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Recent developments have escalated tensions in international education, following the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Harvard University’s eligibility to admit international students by disqualifying it from the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme. Although a federal judge has temporarily blocked the ban, legal proceedings between Harvard and the US government are ongoing.
In response, some Hong Kong universities swiftly announced unconditional admission schemes for affected Harvard students. They offered immediate admission letters, streamlined application procedures and dedicated teams providing comprehensive support – including accommodation arrangements and visa assistance – to ensure a seamless transition for students seeking to transfer.
These developments are an example of the adaptability and global vision of Hong Kong’s higher education sector. However, these plans might have limited appeal for current Harvard students whose loyalty to the university runs deep. Harvard’s academic prestige is one thing, the personal aspirations and emotional investment of its applicants are another.
In a similar way, we have seen cases where applicants who hold a strong preference for a particular Hong Kong university remain dissatisfied even when admitted to another equally prestigious Hong Kong institution in the same discipline.
While Hong Kong’s universities enjoy global recognition and the unique geographic advantage of being rooted in China while connected to the world, abruptly relocating to Hong Kong poses psychological and logistical challenges for students. This is a reality local institutions must carefully address when rolling out such initiatives.
Beyond short-term contingency measures, Hong Kong should focus on adopting a forward-looking approach by actively lobbying elite overseas universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and elsewhere to set up Asian campuses in the city. This would allow students from these institutions to complete part of their undergraduate, master’s or doctoral studies in Hong Kong, gaining first-hand exposure to Asia’s development and China’s rise while cultivating a more nuanced global perspective.
