Hong Kong Delegation Studies Education Models in Ningbo for University Town Development Insights

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang (with photos/video)

The delegation of the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town (WG) under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, arrived in Ningbo today (March 30) to begin a four-day visit to Zhejiang, Beijing, and the Xiong'an New Area in Hebei. The delegation will conduct on-site visits to study the development models and practical experience of local university towns, with a view to providing solid policy reference for the planning and construction of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT).

The delegation first visited the Ningbo Higher Education Park. Planned and constructed in 1999, the Ningbo Higher Education Park is the first higher education park in the country. A number of higher education institutions are located in the park, and shared resources such as libraries and sports facilities are available. The delegation toured various institutions in the park, including Zhejiang Wanli University, NingboTech University, and the School of Software Technology, Zhejiang University. The delegation particularly focused on the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, which was jointly established by Zhejiang Wanli University and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, to gain an in-depth understanding of the positioning, characteristics, and development strategies of different institutions in the park. They also studied the overall planning model and construction style of the park.

Afterwards, the delegation held an exchange meeting with representatives from the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, the Ningbo Municipal Government, the Ningbo Municipal Education Bureau, and heads of various higher education institutions in the park. They also listened to a briefing on the development of the Ningbo Higher Education Park by member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of the Ningbo Municipal People's Government, Mr Xu Yan, Deputy Director of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province Mr Shu Peidong, and other representatives.

Mr Chan said that the Chief Executive announced in the 2025 Policy Address the establishment of a research task force under the WG to study the development model for the NMUT. He hoped that through this visit, the delegation could draw on the successful experience of the Ningbo Higher Education Park over the past two decades, and understand how different institutions could better promote the integrated development of industry, academia and research through government policy support and resource concentration in the park. He also hoped that the visit could help promote exchanges and co-operation in the education field between the two places.

In the evening, Mr Chan and the delegation arrived in Hangzhou, where they met with member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Executive Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, Mr Xu Wenguang, and other Zhejiang provincial officials. They exchanged views on further deepening Zhejiang-Hong Kong co-operation, particularly on strengthening exchanges, co-operation, and development with Mainland institutions in the education field.

Mr Chan said that in recent years, Zhejiang Province has fully implemented its strategy of modernisation of education and the strategy to build a strong province in higher education, achieving rapid development with remarkable and widely recognised results. Zhejiang and Hong Kong have signed multiple co-operation agreements, which set out more practical and diversified collaborative projects in the education field, with the aim of jointly nurturing and supplying new-era talent for the country's high-quality development. Mr Chan expressed hope of bringing the successful experience of Zhejiang Province back to Hong Kong to support the city in developing into an international hub for post-secondary education, and contributing Hong Kong's strengths to building China into a leading country in education, while continuing to promote deeper exchanges and co-operation between Zhejiang and Hong Kong in the education field.

Mr Chan, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, and other members of the delegation will continue their visit tomorrow (March 31) and visit the Xiasha Higher Education Park in Hangzhou.

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to visit Zhejiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Independent Committee in relation to fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po invites members of public and organisations to provide information (second round)

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po:

The Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced today (March 30) that it is inviting members of the public and organisations to provide information and views from tomorrow (March 31) to April 14 on whether there were systemic problems, such as undue connected interests, conflicts of roles, or improper collusion across all stages of large-scale building maintenance and renovation works (not limited to Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po); and whether bid-rigging corruption or irregularities were involved in the tendering process of the relevant works.

Members of the public and organisations who wish to provide information may do so from 10am on March 31 to 11.59pm on April 14 through one of the following means:

complete and submit an electronic form online (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ic-submissions-2/en/); or

download and print a physical form (www.ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk/pdf/PDF-form-Invitation-to-public-and-relevant-organisations-to-provide-information-2-(English).pdf), complete it and email it to secretariat@ic-wangfukcourtfire.gov.hk, fax it to 2333 1302; or mail it to the Secretariat of the Committee at 10/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

The Committee accepts anonymous submissions to facilitate the provision of information by persons with relevant knowledge. However, anonymous submissions must be accompanied by specific details and/or substantive evidence (for example, tender documents, contracts, meeting minutes, screenshots of communications or other supporting materials).

The Chief Executive established the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to review the causes of the incident and related issues of the fire, and to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. The Committee formally commenced its work on December 19, 2025, and the evidential hearing on March 19, 2026, to hear opening remarks from the legal teams and oral evidence from witnesses (including oral evidence from Wang Fuk Court residents).

Source: AI-found images