NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ, Philippines to sign military agreement

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealand and the Philippines will this week sign an agreement to enable the two countries’ militaries to work more closely, Defence Minister Judith Collins says.

    Ms Collins will travel to the Philippines today to sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which highlights the importance New Zealand places on working closely with our partners, she says.

    “It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities and exercises in each of our territories.

    “The agreement follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during Mr Luxon’s visit to Manila last year.”

    It will now undergo a final ratification process in the Philippine Senate. 

    While in the Philippines, Ms Collins will meet with the President and hold a bilateral meeting with counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the Secretary of National Defense. 

    “We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Ms Collins says.

    Ms Collins returns to New Zealand on 2 May.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement is a treaty-level document that sets out the legal conditions for military cooperation between our countries, including the responsibilities and obligations on both sides.
    • This agreement with the Philippines builds on two previous agreements that provide for practical defence cooperation, the Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement (2024) and the Defence Cooperation Arrangement (2012).
    • New Zealand has a number of similar agreements, the most recent being one signed with Fiji in 2023.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Empowering Future Digital Leaders: 3rd ASEAN-China Youth Exchange Visit Strengthens Regional Cooperation and Youth Engagement in ICT Development

    Source: ASEAN

    Organised from 23 to 25 April 2025 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the 3rd ASEAN-China Youth Exchange Visit brought together 133 delegates from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, and China to advance youth capacity and engagement on ICT development, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and strengthening a future ready ASEAN youth.

    The post Empowering Future Digital Leaders: 3rd ASEAN-China Youth Exchange Visit Strengthens Regional Cooperation and Youth Engagement in ICT Development appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why film and TV creators will still risk it all for the perfect long take shot

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristian Ramsden, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide

    Apple TV

    In the second episode of Apple TV’s The Studio (2025–) – a sharp satirical take on contemporary Hollywood – newly-appointed studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) visits the set of one of his company’s film productions.

    He finds the crew anxiously attempting to pull off an extremely audacious and technically demanding shot known as a “oner”, or “long take”. Chaos ensues.

    But despite the difficulties associated with it, the long take has a long history and continues to be a promising creative choice in contemporary film and television.

    High stakes on the set

    The long take is a shot which captures a scene in a single, unbroken take.

    It’s a risky endeavour. While most film and TV production is constructed through the use of coverage – different shots edited together – the long take can’t hide behind the editing process. Every minute detail needs to be perfectly planned, executed and captured.

    As a result, the oner is often associated with big, ostentatious, showstopping set pieces that exemplify technical and directorial prowess. Think of the “Copacabana” sequence from Goodfellas (1990), or the opening scene of Children of Men (2006).

    The shot has gained a cultish type of reverence among film enthusiasts, with countless online articles and videos counting down the “best long takes in film history”.

    Yet the practice also has its detractors. Film critic A.A. Dowd’s recent article for The Ringer says that “to the unimpressed, oners often come across as an act of glorified self-glorification”.

    This dichotomy is also highlighted in The Studio, when one executive complains long takes are just directors showing off. Rogen’s character counters the oner is, in fact, “the ultimate cinematic achievement”.

    A theory of the long take

    The long take has existed in nearly every stage of film history – from silent films to sound, from Asian films to European, and from art-house to mainstream.

    The greatest advocate of the long take was arguably French film theorist André Bazin. In his piece The Evolution of Film Language, Bazin argued cinema’s greatest asset was its ability to capture reality – and the long take was central to his understanding of how film achieved that.

    For Bazin, editing “did not show us the event, but alluded to it”. To illustrate his point, he examines a scene from Robert Flaherty’s controversial silent documentary Nanook of the North (1922), in which a hunter patiently waits for his prey.

    The passage of time could have been suggested by editing but, as Bazin notes, Flaherty “confines himself to showing the actual waiting period”. If the act of editing creates a synthetic manipulation of space and time, then the long take does the opposite – bringing us closer to a true representation of reality. For Bazin, the length “is the very substance of the image”.

    The tradition of the long take – of showing “reality” – is perhaps most upheld in the world of art-house cinema. Directors such as Chantal Akerman, Béla Tarr, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-liang have used the long take to “de-dramatise” narrative, creating a deliberately slow pace to prompt audiences to contemplate aspects of existence traditional narratives usually ignore.

    Mainstream cinema also uses the long take to show “reality”, albeit in a different manner. Here, the long take has often been used as a mark of authenticity for the amazing feats of practical performers, whether this is the wild stunts or camera trickery of Buster Keaton, the balletic graces of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or this white-knuckled fight scene from The Protector (2005), starring Thai martial artist Tony Jaa.

    However, our strong association between the oner and a distinct directorial vision likely began with Citizen Kane (1941). In this film, screen reality itself is manipulated, as director Orson Welles and cinematographer Gregg Toland liberated the camera to move as if it was its own player in the drama.

    In the below example, the camera starts outside, before reversing backwards through a window and two different rooms. The actors are constantly repositioning themselves around the camera for dramatic impetus, rather than for reality.

    Bazin would refer to this as “shooting in depth”. Subsequent auteurs also embraced this technique, including William Wyler, Max Ophüls, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg.

    Many viewed it as a chance to up the ante from Welles, something the director did himself with the remarkable opening sequence of his 1958 film Touch of Evil.

    The future of the long take

    There are far too many oners for me to list here, and they seem to only be increasing. It’s now common to see entire films seemingly shot in one take, such as Russian Ark (2002), Birdman (2014), 1917 (2019) and Boiling Point (2021), to name a few.

    Technological advancements have made the long take more achievable. Camera stabilisers enable greater freedom of movement, while digital camera tech allows us to record for longer durations.

    Furthermore, digital compositing has made it easier to fake the long take, such as in Birdman and 1917. Both of these films use multiple long takes that are strategically edited to look like a single shot. Impossible-to-see cuts may be hidden in dark moments, or through fast whip pans.

    Prestige television has also lifted the oner practice, with examples from shows such as Mr. Robot (2015-19), True Detective (2014–), The Bear (2022-), Severance (2022) and, of course, The Studio.

    But perhaps the most remarkable recent example comes from Netflix’s Adolescence (2025), a show in which four separate standalone episodes are all shot in a single long take.

    In the age of TikTok and shortening attention spans, it should strike us as positive to see a resurgence of the long take as a creative choice in so much contemporary film and TV.

    Kristian Ramsden receives funding, in the form of a research stipend, from The University of Adelaide.

    – ref. Why film and TV creators will still risk it all for the perfect long take shot – https://theconversation.com/why-film-and-tv-creators-will-still-risk-it-all-for-the-perfect-long-take-shot-254796

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peter Dutton: a Liberal leader seeking to surf on the wave of outer suburbia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    In searching for the “real” Peter Dutton, it is possible to end up frustrated because you have looked too hard.

    Politically, Dutton is not complicated. There is a consistent line in his beliefs through his career. Perhaps the shortest cut to understanding the Liberal leader is to go back to his maiden speech, delivered in February 2002.

    The former Queensland policeman canvassed “unacceptable crime rates”, the “silent majority”, the “aspirational voters”, how the “politically correct” had a “disproportionate say in political debate”, the “grossly inadequate sentences” dispensed by the courts, and the centrality of national security. The way the last was handled was “perhaps the most significant challenge our society faces today,” the novice MP told the House of Representatives.

    “National security” would be a foundational pillar of Dutton’s career, as well as his political security blanket.

    Dutton had been a member of the Liberal Party since about age 18 and hoped “to use my experience both in small business and in law enforcement to provide perhaps a more practical view on some of the issues and problems” of the day.

    The 32-year-old Dutton, who’d recently been in the building business with his father, following his nine years in the police force, arrived in parliament on a high, as something of a dragon-slayer in his Brisbane seat of Dickson. He had defeated Labor’s Cheryl Kernot, former leader of the Australian Democrats who had jumped ship in a spectacular defection in October 1997.

    Dutton came from Brisbane’s outer suburbia, just as the Liberals were reorienting their focus towards this constituency, the so-called “Howard battlers”.

    The eager newcomer was soon noted by the prime minister who, after the 2004 election, appointed him to the junior ministry. One Liberal insider from the time says that when campaigning in Dickson, John Howard saw Dutton “was very good at establishing himself in a marginal seat”. (Years later, when a redistribution turned Dickson into a notional Labor seat for the 2010 election, Dutton tried to do a runner to the safe seat of McPherson. But he failed to win preselection; in the event he held Dickson with a hefty swing. This election Dickson is on 1.7%.)

    Dutton brought to his first ministry, workforce participation, the view he had expressed in his maiden speech: “We are seeing an alarming number of households where up to three generations – in many cases by choice – have never worked in their lives, and a society where in many cases rights are demanded but no responsibility is taken.”

    By 2006 he had been promoted by Howard to assistant treasurer, a job that gave the ambitious Dutton a chance to work closely with Treasurer Peter Costello. Nick Minchin was finance minister then. He paints a picture of Dutton as a sort of guard dog protecting the revenue. In the cabinet expenditure review committee, “Peter was particularly helpful and supportive of Costello and my fending off the demands of spending ministers”.

    The one-time police officer was “strong and resolute in questioning ministers”. Minchin was impressed; the junior minister was “obviously going places”.

    From defensive to offensive

    After the Liberals went into opposition, Dutton “shadowed” health, becoming health minister in Tony Abbott’s government after the 2013 election.

    His legacy from the health portfolio dogs him in this campaign. He presided over the government’s failed attempt in the 2014 budget to put a co-payment on bulk-billed services. A poll conducted by Australian Doctor magazine voted him the worst health minister in memory.

    A former senior public servant who observed him at the time presents a more positive picture, saying it was a very difficult time and Dutton was well across the complexity of the portfolio. On the notorious co-payment, Abbott says it was not Dutton’s idea: “It was absolutely 150% my idea”.

    When in December 2014 Abbott moved him to immigration and border protection, Dutton was both in his comfort zone and on the escalator. Looking back, Abbott says Dutton was “a better match” for that portfolio. “In health the Coalition tends to play a defensive game. In border protection it plays an offensive game.”

    Partnered by empire-building bureaucrat Mike Pezzullo, Dutton agitated for the creation of a mega security department (a push that earlier originated with Scott Morrison when he was in immigration). Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull felt the need to accommodate Dutton – then one of his conservative backers – with the creation of the home affairs super department, which was controversial and divided ministers. Someone who observed him closely in that portfolio says Dutton was always clear what he wanted, but didn’t get too deeply involved in the processes of policy.

    Dutton, however, had another goal, and the turmoil surrounding Turnbull’s leadership seemed to offer the opportunity to shoot for the top. It was a false hope. Tactically outsmarted by Turnbull, Dutton lost the first face-off between the two in August 2018. The second bout, later the same week, provided not victory but a pathway to the prime ministership for Scott Morrison.

    It wasn’t all downside for Dutton: during the Morrison government he became defence minister. The post suited a China hawk when the bilateral relationship was in a deep trough.

    Early on, he met with one-time Labor defence minister (and later Labor leader) Kim Beazley. Beazley recalls: “He wanted to talk to me about what being defence minister was like”. They spoke about submarines: Beazley suggested Australia should cancel its then-existing contract for French conventional submarines and get a new contract for their nuclear subs (this was before AUKUS).

    “He knew a fair bit,” Beazley says. “So he was looking to think a way through the huge problems we confronted.” Dutton was “aware we were slipping into an era of constant danger. He had all the attitude you would want of a contemporary defence minister” (although, Beazley adds, the Morrison government had “a propensity for unfunded defence annoucements”).

    Leadership and control

    By the time the Liberals went into opposition, Dutton was the only leadership candidate standing. His long-term rival Josh Frydenberg had lost his seat – a bonus for Dutton, who hasn’t had to look over his shoulder in the past three years, but a big loss for a party deprived of choice. The Liberals’ moderate wing had been decimated with the rise of the “teals”.

    Many immediately declared Dutton unelectable, a view that would soften over time, then return again, to an extent, close to the election.

    As opposition leader, Dutton’s laser-like focus was on keeping the party together, avoiding the backbiting and schisms that often follow a serious loss. Colleagues found him approachable and willing to listen. A backbencher says: “He was always very respectful of people in the party room. He will make himself available if people want to talk.”

    Yet how much was he willing to hear? The same backbencher says, “I don’t think there was a lot of consultation in the development of policy – it was a bit of a black box. The emphasis has been on unity and discipline.”

    Russell Broadbent, a moderate Liberal who defected to the crossbench in 2023 when he lost preselection for his seat of Monash (which he is recontesting an an independent) says, “I’ve never had a cup of tea or a meal with [Dutton]. I wasn’t in his group – I was on the wrong side of the party somewhere.” He says their only conversation was when Dutton told him his preselection was under threat. Broadbent said he knew his opponents had the numbers: Dutton asked whether he’d go to the crossbench. “I said, ‘probably’”.

    Anthony Albanese gave his opponent a big political break, when the Voice, opposed by the Coalition, crashed spectacularly in October 2023. The prime minister had invested heavily in a doomed and faulty campaign that misread the mood of Australians, just when many people were being dragged down by the cost of living.

    It took Albanese well over a year to recover his stride. Indeed, he did not do so fully until early 2025, when a pre-campaign burst of announcements put the government in a strong position. Dutton’s miscalculation was to believe that when he had Albanese down, his opponent would be out for the count.

    Dutton gambled by holding back key policies until the campaign and making the opposition a relatively small target. The big exception was the nuclear pitch, released fairly early and driven in part by the need to keep the Nationals, a number of whom were restive about the Coalition commitment to the 2050 net zero emissions target, in the tent. Saturday’s result will be the ultimate test of the “hold back” tactic.

    As the election neared, there was increasing criticism in Coalition ranks of the handling of the campaign, which has been shambolic at times. One example was the delay in producing modelling for a signature policy – the proposal for a gas reservation scheme. That pales beside the fiasco of the (aborted) plan to force Canberra public servants back into the office.

    The bold defence policy, to take spending to 3% of GDP within a decade, was not only released after pre-polling had started, but came without detail.

    On strategy and tactics, Dutton is controlling, wanting to keep things tight, in his own hands or those of a small group. Perhaps it is the policeman’s mindset. Certainly it has worked to the disadvantage of his campaign, which has appeared under-cooked on large and small things. Among the latter, Dutton’s office insisted on doing his transcripts, rather than having them done by the campaign HQ. Predictably, they were overwhelmed and the transcripts ran late.

    Dutton seemed to be working on the assumption he was in a similar situation to Abbott in 2013, when Labor was gone for all money. But this election people needed to be convinced the alternative was robust and, late in the day, many swinging voters remained sceptical about that. Dutton is a strong negative campaigner, who hasn’t put much work into strengthening his weaker skill set to be a “positive” voice as well.

    Going into the campaign’s final days, Labor held the edge in the polls. But the Liberals maintained that in key marginals, the story was rather different.

