significantly enhance Hong Kong’s global competitiveness in the aerospace field and propel its advancement as an international innovation and technology centre.”

Prof Sun also pointed out that the Government has started to establish the third InnoHK research cluster focusing on advanced manufacturing, materials, energy and sustainable development.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The Innovation & Technology Commission is inviting proposals for admission to the third InnoHK research cluster, SEAM@InnoHK, focusing on sustainable development, energy, advanced manufacturing and materials.

The commission said following the setting up of the first two research clusters – Health@InnoHK, focusing on healthcare technology, and AIR@InnoHK, focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies – the Government is now taking forward the establishment of the third InnoHK research cluster, SEAM@InnoHK, enabling Hong Kong to move full steam ahead towards becoming a global research collaboration hub.

It said that SEAM@InnoHK will not only facilitate top-notch universities, research institutes and the industries to collaborate in research and development (R&D) but also promote the translation of R&D outcomes into impactful, real-world applications and the development of relevant industries in Hong Kong.

The selected research centres or laboratories should conduct collaborative research that is innovative, world-class, of global relevance, and addressing real-world problems in collaboration with world-renowned non-local universities and research institutions.

The final R&D deliverables are expected to achieve significant societal impact by bringing demonstrable contributions, beneficial effects, valuable changes or advantages both locally and globally.

The amount of subsidies to be recommended for each research centre or laboratory will depend on the merits of individual application proposals, which can be used to support operational costs, including remuneration for scholars and research teams during the subsidy period, purchase of equipment, R&D costs and setup costs, including fitting-out.

The application deadline is 5pm on August 29.

For enquiries, call 3855 7671 or send an email to innohk@itc.gov.hk.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement (IPPA) signed between Hong Kong and Bahrain will enter into force on March 21.

Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau said the agreement enables investors of Hong Kong and Bahrain to enjoy corresponding protection of their investments in the host economies, thereby enhancing the confidence of investors, expanding investment flows and further strengthening the economic and trade ties between the two places.

Under the agreement, the two governments undertake to provide investors of the other side with fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment of their investments, compensation in the event of expropriation of investments, and the right to free transfers abroad of investments and returns.

The agreement also provides for settlement of investment disputes under internationally accepted rules, including arbitration.

Mr Yau also pointed out that the Government has been actively seeking to expand Hong Kong’s global economic and trade networks with a view to assisting enterprises and investors in opening up markets.

“We are exploring the signing of IPPAs with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt and Peru, as well as exploring IPPAs or free trade agreements with emerging markets including potential partners in the Middle East and other regions along the Belt & Road.”

The IPPA with Bahrain is the second of its kind signed by the current-term Government. It is also the 24th investment agreement that Hong Kong has signed with a foreign economy.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The 2025-26 Valuation List & Government Rent Roll will be available for inspection from March 17 to May 31, the Rating & Valuation Department announced today.

The documents can be viewed at the Rating & Valuation Department located at 15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon. They are also available on the departmental website or Property Information Online.

Rates and government rent demands, to be issued in early April, will show the rateable values for 2025-26, the government rent payable and the net rates amount payable after deducting the rates concession. The department noted that objections to the new rateable values have to be lodged from March 17 to May 31 by means of Form R20A or the electronic Form e-R20A.

In the 2025-26 Budget, the Financial Secretary proposed a rates concession for the first quarter of 2025-26, ie April to June 2025, subject to a ceiling of $500 for each rateable tenement.

Call 2152 0111 for enquiries.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

Expanding the scope of application of designated garbage bags will enable the municipal solid waste charging regime to achieve the polluter-pays principle to a greater extent.

Secretary for the Environment KS Wong made the statement at a seminar today saying 80% of municipal solid waste will be subject to the charging mode of the pre-paid garbage bags under the new arrangements that extend the use of these bags as a charging tool for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

Municipal solid waste from these buildings will be collected by private firms using refuse collection vehicles with rear compactors.

Charging currently only covers waste producers using the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department’s waste collection service.

“Expanding the scope of application of designated garbage bags would enable the charging regime to achieve the polluter-pays principle to a greater extent,” Mr Wong said.

“I am pleased to note the commercial and industrial sectors and the community as a whole have responded positively to the modified arrangements.

“We hope the Legislative Council can pass the relevant bill next year. To be followed by one year of preparatory period, we expect municipal solid waste charging could be implemented towards the end of 2019 at the earliest.”

Three-hundred members of the commercial and retail sectors and stakeholders attended the seminar held by the Environmental Protection Department and the Green Building Council.

Source: Assainir, relancer et développer ensemble : les orientations du 18e gouvernement

The weather in Hong Kong was gloomier and more humid than usual in November.

The Hong Kong Observatory said the duration of bright sunshine in the month was 114.3 hours, about 37% below normal and the third lowest for November on record.

The mean temperature for the month was 22.2 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees higher than normal.

Despite the cloudy and humid conditions for most of the month, the monthly rainfall of 31.2mm was about 17% below the normal figure.

The accumulated rainfall up to November was about 8% above normal.