Representative of Swire Hall Students' Association 太古堂宿生會代表 Yu Lok Nam 余樂楠

The increasing intake of non-local students to the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has raised

a debate in the school community, with major concerns within local student community.

While it is evident that the internationalization of HKU has not only been broadening the

horizons of local students, bringing them into different cultures in their first hands, but has

also been increasing competitiveness of local students. Therefore the policy of non-local

admission can be argued as a successful one by enriching diversity in educational

institutions.



However, controversies remain regarding whether the growing non-local admission over time

would cause a lower competiveness of local students in the future job markets. With the

larger increase of non-local applicants being admitted into HKU, local students are facing

fierce competition in internship opportunities and job prospects. Official figures have

illustrated that while there has been a decrease of number of JUPAS (Band A) applicants

being admitted between Year 1997-98 and Year 2013-14, there has been a significant

growth in the admission of Mainland applicants during the same time period. Therefore, the

University should consider carefully regarding the maximum intake of non-local applicants to

HKU.



Furthermore, in order to secure HKU at a high ranking amongst other universities worldwide,

HKU has been keen to attract non-local applicants with higher qualifications through greater

values of scholarships and government funds. For example, the HKD$100,000,000 donation

by Rosita King Ho International Charitable Foundation to HKU in 2004 was in the aim to

attract oversea students to HKU, further increasing exchange opportunities. Consequentially,

non-local applicants with the best grades are highly encouraged to apply HKU. This again,

may reduce the relative competitiveness of local students. While the one of main objectives of

higher non-local admissions is to make local students to realize the globally competitive age,

encouraging them to equip themselves with “internationalization skills”, the University

should also balance the interests of both local and non-local students, ensuring local students

high employment rates.



All in all, it can be contended that the maximum intake of non-local applicants to HKU should

be reduced and that the University should consider carefully in balancing the interests of the

student body as a whole.