    There is a degree of mismatch between the private Dutton and the public figure. Often those who meet or know him remark that one-to-one or in small groups he is personable. Yet his public demeanour is frequently awkward and somewhat aloof. This leaves him open to caricature, and raises the question of why he has been so unsuccessful in projecting more of his private self into his public image.

    The latest Newspoll, published Sunday night, had Dutton’s approval rating at minus 24, compared to Anthony Albanese’s minus 9. A just-released Morgan poll on trust in leaders found Dutton had the highest net distrust score (when people were asked in an open-ended question to nominate whom they trusted and distrusted). It’s a long-term thing: he was third in the 2022 list.

    The gender problem that dogs the Liberals

    One of Dutton’s problems has been the women’s vote. The Poll Bludger’s William Bowe says looking at the polls, “Dutton wasn’t doing too badly [with women] in the first half of the term, but a gap opened up in 2024 and substantially widened in 2025”. Sunday’s Newspoll found 66% of female voters had “little or no confidence” the Coalition was ready to govern, compared to 58% of male voters.

    Retiring Liberal senator Linda Reynolds, who preceded Dutton in the defence portfolio, has worked on gender issues in the Liberal Party for 15 years. She believes this is “a party problem, not specifically a Peter Dutton problem”. She says the Liberals’ failure to embrace and deal with gender issues “leaves the leader of the day vulnerable”.

    Kos Samaras, from Redbrige political consultancy, agrees. “It’s a brand issue, rather than him personally. He’s just the leader of [the brand].” Scott Morrison made the brand problem a lot worse. “It’s gone back to a normal [Liberal] problem, be it still bad.”

    There are differences between constituencies, but there is a “very significant problem with professional women”, Samaras says, which highlights the Liberals’ challenge with the “teal” seats.
    Dutton is classic right-wing on law and order, defence policy, nationalism, anti-wokeness, and much more. But he can be pragmatic when the politics demands.

    He was personally opposed to marriage equality, but was behind the postal survey that enabled the Turnbull government to achieve it, so removing the issue from the agenda. And the China hawk has recently softened his line on that country, in part to facilitate a pitch for the votes of Chinese-Australians, alienated by the Morrison government.

    In this campaign, Dutton has been painted by his opponents as “Trump-lite”. Confronted with this in the third leaders’ debate, he was unable to provide an answer. Initially expecting the election of Trump would be potentially helpful for the opposition, he failed to appreciate the dangers for him, which only increased as the new president became more arbitrary and unpredictable.

    The opposition leader’s anti-public service attitude might be a milder version of Trump’s stand but it is also a Queenslander’s view of Canberra, as well as typical of what the Liberals roll out before elections. But his appointment of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as shadow minister for government efficiency was blatantly and foolishly Trumpian.

    Dutton is not nimble or nuanced. He is also prone to going off half-cocked, which can lead to missteps (as when he wrongly said the Indonesian president had announced a Russian request to base planes in Papua). Earlier examples are easy to find. In his autobiography A Bigger Picture, Turnbull wrote of him that he would do interviews with right-wing shock jock in which he would “echo their extreme views […] He always apologised for going too far, and I generally gave him the benefit of the doubt”.

    Dutton talks little about Liberal Party history, or political philosophy. Is he ideological? Abbott says he is ideological in the way Howard was. “He has strong instincts, he has convictions but they are more instinctual than ideological.”

    Dutton at every opportunity points to Howard as his lodestar. Howard also came from a small business family, didn’t have much time for the public service, and had the quality of political doggedness. Regardless of some similarities, however, it is a very long stretch to see Dutton walking in Howard’s shoes.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Peter Dutton: a Liberal leader seeking to surf on the wave of outer suburbia – https://theconversation.com/peter-dutton-a-liberal-leader-seeking-to-surf-on-the-wave-of-outer-suburbia-254590

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior Lecturer, International Migration and Refugee Law, University of Technology Sydney

    The year is 1972. The Whitlam Labor government has just been swept into power and major changes to Australia’s immigration system are underway. Many people remember this time for the formal end of the racist White Australia Policy.

    A lesser-known legacy of this period was the introduction of Australia’s first immigration amnesty. This amnesty, implemented later in 1974 with bilateral support, provided humane pathways to permanency or citizenship for undocumented people in Australia.

    In other words, people living without lawful immigration status could “legalise” their status without risk of punishment or deportation.

    More immigration amnesties were promised during later election campaigns and then implemented in 1976 and 1980.

    These amnesties occurred under successive Labor and Liberal federal governments, and each enjoyed enthusiastic bipartisan support.

    So, how did these amnesties work – and could they happen again?

    Started by Whitlam

    Australia’s first amnesty was announced in January 1974, as part of the Whitlam government’s official policy of multiculturalism.

    Its purpose was to grant permanency to people who had been living in Australia “illegally” and at risk of labour exploitation.

    The amnesty was open for five months, from late January until the end of June 1974.

    The main eligibility criteria was that the person:

    • had to have been living in Australia for three years or more and
    • be of “good character”.

    This program had only a modest uptake. However, it set the path for more successful initiatives in the future.

    Continued by Fraser

    During the 1975 election campaign, then caretaker Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser promised another amnesty if his government won the election.

    He committed to “do everything we can” to allow undocumented people

    to stay here and make Australia their permanent home.

    After the election, Fraser’s Liberal government implemented a broad amnesty for “overstayed visitors” in January 1976.

    Departmental figures show 8,614 people sought legal status in the amnesty period.

    The vast majority (63%) lived in New South Wales. The main nationalities of these applicants were:

    • Greek (1,283 applicants)
    • UK (911 applicants)
    • Indonesian (748 applicants)
    • Chinese (643 applicants).

    Australia’s third broad immigration amnesty came in 1980, again as a result of a bipartisan election promise.

    Immigration Minister Ian Macphee announced a six-month Regularisation of Status Program. It aimed, he said, to deal “humanely with the problem of illegal immigration” while also seeking to curb such unauthorised migration in the future.

    Not a trick

    Many migrants worried these amnesties were a government “trick” to facilitate deportations.

    In an attempt to reassure the public, Prime Minister Fraser insisted in 1980 that the program was

    not a trap to lure people into the open so that they can be seized, jailed and deported.

    By the end of the amnesty period in December 1980, it was reported that more than 11,000 applications had been received. This covered more than 14,000 people.

    What made the past amnesties successful?

    Our research looked at what motivated the amnesties and how they worked.

    We found several key factors that drove success, including the need for:

    • simple and inclusive criteria for eligibility
    • a clear application process
    • a careful campaign for promotion, to build trust with migrant communities, and
    • durable outcomes that offer of clear pathways to citizenship.

    The 1980 amnesty program involved an effective campaign to publicise successful cases.

    A 21-year-old Greek waitress working in her aunt’s Goulburn restaurant was widely publicised as the first person to be granted immigration amnesty status in July 1980. A Uruguayan refugee was profiled as the 1,000th.

    The Department of Immigration also translated amnesty information into 48 languages, publicised in non-English language press and radio.

    Of the three amnesties, the 1974 one was the least successful, due to:

    • stringent eligibility criteria
    • limited media publicity, and
    • no official outreach strategy to build trust with migrant communities.

    Precarious lives

    Recent calls for an immigration amnesty has focused on two groups in Australia:

    The Department of Home Affairs estimates more than 70,000 people live in Australia today without immigration status.

    Undocumented workers are highly vulnerable to exploitation and deportation.

    Yet, these workers often fulfil crucial labour market shortages. Many have been living in Australia for years or even decades.

    Asylum seekers and refugees on temporary or no visas cannot return “home” for fear of persecution. They risk lapsing into irregular status with no rights or entitlements.

    Lessons from past amnesties

    Amnesties are a humane and cost-effective response to unauthorised migration.

    Australia currently spends millions, if not billions of dollars, on the detention and deportation of people without visas.

    In the lead up to both the 1976 and 1980 amnesties, successive governments acknowledged such a “detection and deportation” approach would be unnecessarily costly. It would require “increased resources in manpower”.

    An amnesty, instead, was in the words of then Immigration Minister Macphee a chance to:

    clean the slate, to acknowledge that no matter how people got here they are part of the community.

    These historical precedents show Australia’s migration system and politicians could, if they wanted, accommodate initiatives and reforms that fundamentally value migrants and prioritise migrant access to permanency.

    Our research also shows Australian election campaigns can be opportunities for advancing policies that embrace the reality of immigration and offer hope, not fear.

    Sara Dehm receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a co-convenor of the interdisciplinary academic network, Academics for Refugees.

    Anthea Vogl receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Departure of Health and Aged Care. She is a Board Member of the Forcibly Displaced People Network and co-convenor of the interdisciplinary academic network, Academics for Refugees.

    – ref. Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again? – https://theconversation.com/australia-once-had-immigration-amnesties-to-grant-legal-status-to-undocumented-people-could-we-again-252294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The end of Ebola outbreak in Uganda demonstrates World Health Organization (WHO)’s value in controlling and stopping diseases

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    KAMPALA, Uganda, April 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Uganda has officially declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak, which was confirmed on 30 January 2025 by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. The outbreak infected 14 people, two of whom were probable (not confirmed by laboratory tests) and caused four deaths (including two probable). 

    Disease outbreaks, such as Ebola, Marburg, and yellow fever, are not new in Uganda. The country has faced multiple outbreaks and, in doing so, has built a resilient health system capable of detecting and containing outbreaks rapidly. With active support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, this outbreak again demonstrated Uganda’s capacity to deal with such challenges. 

    The latest Ebola disease outbreak occurred in the bustling, highly mobile city of Kampala. In many places, such an announcement could have triggered widespread panic. But, within 72 hours of confirmation, the Ministry of Health, actively supported by the WHO and health partners, activated its response mechanisms. Rapid response teams were deployed on the ground, identifying contacts to the confirmed patient, collecting samples for testing, setting up treatment units, and educating the community about Ebola prevention. 

    Similarly, within 24 hours of notification, the WHO Deputy Director General and Executive Director for Emergencies, Dr Mike Ryan, was in Uganda to guide WHO’s strategic and operational support to the response. 

    “The outbreak occurring in an urban setting is of significant concern to us, given past experiences. In this outbreak, every minute is of the essence, and we must set up rapidly to avert a potential disaster,” said Dr Mike Ryan upon arrival in the country.

    WHO mobilized 129 national and international staff to support the response. They brought a wealth of technical expertise, ensuring that WHO’s input was present at every critical stage.

    The impact of these efforts was quickly evident. On 14 March 2025, the last confirmed patient was discharged, and 534 contacts had been successfully identified and followed up daily. This is no mean achievement given the area in which the outbreak occurred. It is a testament to Uganda’s strengthened capacity to detect and respond to disease outbreaks in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), for which WHO is the principal custodian.

    Uganda has now completed the 42-day mandatory countdown without a confirmed Ebola case. During this critical period, WHO worked closely with the Ministry of Health to conduct active case search and mortality surveillance to ensure that no potential chains of transmission went undetected.

    It’s important to acknowledge the groundwork that made this rapid response possible. WHO’s presence on the ground through its regional hubs and prior technical leadership in helping Uganda develop a multisectoral preparedness and response plan were pivotal. These provided clear direction for all responding actors, enabling effective coordination, optimizing resource allocation, and preventing duplication.

    Another key enabler was the swift deployment by WHO of 165 multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team members (RRTs) to hotspot districts. These members strengthened local capacity for alert management, case investigation, and contact tracing, even in remote areas. Backed by WHO’s technical training and tools, the RRTs worked hand in hand with district teams to ensure that no case went undetected. This strong collaboration helped halt the further spread of the disease.

    Special attention was also given to border health. With the international imperative to prevent cross-border transmission, health workers were rapidly reoriented, thermal scanners were deployed, and screening protocols were enforced at 13 key entry points, especially at Entebbe International Airport. 

    The laboratory response was equally robust. Over 1500 samples were collected, transported, and tested, with national labs rising to the challenge. Thanks to WHO’s prior technical support, Uganda had the capacity to manage samples under strict biosafety and quality standards. Laboratory teams at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and Central Public Health Laboratories handled the workload professionally and efficiently, earning praise for their quick turnaround. 

    At the heart of the response was a courageous and well-prepared case management team. Equipped with WHO Ebola supplies designed to protect health workers and support clinical care, they treated patients with professionalism and care. Of the 12 confirmed cases, two patients succumbed, while the rest were successfully treated and reintegrated into their communities. Two probable cases were identified after their death, therefore not managed in the treatment center. 

    WHO-supported 78 Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) further reinforced case management efforts. These highly trained and well-equipped teams ensured the safe transportation and treatment of patients across affected regions, delivering high-quality care at every step.

    For the second time in an Ebola outbreak caused by the Sudan virus in Uganda,  WHO  deployed anthropologists, risk communication experts, and community engagement teams. These specialists worked directly with communities to address stigma, mistrust, and misinformation, while providing real-time public health information. Their efforts were instrumental in gaining trust and reinforcing safety practices.

    Despite the absence of a licensed vaccine against the Sudan virus, candidate vaccines are in various phases of clinical trials, recommended by the independent WHO candidate vaccine prioritisation working group. Within four days of the government’s declaration of the outbreak, a randomized clinical trial for vaccine safety and efficacy using the ring vaccination approach was launched. In addition, the administration of Remdesivir treatment under the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered and Experimental Interventions (MEURI) protocol was initiated. 

    Ecological studies aimed at identifying the source of infection were initiated and are continuing. These are important because they help to anticipate risks of outbreaks as well as ensure health systems are well prepared and ready to detect outbreaks early and respond effectively.

    Behind the scenes, coordination and partner engagement played crucial roles. WHO was responsible for aligning resources, reducing duplication, and maximizing impact. Through its coordination role, WHO mapped out key stakeholders and facilitated effective resource use at all levels of the response.

    No successful outbreak response is complete without adequate financial backing. So far, WHO has mobilized and utilized US $6.2 million for this response. This support, along with in-kind contributions of essential medicines, supplies, and equipment, has been vital in maintaining the momentum of operations.

    WHO acknowledges and deeply appreciates all partners who contributed through the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), including: Germany, Norway, Ireland, Canada, France, New Zealand, Kuwait, Portugal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Estonia, and the WHO Foundation. Thanks to the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, the European Commission – Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), European Commission – European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) for supporting WHO’s interventions.

    As the situation in Uganda stabilizes, this outbreak highlights three clear lessons: early preparedness saves lives, rapid response is critical, and WHO’s support remains vital, not only for Uganda, but for global health security.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Basketball test event concludes

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The 15th National Games Basketball (Men’s U22) test event held at the Hong Kong Coliseum today and yesterday concluded successfully, the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO) said.

    The test event was organised by the NGCO and co-organised by the Basketball Association of Hong Kong, China and the Eastern Sports Club, with the Chinese Basketball Association as advisor.

    The test event featured four basketball teams – Hong Kong A1 Division Championship basketball teams Hong Kong Eastern, Winling and Tycoon, as well as the Hong Kong Men’s U22 representative team. The four teams played in the group stage and then vied for first place, with the Hong Kong representative team ultimately claiming the championship title.

