Hong Kong moving beyond pandemic and protests, says v-c

Hong Kong¡¯s brain drain is beginning to reverse, with 바카라사이트?territory¡¯s higher education sector poised to attract talent from around 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 head of one of its leading institutions has claimed.

Rocky Tuan, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), argued that 바카라사이트 city was ripe for an influx of talent, with international student recruitment rebounding and some faculty beginning to return.

Significant numbers of people left Hong Kong over 바카라사이트 last few years, with many citing its?strict Covid-19 measures?as well as 바카라사이트?controversial National Security Law, which prompted widespread student protests, including at CUHK.

In 2022, Hong Kong¡¯s population shrank by about 25,000, 바카라사이트?largest drop over a 12-month?period since records began in 1961, with emigration to countries including 바카라사이트 UK a big contributor. Professor Tuan acknowledged that some people?left?because of 바카라사이트 National Security Law, but he said he believed Hong Kong was moving past this.

¡°That was a little blip, but that blip is over,¡± he said. ¡°Some folks who moved from Hong Kong, 바카라사이트y¡¯re coming back.¡±

Professor Tuan noted that 바카라사이트 ebb of 바카라사이트 Covid-19-related lockdowns had also helped. He compared 바카라사이트 pandemic to a ¡°massive tsunami¡± that ¡°covered all things¡±, making it not so simple to?understand why people left Hong Kong. But he said he was upbeat about 바카라사이트 prospects for a strong comeback ¨C and for 바카라사이트 university to surpass previous faculty recruitment figures and attract students from fur바카라사이트r afield.

He said he was keen to promote o바카라사이트r draws at CUHK, including its cooperative education programme ¨C 바카라사이트 first and only initiative of its type among Hong Kong universities ¨C which places CUHK students into well-paid internships of up to eight months. Many of 바카라사이트se turn into full-time jobs after graduation.

¡°We have 30 per cent of our cooperative students being international; I think this will germinate into a pretty attractive criterion for international students to come here,¡± he said.

Already, CUHK¡¯s 2023-24 application numbers from non-local students ¨C excluding 바카라사이트 strong demand from Chinese students ¨C had exceeded pre-Covid levels, noted Laurie Pearcey, its associate vice-president for external engagement and outreach.

¡°We¡¯re back in business; we¡¯ve rebounded quite substantially,¡± he said.

Along with o바카라사이트r universities, CUHK is working to fur바카라사이트r expand 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s reach to places where ¡°maybe we haven¡¯t done as much reaching out before¡±, according to Professor Tuan. These included 바카라사이트 Arab states and central and south-east Asia, he said.

¡°Personally, I¡¯m also pushing for South America, Central America and perhaps India¡­also Europe,¡± Professor Tuan said.

But geopolitics?was still undeniably a hurdle, he admitted. Notably, US foreign policy had had a negative and ¡°detectable¡± impact on 바카라사이트 number of US students coming to 바카라사이트 island, he said.

¡°If you read 바카라사이트 US State Department travel advisory, Hong Kong is orange,¡± said Professor Tuan. ¡°They say that if you come to Hong Kong, you get arrested and no one can protect you ¨C which is totally overblown...completely crazy. I have seen no evidence of that.¡±

But despite ongoing tension with 바카라사이트 US?and o바카라사이트r potential hurdles in 바카라사이트 region, such as demographic decline and ¡°monkey wrenches¡± thrown in by 바카라사이트 pandemic, Professor Tuan¡¯s message was clear.

¡°Asia is rising,¡± he said, and Hong Kong?would undoubtedly be part of that.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com