{
  "id": 19021900,
  "title": "Hong Kong must retain the talent its world-class universities nurture",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/hong-kong-must-retain-the-talent-its-world-class-universities-nurture",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-08T21:30:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3373538/hong-kong-must-retain-talent-its-world-class-universities-nurture"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Hong Kong administration should retain the talent nurtured by its world-class universities, despite funding cuts and other challenges. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki took credit for the impressive performance of Hong Kong's universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, where all 11 ranked institutions made it into Asia's top 500 for the first time. The University of Hong Kong topped the list, followed by City University (4th) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (5th). Polytechnic University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology shared ninth place.\n\nWhile the government's investment and clear policy direction likely contributed to this achievement, the universities themselves have demonstrated resilience and adaptability. City University, for instance, excels in international faculty, ranking first in Asia and second globally in citations per faculty. The university's HK Tech 300 programme has also created a collaborative ecosystem, fostering deep-tech start-ups and applying research to practical industry solutions.\n\nHowever, the hard work of our universities should not be overlooked when discussing the rankings. The government must do more to retain the talent produced by these institutions. The rise of artificial intelligence has significantly impacted university graduates, reducing full-time job opportunities suitable for them by 60%. Christine Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education, has expressed concerns about this trend, but her proposal to turn the last year of undergraduate programs into internships has been rejected.\n\nTo retain top talent, Hong Kong must become a city where skilled individuals want to build their careers and establish their families. Publicly funded universities must take the lead in creating an environment that supports the growth and development of these talented individuals.",
  "summary": "We can count on this administration to be quick to take credit. It took just one day for Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki to claim credit on behalf of the Hong Kong government for the impressive results of the city’s universities in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings. All 11 of Hong Kong’s ranked institutions made it into Asia’s top 500 for the first time. Five of the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}