    The test event covered a wide array of areas, including event operations and procedures, competition organisation, venue setup, sports and prize presentations, information systems, security, medical services, volunteer services and broadcast arrangements.

    NGCO Head Yeung Tak-keung said that to ensure full preparation for the eight competition events to be staged in the city in November, Hong Kong has completed test events for seven sports, with the final test event of fencing scheduled for the end of May at Kai Tak Arena in Kai Tak Sports Park.

    Click here for information on the 15th National Games.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Skilled migrants are leaving the U.S. for Canada — how can the north gain from the brain drain?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ashika Niraula, Senior Research Associate, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration Program, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Skilled migrants and international students are leaving the United States for Canada in growing numbers. A March 2025 report by Statistics Canada reveals a sharp rise in the numbers of American non-citizen residents moving to Canada. Reasons given are largely restrictive U.S. immigration policies, visa caps and long wait times for green cards.

    This is a shift from earlier decades when American-born citizens dominated the trend. By 2019, nearly half of those making the move were U.S. non-citizen residents.

    Since U.S. President Donald Trump’s election win and early days in office, Google searches by American residents on how to move to Canada, New Zealand and Australia have surged.

    Several high-profile academics have relocated to Canadian universities amid growing concerns over threats to academic freedom.

    British Columbia recently announced plans to launch landmark policies to streamline the credential recognition process for internationally trained health-care professionals, particular American doctors and nurses.

    Skilled talent like health-care professionals, researchers and engineers are essential to building innovative, future-ready economies. But attracting them requires staying competitive in an increasingly global bid for talent.

    Global competition for talent

    In this global race for talent, Canada and Australia need to offer not only efficient immigration pathways but also faster credential recognition and better integration support.

    Yet both nations find themselves walking a tightrope. Once both celebrated as welcoming destinations for global talent, each country has experienced recent immigration restrictions and growing anti-immigration sentiments, undermining those reputations.



    Read more:
    Canada at a crossroads: Understanding the shifting sands of immigration attitudes

    What can these countries learn from each other to stay competitive and benefit from this talent flow?

    Research from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Migration and Integration Program shows Canada’s appeal for skilled migrants is rooted in a mix of practical and aspirational factors. This includes a combination of high living standards, the promise of better career prospects, more accessible permanent residency pathways and a broadly welcoming society.

    But for migrants in Canada, these goals are becoming harder to attain.

    A more cautious approach

    Since the pandemic, Canada’s immigration approach has shifted. During the early COVID-19 years, Canada was praised for its inclusive response, including recognizing immigrants as essential to economic recovery. Temporary workers, including essential workers, international student graduates and French-speaking immigrants, were offered new routes to permanent residency through a federal program.

    However, since 2024, Canada has taken a more cautious approach.

    New policy changes that target international students and cut temporary and permanent migration numbers have tarnished Canada’s global reputation as a welcoming place.

    While permanent residency is still more accessible than in the U.S., skilled migrants are increasingly questioning whether the wait for permanent residency is worth it.

    Australia visa rules slow things down

    Australia faces similar dilemmas. In late 2023, the government launched a new migration strategy to address critical workforce shortages in construction, tech and health care. The Skills in Demand visa promised faster processing and clearer pathways to permanent residency for workers in priority sectors.

    Yet a recent report by the Grattan institute warns that tighter eligibility rules risk excluding much-needed talent, potentially weakening Australia’s competitiveness.

    Growing visa delays are also noted to be an additional barrier that may deter both prospective migrants and employers.

    Working in jobs far below qualifications

    Migration data often tells a story of numbers, categories and eligibility thresholds. However, the human stories behind the numbers reveal deep systemic issues and missed opportunities. One recurring issue is the widespread phenomenon of deskilling.

    In both Canada and Australia, many skilled migrants often find themselves working in jobs far below their qualifications.

    These experiences are part of a pattern that affects not only individuals but also national economies, which lose out on the full potential of their skilled workforce.

    Credential recognition systems are opaque, inconsistent and frequently biased.

    Another overlooked issue is that many skilled migrants do not move alone. People arrive with spouses, children and sometimes elderly parents.

    Yet immigration and settlement systems in both countries are largely structured around individual economic migrants rather than families. In Canada, for instance, federally funded settlement services are mainly geared toward supporting only permanent residents.

    Many spouses, particularly women, face even greater barriers to employment. Issues also include things like high fees for visa processing for parents. Other considerations include children who may struggle with schooling and identity in unfamiliar environments.

    Housing shortages and high costs in major urban centres compound these challenges, pushing newcomers into unaffordable living conditions.

    All this contributes to growing disillusionment. Migrants initially drawn to Canada or Australia as alternatives to unwelcoming environments elsewhere may choose to still come, but it doesn’t mean they will stay.



    Read more:
    Canada halts new parent immigration sponsorships, keeping families apart

    Learning from each other: Canada and Australia

    The experiences of skilled migrants in Canada and Australia show that attracting talent is only half the battle. The real challenge is in retention and integration.

    Many countries like Germany, Japan, South Korea and some Gulf states have begun offering more competitive pathways to immigration along with promises of a work-life balance, streamlined visa programs and competitive salaries. This means skilled migrants are increasingly mobile.



    Read more:
    The states want a bigger say in skilled migration – but doing that actually leaves them worse off

    Australia has made strides in streamlining visa categories and targeting sectoral needs, while Canada has built a strong narrative around inclusion and multiculturalism.

    However, there is a need to combine Australia’s responsiveness and Canada’s inclusive ethos to build resilient migration systems.

    Build future-ready migration systems

    In an era defined by geopolitical uncertainties, countries can no longer afford to treat skilled migrants as temporary fixes or just economic inputs. They are people with aspirations, with families and with dreams.

    They must be seen and supported as future citizens. To build future-ready migration systems Canada must:

    • Ensure transparency and consistency in immigration pathways to reduce uncertainties caused by policy reversals and lengthy processing times.

    • Improve credential recognition and career support to help skilled migrants, including temporary residents, transition into roles that match their qualifications.

    • Develop regional settlement strategies to address where migrants settle and ensure equitable access to services, job markets and housing, especially outside major cities.

    • Adopt inclusive, intersectional policies that consider gender, race and class in shaping the migrant experience, including support for spouses, children and aging parents.

    • Foster collaborative and responsive policymaking. This involves connecting researchers, employers, community organizations and migrants to inform policy making.

    For Canada, the challenge ahead is clear. It’s not just about opening the door. It’s about making sure that once here, migrants have the support, rights and opportunities to walk through that door — and thrive.

    ​Ashika Niraula works as a Senior Research Associate at the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. The Skilled Migrant Decision Making Under Uncertainty project has received financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant (435-2021-0752) and from the wider program of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration at Toronto Metropolitan University.

    Iori Hamada does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Skilled migrants are leaving the U.S. for Canada — how can the north gain from the brain drain? – https://theconversation.com/skilled-migrants-are-leaving-the-u-s-for-canada-how-can-the-north-gain-from-the-brain-drain-254435

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump’s war on the media: 10 numbers from US President’s first 100 days

    Reporters Without Borders

    Donald Trump campaigned for the White House by unleashing a nearly endless barrage of insults against journalists and news outlets.

    He repeatedly threatened to weaponise the federal government against media professionals whom he considers his enemies.

    In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has already shown that he was not bluffing.

    “The day-to-day chaos of the American political news cycle can make it hard to fully take stock of the seismic shifts that are happening,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF North America.

    “But when you step back and look at the whole picture, the pattern of blows to press freedom is quite clear.

    “RSF refuses to accept this massive attack on press freedom as the new normal. We will continue to call out these assaults against the press and use every means at our disposal to fight back against them.

    “We urge every American who values press freedom to do the same.”

    Here is the Trump administration’s war on the press by the numbers: *

    • 427 million – Weekly worldwide audience of the USAGM news outlets silenced by Trump

    In an effort to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) by cutting grants to outlets funded by the federal agency and placing their reporters on leave, the government has left millions around the world without vital sources of reliable information.

    This leaves room for authoritarian regimes, like Russia and China, to spread their propaganda unchecked.

    However, RSF recently secured an interim injunction against the administration’s dismantling of the USAGM-funded broadcaster Voice of America,which also reinstates funding to the outlets  Radio Free Asia (RFA) and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).

    • 8,000+ – US government web pages taken down

    Webpages from more than a dozen government sites were removed almost immediately after President Trump took office, leaving journalists and the public without critical information on health, crime, and more.

    • 3,500+ – Journalists and media workers at risk of losing their jobs thanks to Trump’s shutdown of the USAGM

    Journalists from VOA, the MBN, RFA, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are at risk of losing their jobs as the Trump administration works to shut down the USAGM. Furthermore, at least 84 USAGM journalists based in the US on work visas now face deportation to countries where they risk prosecution and severe harassment.

    At least 15 journalists from RFA and eight from VOA originate from repressive states and are at serious risk of being arrested and potentially imprisoned if deported.

    • 180 – Public radio stations at risk of closing if public media funding is eliminated

    The Trump administration reportedly plans to ask Congress to cut $1.1 billion in allocated funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). These cuts will hit rural communities and stations in smaller media markets the hardest, where federal funding is most impactful.

    • 74 – Days the Associated Press (AP) has been banned from the White House

    On February 11, the White House began barring the Associated Press (AP) news agency from its events because of the news agency’s continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico,” which President Trump prefers to call the “Gulf of America” — a blatant example of retaliation against the media.

    Despite a federal judge ruling the administration must reinstate the news agency’s access on April 9, the White House has continued to limit AP’s access.

    • 64 – Disparaging comments made by Trump against the media on Truth Social since inauguration

    In addition to regular, personal attacks against the media in press conferences and public speeches, Trump takes to his social media site nearly every day to insult, threaten, or intimidate journalists and media workers who report about him or his administration critically.

    • 13 – Individuals pardoned by President Trump after being convicted or charged for attacking journalists on January 6, 2021

    Trump pardoned over a dozen individuals charged with or convicted of violent crimes against journalists at the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection.

    • 6 – Federal Communications Commission (FCC) inquiries into media companies

    Brendan Carr, co-author of the Project 2025 playbook and chair of the FCC, has wasted no time launching politically motivated investigations, explicit threats against media organisations, and implicit threats against their parent companies. These include inquiries into CBS, ABC parent company Disney, NBC parent company Comcast, public broadcasters NPR and PBS, and California television station KCBS.

    • 4 – Trump’s personal lawsuits against media organisations

    While Trump settled a lawsuit with ABC’s parent company Disney, he continues to sue CBS, The Des Moines Register, Gannett, and the Pulitzer Center over coverage he deemed biased.

    • $1.60 – Average annual amount each American pays for public media

    Donald Trump has threatened to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting, framing the move as a cost-cutting measure.

    However, public media only costs each American about $1.60 each year, representing a tremendous bargain as it gives Americans access to a wealth of local, national, and lifesaving emergency programming.

    * Figures as of the date of publication, 24 April 2025. Pacific Media Watch collaborates with RSF.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ12: Developing a hub for primary and secondary education

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ12: Developing a hub for primary and secondary education 
    Question:
     
         It has been reported that, with the worsening situation of low birth rate in Hong Kong, primary and secondary schools are facing “class reduction and school closure” one after another. On the other hand, the Chief Executive has proposed in the 2023 Policy Address to build Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education. There are views that Hong Kong’s primary and secondary basic education also have significant advantages in developing international education (including teachers having all undergone high-quality and systematic training, and the curriculum being taught in both languages of Chinese and English, etc.), and the Government should make good use of such advantages and introduce policies to alleviate the impact of low birth rate, replenish the sources of students and nurture talents for the long-term development of Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the respective numbers of Mainland and overseas students currently enrolled in international schools at primary and secondary levels;
     
    (2) whether it will consider constructing new school premises or converting the premises of some primary and secondary schools which have been closed or are likely to be closed, as well as providing additional supporting facilities (e.g. hostels), so as to operate primary and secondary schools dedicated to absorb Mainland and overseas students;
     
    (3) whether it has plans to promote and admit students to local primary and secondary schools (including international schools and schools dedicated to offering Mainland curriculum) in the Mainland, neighbouring Chinese-populated regions and overseas, so as to increase the sources of students for various types of schools in Hong Kong; and
     
    (4) whether it has plans to, while building Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education, build Hong Kong into an international hub for primary and secondary education; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will consider the plans concerned?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address outlined the direction to develop Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub and a cradle of future talents. This policy is based on the fact that Hong Kong has world-renowned universities and outstanding research talents, thus focusing only on post-secondary education. Regarding primary and secondary education, parents are provided with diverse and quality choices under the education system of Hong Kong. 
     
         The Government provides 12 years’ free primary and secondary education to eligible children through public sector schools. Non-local students who come to live in Hong Kong with their parents (including those who come to Hong Kong under various talent admission schemes) may also choose to enrol in any local public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools or private schools (including international schools) that suit them, provided they meet the relevant eligibility requirements. We are glad to see that Hong Kong’s diverse and quality education is also one of the factors attracting talents to Hong Kong.
     
         Faced with a structural decline in school-age population, the Government accords top priority to the interests of students when planning for the future development of education. Aiming for a “soft landing”, we review the policies and effectiveness of utilisation of public resources, and adjust the number of schools in a gradual and orderly manner to ensure a healthy and sustainable education ecosystem and optimal use of public resources. As to non-public sector schools, they may also admit overseas students in accordance with prevailing policies, should they provide adequate supporting arrangements.
     
         Our reply to the questions raised by Professor the Hon William Wong is as follows:
     
    (1) The numbers of non-local students in international schools in the 2023/24 school year are tabulated as follows:
     

    Level(i) Figures refer to the position as at mid-September 2023.
    (ii) Figures include students in international schools, but not those in special schools.
    (iii) Local students refer to those who are Hong Kong permanent residents and do not have any valid passport other than the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport. Students not covered by this definition are all regarded as non-local students.
    (iv) Mainland students refer to those with Chinese nationality (including those from Mainland China, Macao and Taiwan).

    (2) The Education Bureau (EDB) has all along upheld the principle of optimising the use of public resources, and handles vacant school premises (VSP) in accordance with Central Clearing House mechanism. The EDB conducts reviews on whether the vacant or to-be-vacant school premises are suitable to be retained for school use (primary and secondary school), having regard to factors such as the size, location and physical conditions of the premises, as well as the educational needs and relevant policy measures. Upon confirming that such premises are not required to be retained for school use, the EDB should, in accordance with the said mechanism, release the relevant sites for the Planning Department (PlanD)’s consideration of suitable long-term alternative uses. Since the establishment of the prevailing mechanism in 2011, the EDB already released over 250 vacant or to-be-vacant school premises sites. For details, please refer to the list of VSP sites updated by PlanD regularly on their webpage ( www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/resources/vsp/vsp_list.html 
    (3) and (4) As mentioned above, the policy of developing Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub focuses on post-secondary education, and the Government has no plan to extend the policy to primary and secondary schools at this stage. Public sector primary and secondary schools would continue to focus on the learning needs of eligible students in Hong Kong. At the same time, the Government is committed to developing a vibrant international school sector to meet the demand for international school places from non-local families living in Hong Kong and families coming to Hong Kong for work or investment. In addition, with the vibrant development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong’s commitment in promoting the interflow of talent with the Mainland and creating strong impetus for growth, it is considered that there would be demand for Mainland curriculum from Mainland families in Hong Kong. Hence, we have allocated, via the School Allocation Exercise mechanism, the greenfield site at Tin Shui Wai for the establishment of the very first non-profit-making private school offering the Mainland curriculum in Hong Kong.
     
