Hong Kong unveils five-year civil service training plan with AI and patriotism focus
Hong Kong's Civil Service Bureau chief outlined a five-year training plan to lawmakers on 26 October 2026, emphasising leadership development, patriotic education and artificial-intelligence courses. The plan includes mandatory annual learning credits for senior officials and expanded exchanges with
The Hong Kong Civil Service Bureau's director told a Legislative Council panel on 26 October 2026 that the government will strengthen civil service training over the next five years, building on groundwork laid in the past four years. The plan, outlined in the city's first five-year plan, aims to improve training management, deepen patriotic education, foster a citizen-centric service culture and enhance knowledge of national development and global affairs.
The Civil Service College will oversee common competency and values training, including national understanding, leadership and service mindset, while individual departments handle professional skills. A 'Continuous Learning Scheme' launched in July 2026 requires senior and directorate-grade civil servants to complete annual credits across three priority learning areas, with plans to extend it to mid-level managers within two years.
Departments will be asked to set training requirements and budgets for key grades, with completion and performance becoming factors in annual appraisals, postings and promotions, especially for senior roles. The college runs leadership courses for mid-level and senior staff, featuring local, mainland and international experts, and has held a 'Department Heads Experience Sharing Session' since August 2026 to strengthen proactive leadership.
In patriotic education, the college offers courses on modern Chinese history, traditional governance concepts and China's contemporary achievements. National security training is integrated into all levels, including induction, mid-level seminars, mainland study trips and online learning. The college has partnered with the China Institute of Modern International Relations and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deliver lectures on the 'holistic national security outlook'.
The government runs exchange programmes with Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities, Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Wuhan and Hangzhou, sending about 20 to 25 Hong Kong officials annually and receiving about 30 mainland officials. The exchanges aim to help Hong Kong learn from mainland governance practices to improve local administration.
On artificial-intelligence training, the college has incorporated AI and technology content into leadership courses, partnered with the Digital Policy Office on an 'Innovation and Technology' leadership lecture series, and offers general courses on AI applications, generative AI and big data analysis. It also supports an AI online course covering basic concepts, tools and case studies. The bureau said it will continue working with departments to refine training systems, aiming to implement the 'patriots administering Hong Kong' principle and improve governance effectiveness.