Education leaders from around the world convened in Hong Kong for the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026, held from November 4 to 5 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The event brought together university presidents, renowned scholars, and international education leaders representing more than one-third of the world's top 50 universities, reinforcing Hong Kong's position as a global hub for higher education and fostering academic collaboration and exchanges. The forum addressed critical issues such as talent cultivation in the intelligent age, technology and innovation driving the future economy, and universities' responses to major global challenges.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chan Kwok-ki, Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), emphasized the transformative role of universities. "We live in an age of rapid technological change, systemic economic shifts, and unprecedented global challenges," he said. "In this transformative landscape, universities are no longer just communities of learning and skills development. They are engines of innovation, guardians of truth, and architects of our collective future." He noted that higher education has always been a vital pillar of Hong Kong's success, with five universities ranked among the world's top 100. The latest QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 listed five Hong Kong universities in Asia's top 10 and three in Asia's top five, further demonstrating the strength of the city's higher education system. "This is not by chance," Mr Chan said. "It is the result of sustained government investment, clear policy direction and the hard work of our universities."
Serving as a bridge between East and West, Hong Kong offers a fertile ecosystem characterized by internationalization and diversification, bringing global talent together to address shared global challenges. Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR, highlighted that the forum forms part of a strategic series of initiatives promoting the "Study in Hong Kong" brand worldwide, underscoring the city's role as a key driver shaping the future of global higher education. She stressed that Hong Kong's educational future is taking concrete physical shape through the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town. Under the "One town, Five elements" framework, the HKSAR Government is building a holistic campus ecosystem integrating higher education, advanced research, market innovation, vibrant living spaces, and top-tier talent. "Positioned at the gateway to the Chinese Mainland, the University Town will foster deep Industry-Academia-Research integration, linking academic research directly with industry capabilities to serve national development under the 15th Five-Year Plan," Dr Choi said.
Several heavyweight interuniversity cooperation signing ceremonies were held during the forum. These included a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Central South University and Monash University, an MOU between Zhejiang University and HKUST on establishing a joint innovation centre, a Trilateral Joint Seed Fund agreement among the University of Warwick, Nanyang Technological University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a student exchange agreement between Trinity College Dublin and Nanjing University. These agreements mark a new milestone in global higher education and research collaborative innovation. Dr Choi remarked that assembling such a distinguished constellation of global academic leadership strongly reaffirms Hong Kong's standing as an international education hub and significantly enhances the city's discourse power in the global educational arena. The forum was covered by Media OutReach Newswire, and further information about Hong Kong's initiatives can be found at https://www.brandhk.gov.hk/.
