Education Secretary Hosts Annual Session for New Belt and Road Scholarship Recipients in Hong Kong

SED attends sharing session for new Belt and Road Scholarship awardees

​The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, attended an annual sharing session for new Belt and Road(B&R)Scholarship recipients today (November 8) with over 100 new B&R Scholarship awardees for the 2025/26 academic year.

The Education Bureau (EDB) has been organising annual sharing sessions for new awardees since the 2024/25 academic year, with a view to helping them learn about different opportunities in Hong Kong and establish a platform for mutual support. By inviting past awardees to share their experiences of staying in Hong Kong for development after graduation, new awardees are encouraged to do so.

Speaking at the sharing session, Dr Choi said that the EDB is committed to attracting more international students, particularly those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and B&R countries/regions, to study in Hong Kong. The annual quota for the scholarship has been increased to 150, allowing more outstanding students to experience the unique blend of East meets West that Hong Kong offers. The EDB is determined to foster a more international campus environment, where students from different places can learn and grow together to gain diverse learning experience, and become good friends with their counterparts from other places to broaden network.

The Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho, also attended the sharing session. During the session, an awardee of the B&R Scholarship who had graduated shared that the scholarship allowed recipients to pursue advanced studies at world-class universities in Hong Kong, much like stepping onto the world stage, and that receiving the scholarship not only broadened their horizons, but also brought endless opportunities.

The Government introduced the B&R Scholarship in the 2016/17 academic year to encourage students from B&R countries/regions to pursue their studies in Hong Kong. Since its launch, the B&R Scholarship has been well received by outstanding students from B&R countries/regions and participating local universities. Up to the 2025/26 academic year, over 830 students from 57 B&R countries/regions have been awarded the scholarship.

SED attends sharing session for new Belt and Road Scholarship awardees Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SED attends sharing session for new Belt and Road Scholarship awardees Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SED attends sharing session for new Belt and Road Scholarship awardees Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SED attends sharing session for new Belt and Road Scholarship awardees Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses

Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.

Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.

The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:

(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.

(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.

"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.

To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.

Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.

Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.

Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.

Source: AI-found images