         Non-public sector schools with adequate supporting arrangements may admit overseas students in accordance with prevailing policies. Schools admitting underage overseas students who come to Hong Kong to study on their own without parental accompaniment should, in the interest of students’ well-being, consider the relevant supporting arrangements and services required, including the provision of adequate support, proper care and sound protection (e.g. arrangements for accommodation, guardianship, counselling, etc.) to cater for the needs of the students in respect of their learning, daily life, personal growth and mental health etc., so as to ensure students’ healthy development.
     
         In terms of publicity and promotion, the EDB works closely with the Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) to provide non-local families who are interested in coming to Hong Kong with clear information on future studies in Hong Kong via the dedicated online platform. The HKTE actively collaborates with several working partners to introduce information about education in Hong Kong, which enables incoming talents to have a better understanding of the education system in Hong Kong. In addition to providing school profiles of public sector schools, the EDB has also launched a new thematic website to introduce international schools in Hong Kong.
     
         On the other hand, local school councils also organise joint exhibitions and talks in the Mainland to provide information to and answer enquiries from the Mainland parents and students who are interested in studying in local schools. Some schools have even arranged school visits, class observations and experiential learning sessions for newly-arrived families and/or those intending to apply to come to Hong Kong with a view to allowing them to directly experience the learning environment and conditions in Hong Kong.
     
         To conclude, we would continue to develop a diverse and quality education system and tell the good stories of Hong Kong’s education through various channels.
    Issued at HKT 12:33

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme opens for applications; “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: (Video) Highlights of the Event : Chit Chat with Experts “The secrets of good night’s sleep”(Chinese version only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES) is open for applications. Eligible students who intend to pursue their first year of undergraduate or postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong in the 2025/26 academic year (i.e. during the period from August 2025 to July 2026) may submit their applications via the online application system at the HKSES website (hkses.edb.gov.hk(i) have right of abode or right to land, or have entered Hong Kong on One-way Permits; and
    (ii) have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three complete years immediately prior to the commencement of the academic programme outside Hong Kong.

    Besides, for undergraduate programmes, only students receiving/received their formal school education in Hong Kong are eligible. This would cover all Hong Kong students who receive/received senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying/studied local and non-local curricula in Hong Kong. For postgraduate programmes, students who have obtained their undergraduate qualifications either in or outside Hong Kong are eligible, provided that they meet the criteria set out in (i) and (ii) above.

    The HKSES will adopt a merit-based approach to selection, targeting the best and most outstanding Hong Kong students who are admitted to world renowned universities and programmes. Selection will be based on the applicants’ academic achievements, and other attributes such as leadership qualities and potential, contribution and commitment to the Hong Kong, etc. The applicants’ plan to return to work and contribute to Hong Kong after completion of studies will also be considered in the selection process.

    Awardees are required to complete their specific study programmes and undertake to return to Hong Kong upon graduation to work for at least two years or a period equivalent to the duration of receiving the scholarship, whichever is longer.

    Awardees will receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of HK$300,000 per annum. In addition, the HKSES will provide additional support to financially needy awardees during their studies. Awardees who have passed the means test will receive a bursary of up to HK$200,000 per student per annum, to cover their living and study-related expenses. The value of the award will be correspondingly reduced if an awardee also receives other awards to finance his/her same study overseas.

    For more information about the scheme, please visit the HKSES website. For enquiries, please contact the HKSES Secretariat at 3509 7395 or via email at

    hkses@edb.gov.hk. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ 12: Pursuing studies at local universities

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ12: Pursuing studies at local universities 
    Question:
     
    On pursuing studies at local universities, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the respective numbers of persons admitted to the bachelor’s degree programmes of local universities through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) and the Non-Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Non-JUPAS) on the basis of their Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) results in each of the past three years, and set out in Table 1 a breakdown by their HKDSE results;
    Table 1

    Total grade points in the best five subjects(2) of the respective numbers of persons sitting for the HKDSE in 2022 to 2025 as private candidates, and set out in Table 2 a breakdown by (i) ‍Hong Kong permanent residents, (ii) Hong Kong residents not being permanent residents and (iii) non-Hong Kong residents;
    Table 2

    Year(3) of the distribution of results of candidates sitting for the HKDSE as private candidates in the past three years, and set out in Table 3 a breakdown by (i) Hong Kong permanent residents, (ii) Hong Kong residents not being permanent residents and (iii) non-Hong Kong residents; and
    Table 3

    Total grade points in the best five subjects(4) among the students admitted to the bachelor’s degree programmes of local universities through JUPAS over the past three years, of the number of private candidates holding dependent visas (i.e. document category LS5)?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    (1) The numbers of students admitted to first-year first-degree programmes funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) and non-JUPAS with the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) results in the past three years are set out below:
     

    Academic yearThe admission results of new students of individual institutions participating in JUPAS can be found on the JUPAS website at www.jupas.edu.hk 
    (2) There are no restrictions on the nationalities of candidates sitting for the HKDSE, nor is there any requirement for applicants to use a specified type of identity document. Individual students may, depending on their circumstances, provide valid identity documents other than Hong Kong Identity Cards (HKID cards) when registering for the HKDSE. Therefore, the nationality of a candidate and whether the candidate is a permanent resident of Hong Kong cannot be confirmed solely on the basis of the type of identity document concerned. The numbers of students who registered for the HKDSE as private candidates in the last four cohorts (from 2022 to 2025) and, among them, the numbers of those who registered with documents other than HKID cards are set out in the table below:
     

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    Year(As at October 28, 2024)(3) The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority does not keep individual statistics on the results of private candidates, and the statistics do not include personal data such as the nationalities of the candidates and whether they are permanent residents of Hong Kong.
     
    (4) The Education Bureau does not collect data on whether students admitted to UGC-funded programmes through JUPAS are holders of dependant visas or whether they are HKDSE private candidates.
    Issued at HKT 11:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ19: Policy on development of international schools

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ19: Policy on development of international schools 
    Question:
     
    There are views that Hong Kong is facing a demographic problem brought by a low birth rate and the persistent under-enrolment in schools on the one hand, while the number of applications for late admission of dependent children of arrivals under various talent admission schemes has increased sharply on the other, posing new challenges to the supply and demand of school places. Meanwhile, the policy of allocating vacant school premises/school sites for the development of international schools has further affected the allocation of local education resources. Regarding the policy on the development of international schools, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the respective numbers of applications received and approved by the authorities from school sponsoring bodies of international schools applying for operation in Hong Kong in each of the past five years; the factors on which the authorities based in approving the applications from international schools for operation;
     
    (2) under the policy of allocating vacant school premises/school sites for the development of international schools, of the criteria by which the Government allocates sites for the development of international schools; how it ensures that the provision of sites for the development of international schools does not undermine local education resources at the same time; and
     
    (3) whether it knows the respective requirements for local and non-local students under the enrolment policies of international schools and private schools newly applying for operation; how the Government ensures that, after the conversion of aided schools to private schools, sufficient aided school places can still be maintained in Hong Kong to uphold educational equity?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The education system in Hong Kong provides parents with diversified and high-quality choices. The Government’s policy objective is to provide 12 years’ free primary and secondary education to all children through public sector schools. Apart from publicly-funded schools, private schools in Hong Kong have been playing a unique role in offering local and non-local curricula according to their mission. International schools belong to the private school sector and operate on a self-financing and market-driven basis. In general, they are not subsidised by public funds for capital costs and daily operation.
     
         The Government is committed to supporting the development of a vibrant international school sector, mainly to meet the demand for school places from non-local families living in Hong Kong and families coming to Hong Kong for work or investment. This policy objective is crucial in attracting and retaining talent in support of Hong Kong’s development as an international centre on finance, business, innovation and technology, education and culture, and reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international cosmopolitan with global connectivity.
     
         Regarding the question asked by Hon Tang Fei, the reply is as follows:
     
    (1) and (2) There are 54 international schools (including one special school) in Hong Kong. There is no newly established international school in the past five years. In the 2023/24 school year, international schools admitted about 42 100 students, accounting for 6.4 per cent of primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. There are two ways to set up an international school in Hong Kong:
     
    (i) Application for registration as a private school first and seek recognition as an international school: School sponsoring body may identify private land and/or school premises in Hong Kong for operation of school and apply to the Education Bureau (EDB) for registration as private school. After the private school has been in operation for a certain period of time, the school operator may then seek the EDB’s recognition of the school as an international school subject to its fulfillment of relevant requirements. The start-up requirements include at least 70 per cent of the school places allocated to non-local students (Note), a proven track record of school operation and full accreditation from an established accreditation body, a sustainable financial plan.
     
    (ii) Participation in the School Allocation Exercise (SAE): The supply of international school places is planned on a territory-wide basis. The EDB commissions a consultancy study from time to time on the provision of international school places at primary and secondary levels in Hong Kong. When there is a projected shortfall of international school places, the Government will allocate greenfield sites or vacant school premises (VSPs) for international school use through an open and competitive bidding mechanism as appropriate, to increase the number of international school places. It has been 10 years since the last allocation of greenfield sites and VSPs to international schools (in 2014). In the light of the overwhelming response to various talent admission schemes in the past two years, the EDB is conducting an SAE to allocate two VSPs offering some school places in meeting any short-term surge in education needs of dependant children of incoming talent from both the Mainland and overseas.
     
    All along, the vast majority of education expenditure and land resources have been allocated to publicly-funded schools. For example, since the implementation of the existing SAE mechanism in 1999, the Government has allocated 156 school sites or VSPs for public sector primary and secondary schools. During the same period, the Government allocated only 16 school sites or VSPs for international school development. Since 2017, the EDB has sought funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council and completed a total of 37 school building projects during the period, all of which are public sector school projects except one was an international school redevelopment project.
     
    (3) Private schools, which operate on a self-financing and market-driven basis, may set their own school-based admission requirements and procedures for admitting students (including non-local students who have been approved to study or reside in Hong Kong). The requirement on the percentage of non-local students to be admitted applies to the international schools operated by the English Schools Foundation and the new campuses of international schools which entered into a service agreement with the EDB upon allocation of school premises or sites since 2007. These schools/campuses were required to enrol no less than 50 per cent of non-local students, and the percentage has been raised to 70 per cent by the EDB since 2009, in accordance with the terms of the service agreements. As Hong Kong has returned to normalcy and has been actively attracting more foreign investment and talent to the territory, the EDB expects that the number of non-local students, including those from the Mainland and overseas, to be admitted by international schools will increase gradually.
     
    The EDB will continue to closely monitor the number of newly-arrived children and the demand for school places of the dependants of various talent schemes, and to conduct dynamic assessment of the demand for and supply of school places, as well as reserve sufficient school places in public sector schools for eligible school-age children. Should an existing publicly-funded school wish to cease operation and convert into a private school, it has to apply to the EDB for change of its mode of operation and for registration. The EDB will consider a basket of factors, including the lease conditions and restrictions on the use of the land of the school, curriculum planning, class structure, staff establishment, etc, to ensure that the school is capable of providing quality education.
     
    Note: Local students refer to those who are Hong Kong permanent residents (with the right of abode in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)) and do not have any valid passport other than HKSAR Passport. Students not covered by this definition are all regarded as non-local students.
    Issued at HKT 12:37

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ16: Supporting local students to pursue further studies in Mainland

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ16: Supporting local students to pursue further studies in Mainland 
    (1) of the following information in relation to Hong Kong students pursuing further studies in the Mainland in each of the past three years and this year to date (set out in the table below): (i) the number of Hong Kong students studying in Mainland higher education institutions and research institutes, (ii) the number of applicants for the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS), (iii) the number of subsidy recipients under the MUSSS, (iv) the amount of subsidy involved in the MUSSS, (v) the number of applicants for the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions (the Admission Scheme), and (vi) the number of students admitted to Mainland institutions through the Admission Scheme;
     

    Year(2) apart from organising large-scale Mainland Higher Education Expo every year, what regular measures are taken by the authorities to introduce secondary school students information about further studies in the Mainland and the MUSSS, and whether such introductions are made in life planning activities and relevant organisations are invited to hold seminars at schools; if so, of the number of hours and frequency of such activities in each of the past three years; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) as some Hong Kong students pursuing further studies in the Mainland have relayed that they were unaware of the MUSSS and therefore did not apply for the subsidy, whether the authorities will step up publicity and promotion work on the MUSSS and conduct regular surveys on Hong Kong students to understand how much they know about pursuing further studies in the Mainland;
     
    (4) as it is learnt that Hong Kong students may need accreditation of academic qualifications, no matter whether they return to Hong Kong or stay in the Mainland for development after graduation, but there are still difficulties in accreditation of academic qualifications in both Hong Kong and the Mainland, such as the requirement of a manual process for accreditation and registration of academic qualifications, which cannot be possible with the number as printed in the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, as relayed by some Hong Kong students pursuing further studies in the Mainland, whether the authorities will consider negotiating with relevant Mainland authorities to speed up the procedures and processes for accreditation of academic qualifications in both Hong Kong and the Mainland and work towards “mutual recognition of registration of academic qualifications” between Hong Kong and the Mainland in the long term; and
     
    (5) along with increase in the number of Hong Kong students pursuing further studies in the Mainland, whether the authorities have invested additional resources to support their needs and considered expanding the scope of the MUSSS to include postgraduate programmes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply: 

    Academic year(1) According to the information provided by the Ministry of Education, including the numbers of undergraduate and graduate students.
    (2) As of January 2022
    (3) As of December 2022
    (4) As of December 2023
    (5) Since the application period for the 2024/25 academic year just ended in September 2024, applications for this academic year are currently being processed, and the figures are not available yet.

