Mainland students in HK: A learning curve for both

By Zhao Manfeng | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-06-27 15:56

Teaching and learning at City University of Hong Kong /Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn

Editor's Note: Over the past 20 years since Hong Kong's return to China, the number of mainland students studying in Hong Kong has seen a steady increase, according to statistics from the Hong Kong University Grants Committee. What has the studying experience in Hong Kong given to the mainland students and how has it been promoting the people-to-people exchanges between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong? Here three academic staff members of Hong Kong-based universities share their views with China Daily website's Zhao Manfeng.

Mainland students studying in Hong Kong is good for the mutual understanding and cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland.

Cheung Siu Wai, director of MA in international journalism studies, Hong Kong Baptist University / Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn

Exchange between mainland students and Hong Kong ones is beneficial to the Hong Kong students, faculties as well as mainland students.

Some Hong Kong students hold the stereotype that mainland students are not very connected with the world and do not have good English-language base. However, when the mainland students come, they always surprise their Hong Kong peers with their competitiveness and huge potential. It is those top mainland students that bring the competitive edge to Hong Kong.

Apart from the competitiveness, mainland students also bring new perception for Hong Kong students to know more about mainland. Students from mainland can provide them with that kind of perspective.

The shock to mainland students is also big, as they are surprised to see Hong Kong's high degree of connection to the international world; the high standard of social welfare that tops the world. Hence, they realize that the Chinese mainland can go the same way to improve living standard in the future.

Today, Hong Kong needs more highly educated workforce from the mainland, as Hong Kong is an aging society, the labor shortage will be quite prominent in the coming 20 years. When mainland students come to Hong Kong to study and stay here, they can provide valuable workforce for the sustainability and prosperity of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's global campus enriches students' international and multicultural consciousness, exposure and learning experience

David Cheng, associate vice-president, City University of Hong Kong / Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

One of the most important feature for Hong Kong universities lies in its high standard of globalization. To be international, Hong Kong universities emphasize diversity, intercultural learning and global vision. Taking CityU as an example, our faculty members are recruited from all over the world, including Hong Kong, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. We have established an excellent international network for academic collaborations. In Hong Kong, our graduates become leading professionals who are open to new ideas, adaptable, and thoughtful contributors to society.

Living and studying in Hong Kong could prepare mainland students with a global vision. Most mainland students come to Hong Kong, thinking that Hong Kong shares the same culture with mainland. However, due to the regional and historical difference, they gradually learn that there are cultural differences between Hong Kong and mainland. It is also a learning journey to overcome such perceptions, and to embrace the difficulties. Such understanding is should be mutual, as mainland students also act as the role of ambassadors for their Hong Kong peers to learn more about mainland.

Students experience the combination of tradition and modernity, as well as the integration of Chinese and western culture, the training of both science and humanities in Hong Kong

Xu Yangsheng, president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen / Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

In Hong Kong, especially at Chinese University of Hong Kong, students experience the combination of tradition and modernity, as well as the integration of Chinese and western culture, and they receive both science and humanities trainings.

In Hong Kong, we have the general education, or gateway education, to lead a fulfilling and successful life against a backdrop of rapidly changing global needs that requires a wide range of skills and knowledge. These include the ability to think critically, to reason logically and quantitatively and to communicate effectively. In addition, it is important that every student has an understanding of sciences that increasingly shape our environment, an awareness of the cultural movements and diversity that have shaped societies and their values, and an appreciation of the enduring arts that express, inspire and continually challenge these values.

As a connect point of the east and west, Hong Kong is not only an international city that is well connected with the world, but also a Chinese city with the culture deeply rooted in the Chinese values. Backed by the rapid development of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong education could nurture the global talents. We need to be aware that global talents not just merely mean our students could find jobs overseas, but could also work in the mainland companies that require international standard.