Chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee delivered his first policy address to the HKSAR Legislative Council on 19 October 2022, covering crucial areas including education and talent acquisition. Some initiatives are highly relative to cooperatively-run schools in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) like UIC. Their graduates are expected to be granted more opportunities to seek career development in Hong Kong.
Lee mentioned that the limit of stay of the Immigration Arrangements for Non‑local Graduates (IANG) would be extended from one year to two years to facilitate their staying in or coming to Hong Kong for work. The scope of the arrangements to cover those who graduated from the GBA campus of a Hong Kong university will be expanded on a pilot basis for a period of two years.
The Top Talent Pass Scheme for a period of two years is launched in the meantime. Individuals who graduated from the world's top 100 universities with at least three years of work experience over the past five years will be issued a two‑year pass for exploring opportunities in Hong Kong and are not subject to any quota. In addition, individuals who graduated from the world's top 100 universities in the past five years and have yet to fulfil the work experience requirement will also be eligible.
Moreover, Lee's administration will offer local I&T internship opportunities to university students studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programmes overseas or at GBA campuses established by designated local universities.
The policies will greatly benefit UIC students looking for employment in Hong Kong, who are well-acknowledged by the global elite universities. For example, among the Class of 2021 UIC students, about 74.5% chose postgraduate studies at home and abroad, and 81% were admitted to the world's top 100 universities.
Luo Dehui, a UIC graduate from the Class of 2013 Statistic Programme, attained a doctoral degree from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). She is now a lecturer at HKBU, and has stayed in Hong Kong for nine years. She was impressed by the new policies, adding, "The changes of IANG policies relieve graduates' burden, giving them more time to look for employment." She believed that UIC's four-year training had equipped its students with enough abilities to fit in Hong Kong's environment.
Luo Dehui (right)
Wang Yixin, a UIC student from the Class of 2014 Environmental Science Programme, attached great attention to the policy address as well. "It showcases that the Hong Kong government is committed to promoting integration with the Greater Bay Area and the development of science and technology," Wang said. She is now working as a scientific researcher in a tech firm in Hong Kong after graduating from the University of Hong Kong with a doctoral degree and is confident about the future of tech corporations in Hong Kong.
Wang Yixin
Lee's policy also points out that the government will subsidise the Mainland exchange programme, coherent with one of UIC's tasks which is to promote the integration of the higher education sector between the GBA and Hong Kong. Therefore, more exchange activities will be enriched in the future.
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Photos provided by the interviewees and Covee Wang
Editor: Deen He
