Exclusive | Hong Kong’s education chief vows university fee increases will be gradual and take students’ finances into account

Undergraduates on the eight universities at present pay HK$42,100 (US$5,380) yearly, an quantity that has been frozen for 27 years. In keeping with the College Grants Committee, which allocates funding to the colleges, the associated fee restoration price slipped from 18 per cent within the 2012-13 monetary 12 months to 13.3 per cent in 2022-23.

However an increase in charges seems unlikely to happen earlier than the 2025-26 educational 12 months on the earliest.

Choi additionally mentioned a brand new goal for admitting extra non-locals at public universities may take 4 to 5 years to attain.

The federal government introduced final 12 months that the non-local quota can be doubled to 40 per cent of subsidised undergraduate pupil locations beginning this September.

“Universities won’t deplete the quota in a 12 months for positive,” Choi mentioned. “In the event that they try this, 12 months One could have a sudden pupil enrolment growth. “As an alternative, it is going to be a gradual course of because the establishments themselves additionally want to rent further manpower and keep high quality.”

Non-local college students pay charges of between HK$140,000 and HK$171,000 a 12 months.

Responding to criticism over the variety of mainland Chinese language college students dwarfing others throughout the non-local pupil inhabitants, Choi mentioned having extra joint programmes with abroad establishments may assist Hong Kong entice a extra numerous group of undergraduates.

However she famous that it was additionally widespread for mainland college students to dominate the worldwide consumption at universities in Western international locations.

Hong Kong contemplating tuition charge hike for public universities: training chief

The Put up reported earlier that the variety of mainland college students taking undergraduate programs at Hong Kong’s public universities had soared previous 10,000 for the primary time and now made up about 70 per cent of all non-locals.

Choi mentioned extra joint programmes with international universities may assist, as they might enable college students to spend two years within the metropolis and two years at an establishment abroad.

“Presently, there are some joint programmes in a number of universities. I feel they may provide extra to draw abroad college students,” she mentioned.

Choi additionally addressed considerations over the shrinking pupil enrolment in public faculties, saying the federal government had no plan to absorb non-Hongkongers aside from these born within the metropolis or who arrived with their mother and father below numerous expertise schemes.

“We aren’t aiming to show our major faculties into commodities,” she mentioned. “As soon as we open up, all non-local college students will likely be from the mainland, is that our intention?”

Hong Kong PolyU plans medical college, hospital and resort in Northern Metropolis

Choi mentioned she didn’t suppose that permitting smaller class sizes would clear up falling enrolments both, saying that having “too few college students in a single class will not be good for his or her social improvement”.

Through the interview, Choi additionally reported the effectiveness of assorted programmes taking college students on journeys to the mainland.

She mentioned members’ nationwide identification had been enhanced, with some younger ones having the consciousness to face up and sing the nationwide anthem when the nationwide flag was raised.

Choi mentioned faculties shouldn’t really feel overwhelmed by the assorted nationwide training programmes if they’d deployed their employees effectively.