    (2) and (3) The Education Bureau (EDB) has been publicising and promoting the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions (Admission Scheme) and the MUSSS through multiple channels, including school circulars, press releases, the EDB’s website, social media, newspaper advertisements and seminars. Every year, the EDB writes to principals of all local secondary schools to invite schools to participate in the School Principal Nomination Scheme under the Admission Scheme, to introduce the MUSSS to eligible students who plan to study on the Mainland, and distribute posters and leaflets of the MUSSS to secondary schools. In addition, the EDB organises life planning education seminars for senior secondary school students, teachers and parents every year to introduce the details of the Admission Scheme and the MUSSS, as well as the situation of studying on the Mainland. In the past three academic years (i.e., the 2021/22 to 2023/24 academic years), the EDB has organised a total of five related seminars for senior secondary school students, teachers and parents.Issued at HKT 12:20

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Nurturing foreign language talents

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ5: Nurturing foreign language talents 
    Question:
     
         In 2018, the State President stated at the National Conference on Education that vigorous efforts should be made to nurture international talents proficient in foreign languages and adept at Chinese-foreign negotiations and communications. There are views that as the country’s super connector and super value-adder, as well as the premier international financial centre connecting the country and the Middle East market, Hong Kong needs to nurture a large pool of foreign language talents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) when Government officials make overseas visits and when the Government releases videos and hands out publications overseas to promote Hong Kong, whether local mother tongues of the relevant places have been used as the medium of communication; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) as it is learnt that there are a number of language universities in the country, such as Beijing Foreign Studies University, which is approved to teach more than a hundred foreign languages, whether the Government will study allocating more resources to tertiary institutions to strengthen training in foreign languages other than English, or establishing foreign language universities drawing on the models of the Mainland, with a view to nurturing multilingual talents in public and private organisations, so that they can tell the good stories of Hong Kong in different languages; and
     
    (3) whether it will study enhancing the existing “biliterate and trilingual” policy by turning it into a “triliterate and quadrilingual” policy?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city. In recent years, various national strategies have even brought about tremendous development opportunities for Hong Kong, which require us to strengthen exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland and overseas regions and countries by capitalising on our advantage of “linkage with our Motherland and close connection to the world”. To enhance our international competitiveness and strengthen our position as an international post-secondary education hub, we have been striving to nurture talents who are biliterate and trilingual, and proficient in other languages.
     
         Having consulted the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Information Services Department (ISD), I would like to reply to the Hon Benson Luk’s questions as follows:
     
    (1) Currently, in taking forward overseas promotion work, the overseas Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) will make appropriate arrangements taking into account the common languages of the relevant places. For instance, apart from the English version of the relevant ETOs’ websites, languages commonly used in the countries/regions under their respective purview are also available, e.g. Japanese, Thai, German, Arabic to facilitate local people in understanding the information disseminated by ETOs. Also, for meetings between officials of the HKSAR Government and local officials/representatives of the political and business sectors and preparation of relevant promotional materials, the ETOs concerned will arrange interpretation and prepare and issue the relevant promotion materials in local languages as appropriate.
     
         In addition, to facilitate investors from around the world to understand the latest information about Hong Kong’s business environment, InvestHK’s website is available in a number of major languages, including simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, as well as Arabic, which has been newly added. Separately, InvestHK’s promotional videos are mainly in English and Putonghua. Depending on the origin of individual successful case studies, subtitles may be available in the local language. As for InvestHK’s client meetings and promotional materials, Putonghua and simplified Chinese are used on the Mainland, while English and the local language where necessary are used in overseas markets. Interpretation will also be arranged at investment promotion seminars.
     
         On external promotion, the ISD produces a series of creative contents in multiple languages for placement in overseas and Mainland cities through digital and social media platforms, as well as outdoor advertising, in the form of short videos and banner advertisements to tell the good stories of Hong Kong. These creative contents are available in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. The ISD also translated and printed the promotional booklet entitled “HK Connect” into foreign languages such as Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Malay and Thai for distribution to target recipients at promotional activities during senior officials’ overseas visits.
     
         Moreover, the ISD has held the “Immersive Hong Kong” promotional roving exhibitions in Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Guangzhou, China since July 2023. It will also be staged in Dubai, the Middle East next month. In addition to English, the exhibition information is also available in the local languages of each stop to enhance the publicity effect.
     
    (2) The eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have all along been making flexible use of their resources to offer a wide range of publicly-funded programmes with regard to their respective roles and positioning, as well as providing diversified learning opportunities for students in response to market demands. Learning foreign languages can help students to understand multiculturalism and strengthen their connections with different parts of the world, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in entering the workforce, pursuing further studies or starting their own businesses in the future. University education also aims to encourage students to acquire knowledge and skills in different fields, and nurture the high-calibre talents required by different industries, so as to inject impetus into the development of Hong Kong.
     
         In recent years, the eight UGC-funded universities have offered as many as 12 contemporary foreign languages for learning, including Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Kiswahili, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish and Thai. They also offer a range of specialised programmes majoring in individual foreign languages or cultures for students who aspire to become professionals in relevant fields in the future. As for students pursuing undergraduate programmes in other areas such as engineering technology, business or social sciences, a number of universities also offer minor options or foreign language courses as free electives for interested students to pursue having regard to their personal aspirations and abilities. In addition, a number of self-financing institutions at present offer post-secondary programmes related to different foreign languages and relevant elective subjects according to market demand.
     
         The above arrangements for major, minor and free electives enable students to study foreign languages having regard to their learning objectives in an appropriate manner. The existing arrangements meet practical needs with flexibility; hence the Government has no plans to set up a foreign language university. Nevertheless, we will continue to encourage the UGC-funded universities to provide students with opportunities to learn foreign languages, and through various avenues, such as student exchange programmes and experiential learning activities, enable students to gain exposure to the cultures of more places, broaden their horizons, seize Hong Kong’s unique advantages, and be better prepared for their future development.
     
    (3) Over the years, the Government has been collaborating with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, other advisory bodies and stakeholders to enable the Hong Kong people, particularly students and working adults, to become biliterate and trilingual, through sponsoring and implementing various measures using the Language Fund. Moreover, the Education Bureau (EDB) endeavours to develop students’ multilingual competence, enabling them to make life planning based on their own interests, abilities and aspirations, and to connect to the world. Over the years, the EDB has offered “other languages” courses (Note 1) (Category C of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination) for senior secondary students to study as an elective subject. As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the EDB will implement a pilot scheme to invite schools to apply for additional resources to provide opportunities for junior secondary students to learn “other languages” (Note 2), in order to facilitate a stronger articulation in their learning of “other languages” as an elective subject at the senior secondary level.
     
         Thank you, President.
     
    Note 1: The EDB subsidises schools to offer courses of the six “other languages”, i.e. French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Urdu, for secondary four to six students.
     
    Note 2: Schools can use the funding to offer junior secondary courses of the six designated “other languages” (i.e. French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Urdu), which are the senior secondary elective subjects. Arabic and Russian could also be considered.
    Issued at HKT 15:40

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Supporting students with special educational needs in post-secondary institutions

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ8: Supporting students with special educational needs in post-secondary institutions 
    Question:
     
         It is learnt that the community has all along been concerned about whether various post-secondary institutions can adequately support students with special educational needs (SEN) in terms of their learning needs, so as to equip them for pursuing further studies and joining the workforce. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it knows the number of SEN students studying in the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) (the eight universities) in the current academic year, together with a breakdown by type of SEN, including but not limited to hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical disability, and specific learning difficulties;
     
    (2) as the Government has indicated in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on November 8 last year that the UGC further allocates additional resources to the eight universities between 2022 and 2025 by providing an additional special funding of $67.5 million for the Special Grant to Enhance the Support for Students with Special Educational Needs (the Special Grant), which seeks to enable the universities to (i) enhance the teaching and learning experience of SEN students, (ii) strengthen staff training, and (iii) ‍promote campus integration, whether the Government knows the actual amount of funding granted to each university, the expenditure on items (i) to (iii), as well as the relevant specific measures and their effectiveness respectively;
     
    (3) whether it knows if the UGC will extend or regularise the Special Grant in the future to continuously implement one of the strategic recommendations of the Persons with Disabilities and Rehabilitation Programme Plan, which is to provide adequate resources and ensure equal opportunities for SEN students to receive higher education or pursue further studies; if the UGC will, of the estimated relevant annual expenditure; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (4) as some organisations and their assistance seekers have relayed that some university students need to engage sign language interpretation services to support their studies, but due to limited study hours funded by their universities, rather exorbitant sign language interpretation costs have to be borne by such students in their three or four-year undergraduate programmes, whether the authorities will require the eight universities to strengthen the support for such students and ensure that the relevant measures are put in place in a proper and effective manner, so that no such students will be unable to complete their studies or pursue further studies because of lack of means; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (5) whether the authorities will consider offering dedicated post-‍secondary programmes that are suitable and able to provide support for SEN students, complemented by related all-round support services (including but not limited to sign language interpretation), so that they can equip themselves and join the workforce; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have all along been making special teaching arrangements and providing support services to students with special educational needs (SEN).
     
         Our replies to Dr the Hon Chow Man-kong’s questions are as follows:

    (1) In the past three academic years (AY), the numbers of full-time UGC-funded sub-degree and undergraduate students with SEN (Note 1) are tabulated below by their types of SEN –  
     

    Type of SENAYAY(provisional figures)language impairmentNote 2: Including different types of disabilities, visceral disability /chronic illness, etc.
     
         We do not have the relevant figures for the 2024/25 AY for the time being.
     
    (2) and (3) To assist students with SEN in pursuing UGC-funded programmes and adapt to campus life, as well as promoting an inclusive culture, the UGC has launched the Special Grant for Enhancing Support for Students with SEN (the Special Grant) since 2015 to provide additional resources for universities to take forward three key objectives, i.e. (i) improving the educational experience of students with SEN, (ii) enhancing staff training and (iii) promoting an inclusive campus. The subsidy scope of the Special Grant is comprehensive, with specific initiatives covering professional services such as educational psychology services, development of e-learning platforms, enhancement of awareness of students with SEN through seminars, workshops, online resources, etc, implementation of integrated education, improvement of campus accessibility, and provision of additional assistive tools for students with SEN, etc.
     
         With the support and efforts of the stakeholders over the years, the Special Grant has been effective in supporting students with SEN and promoting a caring culture among staff and peers. According to the results of surveys conducted by the UGC-funded universities among students with SEN in the 2022/23 AY, the average student satisfaction rating was 4.1 (i.e. above the “satisfactory” level) on a five-point scale.  The UGC has also noted the positive impact of the Special Grant on the UGC-funded universities in deepening their institutional changes and addressing the needs of students with SEN in a more organised and systematic manner.
     
         In view of its effectiveness, the UGC has further increased the funding to $67.5 million in the 2022/23 – 2024/25 (2022-25) triennium to extend and enhance the support for students with SEN, and to expand the scope of funding to cover employment support, etc. The special grant for the 2022-25 triennium was allocated primarily with reference to the average numbers of students with SEN enrolled in full-time publicly-funded sub-degree and undergraduate programmes at the UGC-funded universities in the past five AYs. Allocations of the special grant to the UGC-funded universities are set out in the table below –
     

    UGC-funded universities2022-25
    triennium
    （$ million）Science and Technology     Regarding the expenditure in different areas, the UGC-funded universities will formulate appropriate support strategies and allocate budgets having regard to their actual circumstances. Overall, the UGC-funded universities deploy about 40 per cent of the funding for staff and general expenses, while about 50 per cent of the remaining funding is deployed to enhance the learning experience of students, 20 per cent to strengthen staff training, and 30 per cent to promote an inclusive campus.
     
         Recurrent funding for the UGC-funded universities is provided on a triennial basis. Like other funding schemes, the existing special grant is aligned with the current funding cycle (i.e. the 2022-25 triennium). For the arrangements of the next triennium, the UGC will continue to communicate with the funded universities closely, and consider the means for supporting the universities as they continue to provide appropriate assistance for students with SEN in a timely manner.
     
    (4) Under the existing arrangements, the UGC-funded universities may make use of the special grant to support students with hearing impairment, including hiring staff to provide sign language interpretation service to support their learning.  The UGC believes that the funded universities will balance the needs of different students with SEN and deploy the special grant appropriately to render suitable support, including those with hearing impairment. Meanwhile, with the rapid advancement in technology, the UGC encourages the funded universities to actively explore the use of new technologies and adopt various technological solutions to provide more comprehensive support to students in need in a more cost-effective manner.
     
    (5) Under the existing policy on integrated education, the Education Bureau advocates “equal opportunities and enhancing students’ learning having regard to the uniqueness of individual students”. With suitable support and assistance from institutions, all students are provided with equal learning opportunities such that students with SEN can overcome their learning barriers and join the mainstream campus life together with others. On the one hand, the UGC is making use of the special grant to motivate the UGC-funded universities to provide students with SEN with the necessary support, barrier-free facilities and information such that they can learn in the same way as their peers.  On the other hand, the special grant promotes an inclusive campus through various means to advocate the sharing of campus life among teachers, students and those with SEN such that they can learn to respect, understand and accept each other, thereby cultivating whole-person development in a wider context. At the same time, with the special grant for the 2022-25 triennium, the UGC has further expanded the scope of funding to cover activities and projects that will help students to join the society and develop their careers in the future. This involves encouraging the universities to provide more comprehensive, targeted and practical support to students with SEN, and to enable them to plan and prepare for their career paths upon graduation as early as possible during their studies. Apart from the special grant, the UGC-funded universities could make use of the block grant to take forward integrated education on their campuses.
    Issued at HKT 14:15

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme Opens for New Applications; “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: 親子小手工—「Light家庭精神健康小錦囊」(Chinese version only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS) aims to support Hong Kong students in pursuing undergraduate studies on the Mainland and ensure that no students will be deprived of post-secondary education opportunity due to a lack of means. MUSSS comprises two components: “means-tested subsidy” (eligible students who have passed a means test will receive either a full-rate subsidy or a half-rate subsidy, depending on their needs) and “non-means-tested subsidy”. The subsidy is granted on a yearly basis, and the subsidised period is the normal duration of the undergraduate programme pursued by the student concerned in a designated Mainland institution. Eligible applicants can only receive either a means-tested subsidy or a non-means-tested subsidy in the same academic year. MUSSS is not subject to any quota.

    For the 2024/25 academic year, there are 197 designated Mainland institutions. The means-tested subsidy and the non-means-tested subsidy will be disbursed to eligible students based on the distance between the location of their institutions and Hong Kong, which will be grouped under three categories, category (I) for distances less than 450 km, category (II) for distances between 450 km and 1 000 km as well as category (III) for distances over 1 000 km. Details of the subsidy rates under the different categories will be announced later.(a) having right of abode Note(1)(b) having received and completed senior secondary education in Hong Kong Note(2)(c) pursuing undergraduate studies in any of the 197 designated Mainland institutions in the 2024/25 academic year.(a) having right of abode Note(1)(b) having received and completed senior secondary education in Hong Kong Note(2)(c) pursuing undergraduate studies in any of the 197 designated Mainland institutions in the 2024/25 academic year; and
    (d)(1) attained “3322” Note(3)(d)(2) pursuing studies in Huaqiao University through “Pilot Scheme on the Articulation of Hong Kong Sub-degree Graduates to Huaqiao University”; OR
    (d)(3) admitted to a Mainland institution through the “School Principal Nomination Scheme” under the “Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions”.    (1) A student who is expected to receive his/her right of abode within the 2024/25 academic year may also apply.(2) To also cover schools for Hong Kong children on the Mainland listed under the HKDSE Participating School List published by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. For the 2024/25 academic year, HKDSE graduates from Shenzhen Hong Kong Pui Kiu College Longhua Xinyi School and Affiliated School of JNU for Hong Kong and Macao Students are eligible to apply provided that they also fulfill other criteria listed under “Eligibility” of MUSSS.(3) Applicable to HKDSE results obtained on or before 2023.(4) Citizenship and Social Development subject replaced the original Liberal Studies subject in the 2024 HKDSE. The scoring criteria for the Citizenship and Social Development subject is “Attained” and “Not Attained”, with “A” representing “Attained”. The HKDSE results obtained in 2024 or later have been revised to “332A”.

