By Shayoni Sarkar
The modern Chinese city that has often been recognised as the most westernised city in Asia, Hong Kong is a thriving society of economic growth and influence. It brings together cultures, traditions and ethnicities from across the world, and proudly boasts to be the financial and tourism hub of the continent. With the perfect mix of a busy, cosmopolitan atmosphere found in bustling capital cities and the beautiful serenity of nature that the mountains of Lantau command, Hong Kong has positioned itself as a versatile market leader ranging from the fiscal world right up to education.
The city has gained an impeccable reputation for being home to some of the finest institutions of higher learning in the continent that command the highest respect in global education. It’s no wonder then that Hong Kong is quickly becoming an education destination of choice for students not just from other countries in Asia but across the world – and the United Kingdom is not to be left behind.
Pic: AP.
Hong Kong’s history as a former British colony lends the city a unique characteristic that forms an integral tool in the city’s educational prominence. As a city that is fluent in the English language and has almost all its leading universities offer programmes in English, adds tremendous value to an education here – one of the more important reasons behind Hong Kong’s success in the field of higher education compared to its Asian counterparts.
An education in English, which is unanimously recognised as one of the most important languages in the world, allows students to excel not just in the global job market but also greatly assists them with their research. This further allows for a welcoming environment for British students, who are drawn not just by the colonial history they share with the city but also an assurance of being educated in an English-speaking society all the while being absorbed in a truly Asian adventure. And this is not an unfounded reasoning, seeing as English is often the only language a Briton is fluent in.
Hong Kong education boosts its international applicants by engaging in a large number of exchange programmes with universities held in the highest repute in the West – a starting point to an introduction to a Hong Kong education for Britons who may later consider pursuing a postgraduate degree in this colourful Asian city.
Institutions like Poly U are leading the way when it comes to education in Hong Kong. Pic: Poly U.
Its strategic partnerships, such as that with the British Council, increase its popularity and presence within British society. Hong Kong is one of the leading markets for UK education taught overseas with the UK holding an approximate 60% market share of transnational education in the Asian city; a 2009 report estimates 740 programmes in Hong Kong being offered by the UK, ahead of Australia and the US. Such strong ties serve as continuing incentive for British students to decide on higher education in Hong Kong.
A city that promises to dispense a high level of international education whist allowing students to undertake a truly Asian experience without compromising on the luxuries enjoyed in the West – Hong Kong is playing its cards right in becoming the rising star of global education destinations.
To find out more about Hong Kong Polytechnic University, visit the website here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shayoni Sarkar is an Indian journalist based in Britain. Shayoni holds a Master’s degree from Cardiff University’s JOMEC and a BA (Hons.) from India’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Her Asian Correspondent blog, ‘Asian Ink’, can be found here.