Key facts
- University presidents from the UK, Spain and South Africa expressed interest in exploring participation models.
- The forum drew presidents and senior management from around 50 world-leading institutions.
- The three university towns are planned at San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Ta Kwu Ling.
- The Hung Shui Kiu campus is set to welcome its first institutions next year.
- Stuart Croft of the University of Warwick said the government is being strategic and globally oriented.
- Mosa Moshabela of the University of Cape Town cited Hong Kong's concentration of top-tier universities.
Leaders of overseas universities said at a forum in Hong Kong on November 4 and 5 that they are interested in taking part in the city's planned university towns within the Northern Metropolis project, while stressing that financing remains a challenge. They said they would collaborate on activities to help make the projects financially viable.
The university heads also called on the Hong Kong government to provide affordable housing in the new university towns, roll out policy incentives to retain top global talent and clearly define what success would look like.
The World Class University Presidents Forum, held at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, drew presidents and senior management from around 50 world-leading institutions. University presidents from the UK, Spain and South Africa expressed interest in exploring various models of participation.
Stuart Croft, University of Warwick Vice Chancellor & President, said the Hong Kong SAR Government is being strategic, future-oriented and globally oriented. He said the Northern Metropolis gives Hong Kong universities an opportunity to build an embedding process earlier and more deeply than elsewhere.
Mosa Moshabela, Vice Chancellor & Principal of the University of Cape Town in South Africa, said Hong Kong's high concentration of top-tier universities, paired with convenient transport and lifestyle, promotes student and faculty mobility. He said short stays of about six months would give students and faculty exposure to what is happening in Hong Kong, especially if linked to industry.
Participating presidents also highlighted the flow of talent, which they said tends to gravitate toward places with strong innovation and research ecosystems. They expressed hope that the Hong Kong SAR Government would proactively offer incentives to attract and retain talent and support the development of the university town project.
The Northern Metropolis project, announced in 2021, is set to transform about 300 square kilometres into an innovation and technology hub. The government's Five-Year Plan in September outlined three university towns at San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Ta Kwu Ling, occupying more than 1,000 hectares in total. The Hung Shui Kiu campus is set to welcome its first institutions next year.