    Eligible students are required to submit their applications via the MUSSS Electronic Application Platform (https://musss.edb.gov.hk) or send the completed application forms and relevant supporting documents by post to EDB on or before 13 September 2024.

    Details of MUSSS (including the list of designated Mainland institutions) are available at the EDB website (http://www.edb.gov.hk/musss).

    Enquiries should be directed to 2827 1112 or musss@edb.gov.hk.

     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: General Schooling Arrangements in Times of Tropical Cyclones

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    During the rain and tropical cyclone season, Hong Kong may occasionally be affected by tropical cyclones and the weather becomes unstable, with the possibility of strong winds and heavy rainfalls.

    Students and parents are therefore reminded that in the event of tropical cyclones and heavy persistent rain, the Education Bureau (EDB) will announce the class suspension arrangements for that day based on the latest weather information and the conditions of roads, slopes, and traffic. The announcements will be made through the following channels:

    Weather conditions

    Corresponding measures

    When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued

    • All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.

    When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued

    • All Classes of kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to be suspended.
    • Other schools are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.

    When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 or above is issued

    • Classes of all schools are to be suspended.

    When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is replaced by Signal No. 3 

    • Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to remain suspended.
    • Unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day, other schools are to resume if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued before 5:30 a.m. (for AM and whole-day schools), 10:30 a.m. (for PM schools) or 5:00 p.m. (for evening schools).

    When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is replaced by Signal No. 1 or when all tropical cyclone signals are cancelled 

    • All schools are to resume with the next session unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day.

    When “The combined effect of strong wind and prolonged rainstorm is affecting/expected to affect Hong Kong” is disseminated by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO)

    • In general, if this information is disseminated during the following periods, it means that student need not attend schools:
      • At or after 5:30 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m.: AM and Whole-day Schools
      • At or after 10:30 a.m. and before 1:00 p.m.: PM Schools
      • At or after 5:00 p.m. and before 7:00 p.m.: Evening Schools
    • If the above information is disseminated during school hours, schools should continue lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home. Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately.

    Students and parents please refer to the EDB circulars (arrangements for kindergartens and day schools; arrangements for evening schools) for details and preparation. For more information on the combined effect of strong wind and prolonged rainstorm, please refer to the HKO’s online educational resources.

    As the situations in localised areas may differ from the territory as a whole, parents can exercise their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their children to school if the local weather, roads, slopes or traffic conditions are adverse. Schools will be flexible in handling the affected students who arrive late or are absent from school at parents’ discretion on the day, and such students will not be penalised.

    Weather conditions can change rapidly, so it is important for students and parents to pay close attention to the latest weather conditions provided by the HKO and check if the EDB has announced class suspension before leaving for school and during their journey to ensure safety.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Application for “Registration Certificate for Kindergarten Admission” in 2025/26 School Year; “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: (Video) Dilemma of Work-Life Balance？

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Government has implemented the Kindergarten Education Scheme (Scheme) with effect from the 2017/18 school year to provide subsidy directly to kindergartens joining the Scheme (Scheme-KGs). Under the Scheme, “Registration Certificate for Kindergarten Admission” (RC) is used for nursery (K1) registration in the 2025/26 school year. Parents are required to apply to the Education Bureau (EDB) for RC as the registration document for admission to K1 classes in Scheme-KGs.

    Parents can apply for RC from September to November 2024. Students fulfilling the below criteria will be issued with the RC after vetting of their applications:
    The RC application forms and guidance notes can be downloaded from the EDB’s website (https://www.edb.gov.hk/applyRC/2526/en/Admission Arrangements for Nursery (K1) Classes in Kindergartens

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Vocational education

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ2: Vocational education 
    Question:
     
    It is learnt that the Government has allocated quite a lot of resources to promote the development of vocational education in recent years, including setting aside some $680 million to support the Vocational Training Council’s efforts in extending the Pilot Incentive Scheme to Employers (PISE) and the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Students of Professional Part-‍time Programmes (Pilot Subsidy Scheme) for five years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the respective numbers of employers and trainees participating in the PISE and the number of trainees participating in the Pilot Subsidy Scheme in the 2023/24 academic year, as well as the amounts of subsidies involved, together with a breakdown by industry;
     
    (2) whether the PISE and the Pilot Subsidy Scheme will be regularised; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) whether the subsidy-to-tuition fee ratio of the Pilot Subsidy Scheme will be raised and, at the same time, whether the $36,000 cap on tuition fee subsidy for the creative industries programmes and the health and life sciences programmes will be raised, so as to align with the $45,000 cap on tuition fee subsidy for the construction and engineering programmes?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    The Government is committed to promoting vocational and professional education and training (VPET), and, under the strategy of fostering industry???institution collaboration and diversified development, encourages the co-operation between industries and education and the collaboration between schools and businesses, with a view to providing diversified learning and career opportunities and nurturing more quality talent with applied skills. The Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest VPET provider in Hong Kong. The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget that the Government has set aside around $680 million to support the VTC in strengthening its work on VPET, including extending the Pilot Incentive Scheme to Employers (PISE) and the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Students of Professional Part-time Programmes (Pilot Subsidy Scheme) for five years, stepping up support for student-exchange activities, strengthening assistance to students with special educational needs, and encouraging employers to provide workplace learning opportunities.
     
    The reply to the different parts of the question raised by the Hon Jimmy Ng is as follows:
     
    (1) With the Government’s support, the VTC has implemented the PISE under the Training and Support Scheme since the 2019/20 academic year (AY) to encourage employers to provide trainees with structured workplace learning and assessment, so that the content of training programmes could be more effectively adapted to enhance trainees’ work performance. Employers participating in the PISE can receive a subsidy of up to $36,000 (per trainee). In the 2023/24 AY, the numbers of participating employers and trainees under the PISE by industries are as follows:
     

    Industry 
    As of August 31, 2024, the subsidies involved in the PISE in the 2023/24 AY amounted to around $21 million.
     
    The Government has also implemented the Pilot Subsidy Scheme since the 2016/17 AY to provide tuition fee subsidies (60 per cent of the tuition fees) with a cap of $45,000 per person for practitioners admitted to designated professional part-time programmes offered by the VTC related to the discipline of engineering. From the 2019/20 AY, the Pilot Subsidy Scheme has been expanded to cover VTC’s programmes related to creative industries, with a subsidy cap of $36,000 per person. The numbers of participants under the Pilot Subsidy Scheme in the 2023/24 AY by industries are as follows:
     

    IndustryAs of October 31, 2024, the subsidies involved in the Pilot Subsidy Scheme in the 2023/24 AY amounted to around $15 million.
     
    (2) and (3) As far as the Pilot Subsidy Scheme is concerned, the tuition fee subsidy levels for different designated courses are different, depending on the respective disciplines of the courses. The Financial Secretary announced in the 2024-25 Budget, the PISE and the Pilot Subsidy Scheme would be extended for five years. The Government will work closely with the VTC and review the effectiveness of the above two schemes, in order to consider their long-term operation and arrangements, including the tuition fee subsidy arrangements of the Pilot Subsidy Scheme.
    Issued at HKT 14:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ11: Raising public’s Putonghua standard

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ11: Raising public’s Putonghua standard 
    Question:
     
         There are views that with the integration of Hong Kong into the overall development of the country, raising the public’s Putonghua standard is of significance to enhancing their sense of national identity and patriotic education, and being conversant with Putonghua can help the public better understand the policies, culture and history of the country, thereby deepening their patriotic sentiments and sense of belonging. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the specific measures currently taken by the Government to raise the Putonghua standard of Hong Kong students, so as to enhance their sense of national identity and awareness of patriotism; whether it has plans to increase the proportion of school curriculum using Putonghua as the teaching medium;
     
    (2) to facilitate the implementation of Putonghua education, whether it has provided targeted professional training to teachers to raise their standard of teaching in Putonghua; whether a dedicated training fund or scholarship has been established to support teachers to pursue further studies in Putonghua;
     
    (3) whether it has policies or plans to raise civil servants’ Putonghua standard; whether it will include the Putonghua proficiency test as a criterion for the recruitment and promotion of civil servants; if so, of the specific arrangements; and
     
    (4) whether it has conducted surveys on the implementation of Putonghua education in Hong Kong at present to assess its effectiveness; if so, of the assessment outcome for recent years; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Under the “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong’s policy on language education is to develop the biliterate and trilingual abilities of our students, enabling them to express themselves and communicate fluently in Putonghua, English and Cantonese. Putonghua is the standard Chinese language of our country. It is also a symbol of our nation. A good mastery of Putonghua not only enhances expression and communication but also facilitates integration into the overall development of the country, boosting national pride and confidence.
     
         Our reply to the question raised by the Hon Tang Fei is as follows:
     
    (1), (2) and (4) The Education Bureau (EDB) has been actively promoting the teaching and learning of Putonghua, and adopting a multi-pronged strategy, which covers the aspects of curriculum, learning and teaching support, student activities and teachers’ professional development, to promote students’ learning of Putonghua within and beyond the classroom.
     
    Curriculum
     
         Since 1998, Putonghua has officially been included as a core subject at the primary and junior secondary levels to ensure that all primary and secondary school students can master Putonghua. We will continue to review the curriculum, closely keep in view the grading standards and the testing outlines of the Putonghua Proficiency Test for secondary and primary school students (pilot version) promulgated by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China and the State Language Commission (SLC), and make timely refinement to the curriculum of the Putonghua subject for primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, so as to align with the national standards and enhance the effectiveness of Putonghua learning and teaching.
     
    Learning and teaching support
     
         To support the learning and teaching of Putonghua, the EDB has been developing diversified learning and teaching resources for reference and use by teachers and students. These include enhancing the content and the functions of the “Tong Da Xue Pu” self-learning website, producing resource materials such as a Glossary of Easily-mispronounced Terms, a game booklet on the Correct Pronunciation and Application of Putonghua and the “Voice and Expression: Learning Materials for Reading Aloud in Putonghua with Background Music for Primary and Secondary Schools”, as well as preparing school exemplars.
     
         Furthermore, the EDB provides school-based support services for primary and secondary schools, collaborating with teachers to enhance the learning and teaching of Putonghua in schools such as developing Pinyin teaching, encouraging students to read aloud, telling stories relating to classical Chinese poetry, and designing various Putonghua learning activities. The EDB also works under the Mainland-Hong Kong Teachers Exchange and Collaboration Programme to arrange for Mainland expert teachers to enhance teachers’ professional capacity in implementing Putonghua teaching through on-site collaboration, teacher networks, open lessons and teacher professional development activities.
     
         To further promote the effective use of Putonghua by students so as to boost their national pride and national confidence, the Chief Executive has also announced in his 2024 Policy Address that the EDB would earmark approximately $200 million in the Language Fund for providing a one-off grant to each public sector primary and secondary school in the 2024/25 school year. This grant aims to enrich the Putonghua language environment and enhance the atmosphere for learning Putonghua.
     
    Multifarious activities and Mainland exchange
     
         The EDB has all along been encouraging schools to organise multifarious activities to give students more opportunities to use Putonghua on and off campus. The EDB also collaborates with schools, educational organisations and social organisations to regularly organise various kinds of Putonghua activities for students such as the Putonghua Public Speaking Competition for Primary and Secondary Schools. The Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) makes use of the Language Fund to encourage and provide funding to different sectors of the community to conduct a variety of Putonghua activities, thereby creating a diversified Putonghua learning environment for students outside the classroom. Since the 2019/20 school year, a total grant of over $60 million has been approved by the SCOLAR to fund projects initiated by different organisations for the promotion of Putonghua, including interactive theatres, radio dramas, video production, quiz competitions, public speaking contests and community exploration activities, and the attendance of beneficiary students has exceeded 400 000. According to the feedback gathered by the organisers and the observations by the SCOLAR Secretariat, participating students were able to speak Putonghua with enthusiasm and they demonstrated good Putonghua proficiency in general. 
     
         In addition, by means of the Sister School Scheme and Mainland exchange and study tours, students are provided with opportunities to practise Putonghua, enrich their vocabulary and enhance their communication skills in an authentic environment through interacting and exchanging with their Mainland counterparts, touring different visiting spots and participating in relevant learning activities, etc.
     
    Professional training and development of teachers
     
         The policy on Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR) has been implemented by the EDB since the 2000/01 school year. Under this policy, all teachers of the Putonghua subject holding a regular post in publicly-funded schools (Note) have to fulfil the language proficiency requirements. With the introduction of the enhanced LPR announced by the EDB recently, starting from the 2024/25 school year, all new or newly deployed teachers of the Putonghua subject holding a regular post should attain Grade A, Level 2 or above in the Test of Proficiency in Putonghua conducted by the SLC and obtain the attained result in the Classroom Language Assessment within the first year of taking up teaching the subject.
     
         To further encourage teachers to enhance their mastery of Putonghua, this year the EDB launches the Sponsorship Scheme for Teachers Taking the National Putonghua Proficiency Test, under which all serving and prospective teachers (including but not limited to teachers teaching Chinese Language and Putonghua subjects) employed in publicly-funded primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong will be fully sponsored by the Language Fund to take the Putonghua Proficiency Test once. The aim is to reinforce the atmosphere for using Putonghua in school.
     
         Other than these, the EDB provides in-service training on different themes for Putonghua teachers every year, which includes curriculum interpretation, teaching of listening and speaking, teaching of Pinyin, tackling learning difficulties, learning assessment and creating an environment conducive to language learning. These training courses aim to enhance the teaching quality and skills of in-service teachers with contents further expanded to include performing arts, pragmatics, as well as communication and application of Putonghua to enhance their linguistic competence. In addition, the EDB encourages teachers to enrol in the online programme on Capacity Building Relating to the Teaching and Promotion of Putonghua for Teachers of Primary and Secondary Schools in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao offered by the Ministry of Education. Literary and cultural study trips to the Mainland have also been organised for teachers to promote exchanges, broaden their horizon and enhance their teaching abilities.
     
         The EDB and the Department of Education of Guangdong Province co-organise the Advanced Course on Teaching of Putonghua every year to uplift the professional standards of Putonghua teachers through immersive training courses and lesson observation activities. So far, 612 Putonghua teachers have completed the course since its first launch in 1999.
     
