Hong Kong to spend HK$45 billion grooming the next leaders of technology and boosting innovation
- More than 500 secondary schools to receive HK$1 million to deepen students’ knowledge of subjects such as AI, cloud computing and big data
- Education seen as key to city’s innovation and technology development – and its dream of becoming a global tech hub
Hong Kong’s high school students will be groomed to become technology leaders as part of the government’s ambitious HK$45 billion funding package to boost the city’s innovation sector.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his budget speech on Wednesday that he would deploy HK$500 million (US$64 million) to implement the IT Innovation Lab programme in secondary schools over the next three years.
This was among a host of funding initiatives dedicated to the city’s innovation and technology (I&T) development – and its dream of becoming a global tech hub.
“The current-term government spares no effort in promoting I&T development … One cannot make bricks without straw. We need quality infrastructure to attract I&T talent, and facilitate the operation of I&T enterprises,” he said.
“To pave the way for nurturing local technology talent, we will also encourage the promotion of popular science education in schools,” he added.