Hong Kong education, tech and talent committee reports progress on integration
The Education, Technology and Talent Committee, established in December 2024, has advanced work on attracting talent, building an international education hub and improving talent schemes. It has coordinated cross-bureau efforts to align university curricula with national AI and industry needs, and s
The Education, Technology and Talent Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary and comprising the secretaries for Labour and Welfare, Education, and Innovation, Science and Technology, has reported progress since its establishment in December 2024. The committee focuses on three strategic directions: attracting top innovation and technology talent, building an international education hub, and refining talent schemes and services.
In education, the government is consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international education hub. The Northern Territory university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Ta Kwu Ling are a core part of the city's first five-year plan, with a layout of five elements and a strategy to integrate education, technology and talent. By 2027, the government plans measures to expand post-secondary education, including increasing research postgraduate places funded by the University Grants Committee, gradually raising the number of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme awards, and providing extra funding for knowledge-sharing and science-education innovation.
In technology, the government is advancing the construction of three innovation parks and five research institutes to attract talent through industry. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Cooperation Zone in the Lok Ma Chau Loop opened late last year, with more than 120 academic and research institutions moving in. The zone includes talent apartments and amenities. Under the first five-year plan, the loop will work with the San Tin tech park, and both park companies will help develop the Northern Territory university towns. The Innovation and Technology Fund launched a HK$3 billion Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme in September 2025 and further optimised the Technology Talent Admission Scheme later that year.
In talent recruitment, the committee has overseen improvements to several schemes, including a proactive invitation mechanism for top-tier and leading talent under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. Since late June 2025, a new channel has allowed skilled workers in eight technical trades facing severe shortages to enter Hong Kong. As of the end of September 2026, more than 320,000 people from various fields worldwide had come to work and develop in Hong Kong under various talent admission schemes.
On aligning university programmes with national and local needs, the Education Bureau has helped universities review and launch courses in line with government policy, market demand and industry trends. A strategic talent development policy framework and a higher-education talent development platform have been set up to facilitate communication among policy bureaux, universities and industry. Universities funded by the University Grants Committee have introduced 27 bachelor's degree programmes related to STEAM or the eight centres, many blending technology with humanities, finance and healthcare to strengthen artificial-intelligence skills and interdisciplinary problem-solving. The government is preparing for the 2028-29 to 2030-31 planning cycle, closely linking talent cultivation with technology and industrial development.
The Innovation, Science and Technology Bureau is expanding the Innovation and Technology Internship Scheme, aiming to provide about 10,000 places over two years with a subsidy of at least HK$11,000 each. This year's policy address also added a youth research category under the Innovation and Technology Support Scheme. The Research Talent Hub scheme supports enterprises and research institutions in hiring researchers, with a target to increase the number of engagements from around 10,500 in 2022 to 18,500 by 2027.