    Effectiveness evaluation
     
         The EDB has been using different channels such as curriculum development visits and inspections to understand the work of schools in uplifting students’ language proficiency (including the promotion of Putonghua education) and will make recommendations on improvement as necessary. Following the introduction of the enhanced School Development and Accountability framework in the 2022/23 school year, schools have to focus more on the seven learning goals (including language proficiency of students) in conducting the annual school self-evaluation (SSE). During the process, schools will collect the SSE information and data for integrative use to evaluate their effectiveness in related work. As observed from school inspections, schools would take into account their school-based circumstances and adopt diversified approaches to encourage students’ learning of Putonghua through application. For example, they would create a rich Putonghua learning environment within the schools and arrange students to participate in Putonghua-related activities held inside and outside their schools so as to increase students’ ability and interest in the use of Putonghua.
     
         According to the results of the 2021 Thematic Household Survey published by the Census and Statistics Department, 85.7 per cent of the responding students perceived their language competence in Putonghua for daily use as totally sufficient, sufficient or average. The percentage has been rising steadily over the past ten years.
     
         The EDB will continue to create more opportunities for teachers and students to practise Putonghua and enrich the Putonghua learning environment to enhance the Putonghua proficiency of teachers and students in Hong Kong.
     
    (3) Having consulted the Civil Service Bureau, response to part (3) of the question is set out below:
     
         Chinese and English are both the official languages of Hong Kong. It is the Government’s policy to maintain a fully biliterate and trilingual civil service to ensure effective communication with the public in discharging their official duties.
     
         Heads of Department/Grade would, having regard to the job requirements of the grades under their purview, specify appropriate language proficiency requirements as part of the entry requirements of the grades concerned. In assessing whether candidates meet the Putonghua proficiency required by the grade concerned, the recruiting department/grade may, having regard to its operational needs, decide on the appropriate assessment method(s), such as requiring candidates to answer questions in Putonghua during selection interviews, or requiring candidates to attain specific results in designated Putonghua proficiency tests.
     
         While maintaining the standard of public services, the Government will from time to time review the language proficiency requirements of various civil service grades to ensure that they commensurate with the job requirements and allow people of different backgrounds to join the civil service. The Civil Service Bureau is also dedicated to strengthening Putonghua training through arranging courses and web resources for civil servants. The contents include Putonghua for conducting exchange at work, methods to learn and better communicate in Putonghua, with a view to enhancing the overall ability of the civil service in using Putonghua.
     
    Note: These include all teachers of Putonghua holding a regular post in aided schools, as well as teachers of Putonghua in government schools, caput schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and private primary/secondary day schools offering a formal curriculum who are comparable to teachers holding a regular post in aided schools.
    Issued at HKT 14:35

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UDAN Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    UDAN Scheme

    Connecting India, One Flight at a Time

    Posted On: 26 APR 2025 9:34AM by PIB Delhi

     

    “Aviation was once considered the domain of a select few, but that has changed now with the advent of UDAN. My dream is to see a person who wears a ‘hawai chappal’ to fly on the ‘hawai jahaz’.”

    – Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi

    Summary

     

    • UDAN Scheme was launched on 21st October 2016; the first UDAN flight operated between Shimla and Delhi on 27th April 2017.
    • 625 UDAN routes have been operationalized, connecting 90 airports (including 2 water aerodromes, and 15 heliports) across India.
    • More than 1.49 crore passengers have benefited from affordable regional air travel under UDAN.
    • India’s airport network expanded from 74 airports in 2014 to 159 airports in 2024, more than doubling in a decade.
    • ₹4,023.37 crore disbursed as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to promote connectivity to underserved and remote regions.
    • UDAN strengthened regional tourism, healthcare access, and trade, catalyzing economic growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

     

    Introduction

     

    The sky, long seen as a symbol of aspiration, was once an unattainable dream for many in India. To bridge this gap, the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (“Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik”) on October 21, 2016. Rooted in the Prime Minister’s vision that even a common man in slippers should be able to afford air travel, UDAN aims to democratize aviation by making flying accessible and affordable for all. Implemented by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, this flagship scheme has since transformed India’s regional connectivity landscape.

    The dream of affordable air travel for the common citizen began to take tangible form with the first UDAN flight. This landmark flight took off on April 27, 2017, connecting the serene hills of Shimla to the bustling metropolis of Delhi. On April 27, 2025, this landmark event, which marked the beginning of a transformative journey in Indian aviation, opening up the skies to countless citizens, will complete 8 years.

    The UDAN scheme was conceptualised under the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, with a 10-year vision, to connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities through a market-driven yet financially supported model. The scheme incentivised airlines through concessions and Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to operate on regional routes, ensuring affordable fares and improved accessibility.

     

     Components of UDAN Scheme

     

    1. Viability Gap Funding (VGF): Financial support to airlines to ensure affordable fares.
    2. Airfare Cap to ensure affordability.
    3. Collaborative Governance between Centre, States, Airport Authority of India (AAI), and private airport operators.

     

    1. Stakeholder Incentives:

    The government has implemented several supportive measures to attract airlines to operate flights in less lucrative markets:

    Airport Operators: They waive landing and parking charges for RCS flights, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) does not levy Terminal Navigation Landing Charges (TNLC) on these flights. Moreover, a discounted Route Navigation and Facilitation Charge (RNFC) is applied.

    Central Government: For the first three years, excise duty on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) purchased at RCS airports is capped at 2%. Airlines are also encouraged to enter code-sharing agreements to expand their reach.

    State Governments: States have committed to reducing VAT on ATF to 1% or less for ten years and providing essential services such as security, fire services, and utility services at reduced rates.

    This collaborative framework has fostered an environment where airlines can thrive while serving regions that have long been overlooked.

    Evolution of the UDAN Scheme: From Inception to Expansion

     

    Since its launch in 2016, the UDAN scheme has evolved through multiple rounds, each expanding India’s regional air connectivity scope and scale. Below is a summary of the key phases:

     

    UDAN 1.0 (2017)

    • Launch Milestone: First UDAN flight took off on April 27, 2017 (Shimla–Delhi).
    • Coverage: 5 airline operators awarded 128 routes to 70 airports, including 36 new airports.

    UDAN 2.0 (2018)

    • Expanded the scheme to include 73 underserved and unserved airports.
    • For the first time, helipads were also connected into the UDAN network.

     

    UDAN 3.0 (2019)

    • Introduced Tourism Routes in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism.
    • Incorporated Seaplane operations to connect Water Aerodromes.
    • Several routes in the North-East Region came under the ambit of the scheme.

     

    UDAN 4.0 (2020)

    • Focused on hilly regions, North-Eastern States, and island territories.
    • Enhanced emphasis on helicopter and seaplane service.

     

    As UDAN entered its 9th year in October 2025, the scheme has achieved significant milestones

     

    Key Innovations and the Road Ahead for Regional Connectivity

    UDAN Yatri Cafes: In line with the vision of making air travel more inclusive, affordable Yatri Cafes have been launched at Kolkata and Chennai airports, offering quality food at accessible prices—tea for ₹10 and samosas for ₹20.

     

     

    Seaplane Operations: To boost regional and last-mile connectivity, guidelines for seaplane operations were released on August 22, 2024, focusing on safety, security, and operational viability. UDAN Round 5.5 has been launched to invite bids from over 50 identified water bodies across the country.

     

     

    Revamped UDAN Initiative: Building on the success of the original scheme, a revamped version aims to add 120 new destinations and enable affordable air travel for 4 crore more passengers over the next decade. The focus will be on expanding connectivity to remote, hilly, and aspirational districts, especially in the North Eastern region, with special support for helipads and smaller airports.

     

     

    Krishi UDAN Scheme: Designed to support farmers and improve value realisation for agri-produce, Krishi UDAN facilitates timely and cost-effective air logistics, particularly from Northeast, hilly, and tribal regions. This multi-ministry convergence scheme currently covers 58 airports, with a focus on 25 priority airports and 33 others nationwide.

     

     

     

    Airport Infrastructure Development: The government has committed to developing 50 new airports over the next 5 years. This includes new greenfield airports in Bihar, expansion of Patna Airport, and development of a brownfield airport at Bihta, aiming to meet the future demand for air travel and regional growth.

     

    Conclusion

    UDAN is more than a policy—it’s a transformative movement that has redefined the aviation narrative in India. By bridging the skies between Bharat and India, the scheme has made the dream of affordable air travel a reality for millions. It has not only brought remote regions onto the national aviation map but has also spurred local economies, boosted tourism, and generated employment across the country. As India marches towards becoming a global aviation hub, UDAN stands tall as a symbol of inclusive growth, resilience, and visionary governance, carrying the aspirations of a new India, one flight at a time.

    References

    · https://ncgg.org.in/sites/default/files/news_document/Presentation_UDAN.pdf

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2066445

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?ModuleId=3&NoteId=153437&lang=1&reg=3

    · https://www.narendramodi.in/pm-modi-flags-off-first-udan-flight-under-regional-connectivity-scheme-on-shimla-delhi-sector-535203

    · https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sites/default/files/migration/Udaan_Eng.pdf

    · https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/184/AU4382_Wzl24z.pdf?source=pqals, LOK SABHA – UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4382

    · https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/rcs_udan/Approved%20Scheme%20UDAN%205.5.pdf

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2066529

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2089984

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2098780

    · https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/266/AU1456_FhLisi.pdf?source=pqars – RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1456

    Click here to download PDF

    *******

    Santosh Kumar / Sarla Meena / Vatsla Srivastava

    (Release ID: 2124459) Visitor Counter : 103

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ9: Students’ use of mobile phones in school

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ9: Students’ use of mobile phones in school 
    Question:
     
    It has been reported that, starting from this school year, middle schools in a number of districts in France have launched an experimental project to prohibit students from using mobile phones in school, requiring them to hand over their phones upon arrival at school. The objective of the project concerned is to reduce the use of mobile phones by students, so as to avoid affecting their physical and mental development. In addition, it is learnt that different states of the United States also have similar requirements. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it has grasped the existing rules and arrangements of primary and secondary schools across the territory in respect of students bringing mobile phones to school, e.g. allowing students to keep the mobile phones in their own custody after switching them off, having schools keep the mobile phones under their custody and store in lockers, or completely prohibiting the bringing of mobile phones;
     
    (2) whether the authorities have provided guidelines to assist schools in drawing up a “code of conduct for bringing mobile phones” and setting out specific regulations and penalties, so as to ensure that students are not allowed to use mobile phones in school, thereby avoiding problems such as impeding the lesson progress and affecting the learning atmosphere and classroom order;
     
    (3) whether it had, in the past three years, gained an understanding of the various problems arising from students bringing mobile phones to school, such as the pecuniary losses resulting from the loss of mobile phones; if so, how the schools addressed such problems; and
     
    (4) whether the authorities will make reference to the practices in other regions and formulate measures or policies to regulate students’ use of mobile phones in school; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    In accordance with the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279), the management committee or incorporated management committee of a school shall be responsible for ensuring that the school is managed satisfactorily and the education of the pupils is promoted in a proper manner. For implementation, schools should lay down school rules to specify the basic requirements on the behaviour of students in the school, thus cultivating a safe, healthy and orderly learning environment for the students.
     
    Our consolidated reply to the four parts of the question is as follows:
     
    The School Administration Guide issued by the Education Bureau (EDB) sets out clearly the general principles that schools may refer to when formulating and enforcing their school rules. Schools should collect and consider the views of teachers, parents and students when drawing up their school rules. Through discussion and communication, schools should help students apprehend the meaning of the school rules as well as reach a common understanding and consensus, and review the school rules periodically. Schools should enforce the school rules in a lawful, sensible and reasonable manner while ensuring fairness and consistency in application. Due regard should be paid to students’ dignity, individual differences and their rights to education. In this connection, when schools formulate rules in relation to students taking mobile phones to or using mobile phones at schools, they should make reference to the relevant guidelines and legislations and consider their own circumstances. While paying concern to students’ learning and classroom discipline, schools should also take into account the genuine needs of students and parents so as to make appropriate school-based arrangements. In addition, the EDB has suggested ways of handling students who play games on smartphones during lessons in the Case Study Kit on Managing Students’ Behavioural Problems for schools’ reference.
     
    Furthermore, facing the challenges brought by emerging information and communication technologies, the EDB attaches importance to nurturing students’ information literacy and provides the “Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students” Learning Framework to strengthen the relevant information literacy learning elements in primary and secondary curricula, so as to foster students’ ability and attitude to use information and communication technology effectively and ethically in their learning and daily lives, so that they can use the Internet and electronic devices properly and healthily.
     
    Formulation and enforcement of school rules fall within a school’s daily operation and internal affairs. It is in general handled directly and professionally by a school according to the school context. Schools are not required to submit details of day-to-day case handling (such as cases of individual students losing mobile phones at school) to the EDB. Hence, the EDB does not have the particular information.
     
    The EDB has been maintaining close communication and exchanging views with school sponsoring bodies and the education sector regarding the professional aspects of school administration and management. The prevailing school-based approach to handle student mobile phone use at schools follows the principles outlined in the School Administration Guide. It effectively meets the operational needs of schools while also enables schools to follow the established school administrative framework for good school governance. The EDB will continue to support the operation of schools and will provide appropriate advice and assistance when necessary.
    Issued at HKT 11:10

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ16: Results documents for Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ16: Results documents for Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination 
    Question:
     
    It has been reported that some students were recently found to have allegedly submitted fake results documents for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) when applying for and during enrolment to a university in Macao. The relevant authorities in Macao have now stepped up verification for academic qualifications and examination results, while the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) has also filed a police report on the incident. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the number of enquiries received by the HKEAA from institutions outside Hong Kong for establishing the authenticity of the HKDSE results in the past five years;
     
    (2) of the number of cases involving suspected forgery of the HKDSE results documents uncovered by the HKEAA in the past five years;
     
    (3) of the existing anti-forgery features in the HKDSE certification documents including result notice, statement of results and certification of results; whether the HKEAA has explored enhancements to anti-forgery measures for such documents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (4) whether the Government will, by drawing reference from the practice of the Ministry of Education to establish the China Higher Education Student Information website, consider providing a unified platform that collates information on students’ academic qualifications, student status and public examination files, and offers online verification services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) is a widely recognised academic qualification in Hong Kong and abroad. It is also an important credential for further studies and employment of candidates. The Education Bureau (EDB) attaches great importance to the verification of the HKDSE results to maintain the confidence of people at home and abroad in the HKDSE qualifications. Falsification or provision of fake academic qualifications is a serious offence. If any person attempts to use false documentation of results, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) will certainly refer the case to law enforcement agencies for follow-up action. The reply to the question raised by the Hon Chu Kwok-keung is set out below:
     
    (1) and (2) In the past five years, the HKEAA has received one enquiry from a non-local tertiary institution about the authenticity of the HKDSE results held by its students. After verification, the HKEAA found that the HKDSE results of the students involved in this case were forged.
     
    (3) Documents such as the HKDSE results notice, certificate, statement of results and certification of results issued by the HKEAA have multiple security features, including the use of watermarked fibre paper and microprinting technology for lettering. The HKEAA has also provided candidates, tertiary institutions and employers with result verification services (Note 1) to ensure that they can obtain or verify candidates’ public examination results directly from official sources.
     
    The HKEAA will annually review the various operational arrangements for the current HKDSE cohort for continuous improvements. It will also review and optimise the results verification services and security measures where necessary.
     
