Sunday, May 25, 2025 - Hong Kong has announced plans to expand university access for international students, particularly those affected by the United States government’s controversial move to block Harvard University from enrolling foreign nationals. The decision from the Trump administration, made on Thursday, May 22, and temporarily suspended by a U.S. judge following a lawsuit from Harvard, has cast uncertainty over the future of thousands of foreign students and the significant revenues they generate
In response, Hong Kong Education Secretary Christine Choi on
Friday urged local universities to open their doors wider to international
talent. “For international students affected by the United States’ student
admission policy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has appealed to all universities
in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students,” Choi
said, according to a statement carried by AFP. She added that universities in
the city are leveraging government measures to ease foreign student caps in a
bid to attract more applicants.
One of the city’s top institutions, the Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology (HKUST), has already extended an invitation to
international students currently enrolled at Harvard or those who had received
admission offers to the university. “HKUST is extending this opportunity to
ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without
disruption,” the university said, promising streamlined admissions, academic
support, and unconditional offers for those affected.
While Harvard holds the top spot in U.S. News and World
Report’s global university rankings, HKUST ranks 105th out of more than 2,000
institutions, positioning itself as a strong alternative for displaced students
seeking continuity in their education.
The Trump administration’s targeting of Harvard comes amid
rising political tensions with China and accusations by the president that the
university harbours anti-Semitic sentiment and left-leaning ideology. U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday defended the
administration’s action, claiming it would hold Harvard “accountable for
fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist
Party on its campus.”
However, Beijing swiftly condemned the move, criticising
what it described as the politicisation of education and warning that it would
damage the international reputation of the United States.
The judicial intervention on Friday, May 23, brought
temporary relief to the university, with a judge ruling that the government’s
attempt to bar foreign admissions was unlawful. Still, the case remains
unresolved, and uncertainty lingers over the status of thousands of students.
Harvard currently has about 1,300 Chinese students enrolled, making up roughly
20 percent of its international student population. Many more from China attend
other American institutions, which have long been prized for their academic
freedom and rigorous standards.
As Washington’s policies increasingly clash with the global
education landscape, Hong Kong appears poised to position itself as an
alternative hub for international scholarship, offering continuity for those
whose educational journeys have been disrupted.
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