Opinion | For China to be an education power, Hong Kong universities must stay free

China has laid out its most ambitious education road map to date. The Education Power Construction Plan Outline aims to transform the country into a global education powerhouse by 2035. As the mainland’s universities climb up global rankings and research output surges, Hong Kong’s role in advancing this vision deserves greater attention.

Amid rising geopolitical tensions – exacerbated by moves such as US universities cutting ties with select Chinese institutions – Hong Kong’s globally connected, academically credible universities stand out. They can serve as platforms for international cooperation that maintain legitimacy in both Chinese and Western contexts.

The University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology feature among the world’s top 100. But what sets them apart is their ability to operate bilingually, attract global faculty and forge research partnerships across ideological and geopolitical divides.

These capabilities have taken on new importance as governments elsewhere reassess academic collaboration with China. Unlike most mainland institutions, Hong Kong’s universities offer familiar legal protections, relatively autonomous governance and robust international networks. This makes them uniquely positioned as credible mediators in scientific, technological and cultural exchanges.

China’s education strategy emphasises cultivating high-level talent and innovation capacity, especially in strategic sectors like artificial intelligence, semiconductors and biotechnology. Hong Kong’s institutions are already contributing. HKUST, for instance, plays a key role in robotics and digital technology while HKU advances biomedical research.