    (4) It is understood that, as regards post-secondary institutions in Hong Kong, the Joint Universities Computer Centre, which is established by 19 post-secondary institutions and organisations (Note 2), has successfully developed and launched an inter-institutional academic certificate verification platform using blockchain technology. Post-secondary institutions and students may choose to use the platform at their own discretion. Participating institutions can digitalise and upload academic certificates of graduates to the platform, in order to allow students to share their credentials with relevant persons via the platform when seeking employment or further studies. The platform streamlines the verification of academic qualifications and helps combat forgery of credentials. As for the HKDSE, the HKEAA will closely monitor the situations and study the feasibility of developing an electronic results verification solution to enhance the efficiency of service. The EDB will closely monitor the application and development of the aforesaid qualification verification platforms and explore the feasibility of establishing a more comprehensive verification platform at a suitable juncture.
     
    Notes:
    1. The services include:
    (a) HKDSE results extraction service: The HKEAA currently provides direct access to the results of the HKDSE for over 20 local and non-local universities, institutions and admission authorities, including the majority of the local tertiary institutions, Joint University Programmes Admissions System Office, the EDB, the respective joint admission offices of the Mainland and Taiwan, as well as a number of self-financing institutions in Hong Kong. After obtaining the consent of the student applicants concerned, the institutions may obtain the HKDSE results of the student applicants concerned directly from the HKEAA on the release date of the HKDSE or on a specified date, and the whole process is conducted without the intervention of a third party, so as to ensure the authenticity of the information; and
    (b) Provision of Certification of Results: The HKEAA maintains records of candidates’ results in public examinations since its establishment in 1977. Tertiary institutions or employers who need to check the public examination results of individual applicants may request the applicants to apply to the HKEAA for the issue of a “Certification of Results”, which will be sent directly to the organisations specified by the applicants to certify the results of their public examinations.
     
    2. Including the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee; and the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Saint Francis University, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Vocational Training Council, Construction Industry Council, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Tung Wah College, UOW College Hong Kong and University of Macau.
    Issued at HKT 11:05

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: (Video) Assist Your Children to Plan for the Future through Developing Their Interests from a Young Age; Results of Primary One discretionary places to be released on November 18

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES) is open for applications. Eligible students who intend to pursue their first year of undergraduate or postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong in the 2025/26 academic year (i.e. during the period from August 2025 to July 2026) may submit their applications via the online application system at the HKSES website (hkses.edb.gov.hk(i) have right of abode or right to land, or have entered Hong Kong on One-way Permits; and
    (ii) have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three complete years immediately prior to the commencement of the academic programme outside Hong Kong.

    Besides, for undergraduate programmes, only students receiving/received their formal school education in Hong Kong are eligible. This would cover all Hong Kong students who receive/received senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying/studied local and non-local curricula in Hong Kong. For postgraduate programmes, students who have obtained their undergraduate qualifications either in or outside Hong Kong are eligible, provided that they meet the criteria set out in (i) and (ii) above.

    The HKSES will adopt a merit-based approach to selection, targeting the best and most outstanding Hong Kong students who are admitted to world renowned universities and programmes. Selection will be based on the applicants’ academic achievements, and other attributes such as leadership qualities and potential, contribution and commitment to the Hong Kong, etc. The applicants’ plan to return to work and contribute to Hong Kong after completion of studies will also be considered in the selection process.

    Awardees are required to complete their specific study programmes and undertake to return to Hong Kong upon graduation to work for at least two years or a period equivalent to the duration of receiving the scholarship, whichever is longer.

    Awardees will receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of HK$300,000 per annum. In addition, the HKSES will provide additional support to financially needy awardees during their studies. Awardees who have passed the means test will receive a bursary of up to HK$200,000 per student per annum, to cover their living and study-related expenses. The value of the award will be correspondingly reduced if an awardee also receives other awards to finance his/her same study overseas.

    For more information about the scheme, please visit the HKSES website. For enquiries, please contact the HKSES Secretariat at 3509 7395 or via email at 

    hkses@edb.gov.hk. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Distribution of “Our Home” USB devices and A4 folders

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Working Group on Patriotic Education (WGPE) under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee has produced USB devices containing the karaoke version of “Our Home” , the theme song of patriotic education, and A4 folders with messages of loving our country, Hong Kong and our community. They are being distributed to primary and secondary schools and students respectively starting from early October, so that patriotic education can be better integrated across campuses and into students’ daily studies and lives in an interesting and diversified manner.

    “Our Home” is performed by member of the Media Publicity Sub-group under the WGPE, Ms Cally Kwong, and produced by musician Alan Cheung. The key message encourages people to love their country as much as they love their families, as one can only have a family when they have a country. Each school will receive two USB devices. Teachers are welcome to use them during music classes or other school activities.

    The karaoke version can also be viewed at the following link: youtu.be/P5-TOHJUsp0?si=5tkZpaHx7BG5rGxC. For details, please refer to the press release: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202410/01/P2024093000426.htm.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ4: Implementation of increased admission quota of non-local students

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ4: Implementation of increased admission quota of non-local students 
    Question:
     
         Regarding the implementation of the increased admission quota of non-local students, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it has provided specific guidelines to various funded universities, self-financing post-secondary institutions, and the Vocational Training Council and its member institutions (various institutions) explaining the meaning of the cap on non-local student admissions or the method of calculating it; if so, of the details;
     
    (2) of the numbers of local students and non-local students in various institutions (including students of self-financing post-secondary institutions who come from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan region) in the 2024/2025 school year, and the percentage of non-local students in local student places (including the percentage of relevant students of self-financing post-secondary institutions in the total number of students of the relevant programmes in the preceding school year), together with a breakdown by sub-degree, undergraduate degree, and postgraduate degree programmes (including Post-graduate Diploma in Education programmes); whether it will request various institutions to step up the publicity of the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, and urge them to actively meet the enrolment cap or target on non-local students; and
     
    (3) of the total tuition income generated by the enrolment of non-local students for various institutions in the past three school years, and whether it has assessed the peripheral economic benefits brought about by such students; whether it will consider further increasing the admission quotas of various institutions (especially self-financing post-secondary institutions) to attract more outstanding students from outside Hong Kong to come here, thus providing a wider source of students to build Hong Kong into an “international hub for high-‍calibre talent”?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    (1) The Chief Executive announced in the 2023 Policy Address to build Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub, and announced that the enrolment ceilings for the non-local students of Government-funded post-secondary institutions would be doubled to 40 per cent from the 2024/25 academic year onwards. To this end, the University Grants Committee (UGC) Secretariat has promulgated clear guidelines on the definition and calculation of enrolment ceilings for the admission of non-local students for the institutions. The UGC has issued letter to universities, setting out in detail the principles and methods of calculating the enrolment ceilings and the exact figures of the enrolment ceilings for non-local students for taught programmes for each university, to facilitate the university’s planning on student admission. It is also clearly indicated that, the relevant ceilings are calculated having regard to the total number of local student places for all years of study at each study level. Redeployment of the ceilings among different study levels is not permitted. It is worth noting that all non-local students pursuing UGC-funded taught programmes do not receive public funding, and that the number of such non-local students is accounted for separately from local student places so as to ensure that study opportunities for local students will not be affected.
     
         As regards the self-financing post-secondary sector, save for students from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan (MMT), there is no quota restriction on the admission of non-local students to full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Currently, for MMT students enrolling in full-time locally-accredited self-financing local sub-degree and undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes, the calculation of quota should be not exceeding 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the total student enrolment in such programmes in the preceding academic year. There is no quota restriction for postgraduate programmes. So far, there are a total of six local self-financing institutions which have been approved by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to admit Mainland students to their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The Education Bureau (EDB) has all along been maintaining communication with self-financing post-secondary institutions on the admission of non-local students, facilitating their understanding and implementation of the relevant admission arrangements.
     
    (2) Currently, the EDB is consolidating the relevant provisional figures for the 2024/25 academic year. Respective UGC-funded universities will submit, at the end of this year, the actual enrolment of non-local students in the 2024/25 academic year. Based on the UGC Secretariat’s preliminary understanding from the universities, the non-local student enrolment in UGC-funded undergraduate programmes in the current academic year has increased to more than 17 000, which is equivalent to about 23 per cent of the local student places. The Government is pleased to see that the funded universities have utilised the relaxed enrolment ceilings and successfully recruited more non-local students to pursue their studies in Hong Kong.
     
         In the 2023/24 academic year, about 64 200 non-local students enrolled in full-time locally-accredited publicly-funded and self-financing post-secondary programmes. Among them, about 23 100 non-local students enrolled in the eight UGC-funded universities. These include about 14 800 students on undergraduate programmes coming from over 100 countries or regions, taking up over 200 different programmes, which is equivalent to 19.9 per cent of the local student places at that study level. Among these students, around 73 per cent are MMT students. A breakdown of the non-local students enrolling in UGC-funded programmes in the 2023/24 academic year is at Annex 1.
     
         Moreover, in the 2023/24 academic year, the numbers of local and non-local students of full-time locally-accredited local sub-degree and undergraduate programmes of the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and self-financing post-secondary institutions as well as the relevant percentages are at Annex 2. The numbers of local and non-local students of research and taught postgraduate programmes are at Annex 3. 
     
         As a matter of fact, the Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the “Study in Hong Kong” brand will be promoted on a global scale, including to strive to host international education annual conferences and exhibitions, encouraging local post-secondary institutions to enhance collaboration and exchange with their counterparts around the world, and attracting more overseas students by offering scholarships and other incentives, especially those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other Belt and Road countries, to study in our city. The initiative has received a positive response from the universities. The 40 per cent enrollment ceiling is an upper limit, not an indicator. In the course of expanding the scale of post-secondary education, we need to allow certain space and flexibility for the universities to set specific goals and pace in view of their capacity, and to proceed step by step while ensuring the teaching quality and adequacy of supporting facilities. This will enable the higher education sector to expand capacity and enhance quality in parallel, thereby building Hong Kong as an international post-secondary education hub.
     
    (3) Under the principle of institutional autonomy, universities may set the tuition fee levels for non-local students as they see fit, having regard to their own circumstances; and ensure that, the relevant tuition fees should be at a level which is at least sufficient to recover all additional direct costs. The EDB does not maintain the data on the income from the tuition fees for non-local students.
     
         As a matter of fact, increasing the enrolment ceiling for non-local students aims to consolidate the competitive edge of the high degree of internaionalisation and diversity in the post-secondary education, so as to attract top talent from around the world, enhance institutions’ capacity in scientific research and teaching, and expand the talent pool for Hong Kong to foster the economic development of Hong Kong. Increasing the income from tuition fees is not the policy objective.
     
         To encourage non-local students to stay in Hong Kong for development and broaden Hong Kong’s talent pool, the Government has implemented the Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates to allow non-local students to stay for 24 months after graduation to apply for work in Hong Kong. Over the past five years, an average of about 12 340 applications were approved. Moreover, it was further announced in the 2024 Policy Address that starting from this month, the Government would temporarily exempt full-time non-local undergraduate students from the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs with a view to enhancing their personal exposure to and knowledge of working in Hong Kong and incentivising them to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation.
     
         President, the Government has all along been adopting a pragmatic approach in reviewing the non-local student enrolment ceiling in a timely manner, and considering the extent and timing of relaxation in the light of the policy objectives and actual circumstances such as the impact on teaching quality. As regards self-financing programmes, the EDB has all along been supporting the healthy development and continuous quality enhancement of the self-financing sector by providing support and strengthening regulation. We will continue to keep in view the track record of operation, the performance in student admission, and the utilisation of the prevailing quota, and maintain close liaison with MoE to explore feasible enhancements with a view to aligning the relevant admission quotas for non-local students of self-financing post-secondary institutions with those of the Government-funded sector in the long run. We will closely monitor the number of non-local students and collaborate with institutions to attract more students from around the world to study in Hong Kong, so as to strive towards the goal of building Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent.
    Issued at HKT 16:12

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Award Presentation Ceremony for the SOW Campaign 2023/24 cum 2024/25 Kick-off Ceremony

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES) is open for applications. Eligible students who intend to pursue their first year of undergraduate or postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong in the 2025/26 academic year (i.e. during the period from August 2025 to July 2026) may submit their applications via the online application system at the HKSES website (hkses.edb.gov.hk(i) have right of abode or right to land, or have entered Hong Kong on One-way Permits; and
    (ii) have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three complete years immediately prior to the commencement of the academic programme outside Hong Kong.

    Besides, for undergraduate programmes, only students receiving/received their formal school education in Hong Kong are eligible. This would cover all Hong Kong students who receive/received senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying/studied local and non-local curricula in Hong Kong. For postgraduate programmes, students who have obtained their undergraduate qualifications either in or outside Hong Kong are eligible, provided that they meet the criteria set out in (i) and (ii) above.

    The HKSES will adopt a merit-based approach to selection, targeting the best and most outstanding Hong Kong students who are admitted to world renowned universities and programmes. Selection will be based on the applicants’ academic achievements, and other attributes such as leadership qualities and potential, contribution and commitment to the Hong Kong, etc. The applicants’ plan to return to work and contribute to Hong Kong after completion of studies will also be considered in the selection process.

    Awardees are required to complete their specific study programmes and undertake to return to Hong Kong upon graduation to work for at least two years or a period equivalent to the duration of receiving the scholarship, whichever is longer.

    Awardees will receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of HK$300,000 per annum. In addition, the HKSES will provide additional support to financially needy awardees during their studies. Awardees who have passed the means test will receive a bursary of up to HK$200,000 per student per annum, to cover their living and study-related expenses. The value of the award will be correspondingly reduced if an awardee also receives other awards to finance his/her same study overseas.

    For more information about the scheme, please visit the HKSES website. For enquiries, please contact the HKSES Secretariat at 3509 7395 or via email at

    hkses@edb.gov.hk. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Final Call for Parents’ Talks on “Choices of Secondary Schools”

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Education Bureau (EDB) will hold five parents’ talks in early December 2024 to enhance parents’ understanding on the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System. The talks will be conducted in Cantonese and are free of charge. Parents of students who will be admitted to Secondary 1 in September 2025 are welcome to join.

    Each talk will be divided into two parts. The guest speakers will share with the audience how parents can help children grow up healthily and happily through home-school co-operation, and tips on choosing a suitable school in the first part, while the representatives from the EDB School Places Allocation Section will explain the mechanism and procedure of the SSPA 2023/2025 in the second part. The talks will be conducted in Cantonese and admission is free. The details of the talks are as follows:

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The world will always remember Pope Francis’s service to society: PM

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 26 APR 2025 1:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, said that Rashtrapati Ji has paid homage to His Holiness, Pope Francis on behalf of the people of India. “The world will always remember Pope Francis’s service to society” Shri Modi added.

    The Prime Minister posted on X :
     
    “Rashtrapati Ji pays homage to His Holiness, Pope Francis on behalf of the people of India. The world will always remember his service to society.”

     

     

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