Hong Kong's Universities Shine in QS World Rankings, Confirming Education Hub Status and Government Support.

Excellent performance of Hong Kong's higher education system showcases effectiveness of government measures

An Education Bureau spokesmantoday (June 19) said that with the Government's dedication to promoting education hub development and the support of a series of policy measures, Hong Kong's higher education system has demonstrated extraordinary performance. According to the World University Rankings 2026 published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), an international higher education organisation, University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have continued to hold top spots, with five of them staying in the world's top 100, making Hong Kong the place with the highest concentration of top-ranked universities globally (56 per cent). The encouraging achievements not only recognise the unremitting efforts and continuous pursuit of excellence of higher education institutions but also bear testimony to the Government's long-term commitment to investing in education and enhancing the competitiveness of higher education institutions.

According to the latest QS World University Rankings, the University of Hong Kong rose six places to 11th in the world, the Chinese University of Hong Kong climbed four spots to 32nd, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology advanced three positions to 44th. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) also achieved outstanding results, ranking 54th and 63rd respectively.

Hong Kong has achieved remarkable performance in multiple key indicators. Hong Kong's institutions have performed far better than the international average in the International Faculty Ratio and International Student Ratio. The International Faculty Ratio of six universities ranks among the top 50 in the world. In addition, Hong Kong's institutions have performed exceptionally well in Citations per Faculty, with CityU ranking second worldwide.

In fact, Hong Kong's education system has yielded excellent results in various international rankings, fully reflecting the attractiveness of Hong Kong as an international talent hub. In the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 recently published by the International Institute for Management Development, Hong Kong ranked second globally in Education. In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 published yesterday (June 18), which measures global universities' success in delivering theUnited Nations'17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a number of Hong Kong universities also performed outstandingly in different fields. Among them, Lingnan University ranked top globally for SDG 4: Quality Education for the first time, showcasing exemplary performance.

The spokesperson said, "These achievements fully affirm the effectiveness of the Government's unwavering support through the UGC for the institutions' continuous innovation and optimisation, giving full play to the strengths of Hong Kong's first-class universities, and a series of policies for attracting top global talent to tie in with the institutions' capacity expansion and quality enhancement. For overseas talent interested in studying or conducting research in Hong Kong's higher education institutions, we will do our utmost to provide assistance and convenience, including striving to further expand the non-local student quota based on actual needs. The Government will also continue to promote internationalisation and diversified development of the eight UGC-funded universities. These measures will not only strengthen Hong Kong's momentum of development but also make active contributions to national development."

He stressed that the Government attracts quality talent from around the world and nurtures local talent through various measures such as scholarship programmes to leverage Hong Kong's strengths to serve the country's needs. Starting from the 2024/25 academic year (AY), the non-local student quota for UGC-funded institutions has been doubled from 20 per cent to 40 per cent, raising non-local undergraduate enrolment from 19.9 per cent (2023/24 AY) to 23.2 per cent. The Government will further foster collaboration among the eight UGC-funded universities, including supporting the jointly established Heads of Universities Committee's Standing Committee on Internationalisation to continue to promote the "Study in Hong Kong" brand worldwide.

The spokesman added that the Government will continue to promote the strengthening of global exchanges and connections of research personnel and teams of local universities and support them to broaden research networks and co-operation areas with their overseas counterparts.

The Government attaches great importance to the quality of teaching and learning at universities and invests substantial resources to step up support for the high-quality development of Hong Kong education. For the 2025–2028 triennium, approximately 78 per cent of the Block Grant will be allocated to support teaching and learning. Compared with the 2022-2025 triennium, the Teaching Development and Language Enhancement Grant provided by the UGC will increase by $100 million to approximately $920 million. The key themes of the Grant - including the integration of generative artificial intelligence and innovative technologies in education, the sharing of exemplary practices in teaching and learning, and the enhancement of students' well-being and personal development - are aligned with current trends in education and societal needs. The most recent round of quality audits conducted by the Quality Assurance Council under the UGC also reaffirms the high quality of educational experiences offered by UGC-funded universities.

To dovetail with the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Government will leverage the vast opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, supporting cutting-edge research conducted by the eight UGC-funded universities through the Research Grants Council (RGC) under the UGC. Over 20 research funds and scholarship programmes operate under the RGC, with more than 1 500 new projects receiving funding annually. These measures will help foster a robust research environment and further consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international post-secondary education hub.

CHP announces one new melioidosis case

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (January 16) announced that one new melioidosis case was recorded in the past week (January 9 to 15). The CHP appealed to members of the public to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to prevent melioidosis. The CHP also specifically reminded high-risk groups, including the elderly and people with underlying diseases, to avoid contact with soil or muddy water after typhoons or storms with a view to lowering infection risk.

The case involves a 58-year-old male with underlying illnesses living in Kwai Tsing District. He presented with a fever and vomiting since January 10, followed by confusion on the next day (January 11). He was then sent to the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital and is currently in the intensive care unit in critical condition. The clinical diagnosis was pneumonia. His clinical sample was confirmed to be positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.

The CHP is investigating the infection source of the case. Initial epidemiological investigations revealed that the case is sporadic. No epidemiological linkages have been established between this case and other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.

As of yesterday (January 15), one melioidosis case has been recorded in Hong Kong this year. In 2025, 21 melioidosis cases were recorded.

Person-to-person transmission and animal-to-human transmission are rare, but the bacteria causing melioidosis can survive in the local environment. Melioidosis is an endemic disease in Hong Kong, and melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong each year.

According to literature, melioidosis cases are more common after typhoons or rainstorms. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil and muddy water may become exposed to the ground after typhoons or rainstorms, and the bacteria could spread more easily with strong winds or rainstorms. As such, the number of melioidosis cases may increase.

With this in mind, where practicable, members of the public should stay indoors during typhoons and rainstorms, avoid travelling to areas with potential flooding, and not wade in or have contact with muddy water and soil. In addition, high-risk individuals should avoid paths near stormwater drains where aerosols may be generated from contaminated water.

Members of the public should also take the following preventive measures against infection:

Avoid contact with contaminated soil;

Wear appropriate protective clothing or footwear when participating in activities with possible contact with soil or water, e.g. using gloves and wearing boots. High-risk individuals may also consider wearing a surgical mask;

Wash or shower after exposure to contaminated water or soil;

Always clean any wounds as soon as possible and cover them with waterproof dressings;

Wash hands with liquid soap and water after handling soil or gardening;

Observe food hygiene and avoid drinking raw water; and

Travellers can contract the disease through outdoor water sports. Risk of infection can be minimised by avoiding exposure to water sources (such as rivers, ponds or lakes) that might be contaminated.

The CHP appealed to members of the public to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms, in particular people with diabetes or other immunocompromising conditions, in order to receive an appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment. For more information on melioidosis, please visit the website of the CHP atwww.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/24/101110.html.

Source: AI-found images