Belt and Road Scholarship quota adds to 150 to boost talent pool

The government has increased the Belt and Road Scholarship admission quota to 150 in the coming academic year.

The Scholarship has been implemented since the 2016-17 academic year and is offered to outstanding students from countries along the Belt and Road to strengthen education collaboration.

According to the Under Secretary for Education Jeff Sze Chun-fai, more than 430 students from 39 countries have benefited from the Scholarship, with business and management, engineering, technology, and pure science being the most popular disciplines.

He said it was ideal to boost the city's talent pool as overseas students could explore, learn more about Hong Kong, and even have internships during their studies.

Sze believed there was a higher chance that talented individuals would remain in Hong Kong and continue contributing to the city.

"The selection committee (of the Scholarship) evaluates applicants based on four key criteria: academic performance, communication and leadership skills, contributions to institutions and societies, and commitment to Hong Kong society," he added.

Chia Xynn Yen from Malaysia - a second-year quantitative finance undergraduate at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) who was awarded full funding for her studies through the Scholarship - said she was attracted by the city's reputation as an international financial hub and expected to stay in Hong Kong after graduation.

A third-year molecular biology and biotechnology student, Aybala Nisa Kesici from Turkey, who also studies at HKU, plans to establish her career in the city as she believes it will join other rapidly advancing Asian cities in shaping the future of scientific development.