LegCo Secretariat releases Policy Pulse on "Building an international education hub"
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) Secretariat today (June 27) released a Policy Pulse on "Building an international education hub". This issue provides a brief overview of the competitiveness of Hong Kong's education system, the unique advantages in developing Hong Kong into an international education hub, the related support measures by the Government, as well as relevant discussions of LegCo along with suggestions by Members.
As a cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong's education system is highly internationalized and diversified with great potential to become an international education hub. The Policy Pulse highlighted various international rankings of Hong Kong's education system, including being the only city with five universities in the world's top 100, ranking second globally in education competitiveness, and having the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education recognised by over 600 overseas post-secondary institutions. The Policy Pulse also briefly outlined the future development of post-secondary education in Hong Kong; the advantages brought by "one country, two systems" and enjoying strong support from the Motherland and being closely connected to the world; and the benefits of establishing an international education hub.
In the 2023 Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced the establishment of an "international hub for post‑secondary education and a cradle for future talents". He further proposed building the "Study in Hong Kong" brand in his 2024 Policy Address. To promote Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education and attract more talents to the city, the Government has introduced a series of measures. These include doubling the non-local student quota for University Grants Committee-funded universities; increasing the number of scholarship and hostel places; implementing schemes for non-local graduates to stay and seek employment in Hong Kong; strengthening research funding for institutions; promoting collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland higher education institutions; and launching the Alliance of Universities in Applied Sciences to enhance the status of vocational and professional education and training.
To support the long-term development of post-secondary education, the Government has kickstarted the construction of the University Town project in the Northern Metropolis, and plans to announce the University Town Development Conceptual Framework in the first half of 2026. Members suggest the Government communicate with post-secondary institutions on the planning of the University Town and consider providing tax and financial incentives to encourage institutions to build second campuses in the University Town, and cooperate with industry and scientific research institutions, to give play to the industry-university-research effect, so as to attract research talents.
LegCo has been closely attentive to the development of education system in Hong Kong and formed a subcommittee to provide recommendations to the Government and the post-secondary education sector to speed up the development of an international post‑secondary education hub. In addition, LegCo has scrutinized and passed the Post Secondary Colleges (Amendment) Bill 2025, which aims to improve the monitoring and quality assurance mechanism for self-financing post-secondary institutions.
The Policy Pulse also pointed out that Hong Kong faces challenges in becoming an international education hub, including a lack of diversity in the sources of non-local students. Members suggest that the Government should systematically formulate targeted promotion strategies, identifying target countries including ASEAN and "Belt and Road" countries, and taking the lead in promoting "Study in Hong Kong" to these countries with the Economic and Trade Offices overseas, and continuously reviewing the policy positioning and development strategies.
The detailed content of "Building an international education hub" is available on the LegCo Website. The Policy Pulse, published by the LegCo Secretariat, covers specific topics and offers a comprehensive overview of related policy developments and summarized discussions in LegCo.
CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Photo source: reference image
The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.
Product details are as follows:
Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)
Batch number: 51670742F2
Best-before date: June 16, 2027
Place of Origin: Germany
"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.
Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:
Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)
Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com
WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)
Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink
Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:
Kowloon Services Counter
Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)
Contact number: 3996 8196
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)
Hong Kong Services Counter
Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)
Contact number: 3996 8197
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)
The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.
Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.
Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.
"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.
The infant formula of Nestlé, Photo source: online image
