ICAC looks to HK students in top mainland unis for recruits

Adelyn Lau

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has set its sights on recruiting Hong Kong students studying in top mainland Chinese universities such as Tsinghua University in Beijing and Fudan University in Shanghai.

The primary goal of the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption - set up by the ICAC in February - is to provide professional and international anti-corruption training to local businesses and foreign anti-corruption agencies.It also serves as a platform for cross-border anti-corruption research and aims to attract talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and an international perspective.

Deputy director Joey To On-ki said that anti-corruption efforts extended beyond local initiatives. She added that over the years, ICAC has established numerous international connections in law enforcement.

In a recent recruitment drive, personnel from ICAC's operations, corruption prevention and community departments visited both Tsinghua and Fudan University to conduct recruitment talks and promotional seminars. Hong Kong students studying at these universities showed great enthusiasm, with some even expressing a desire to change the world through working for ICAC.

The increasing number of Hong Kong students pursuing further studies in the mainlandmakes it an opportune time to provide them with recruitment information and encourage joining the ICAC upon graduation.To clarified that the decision to organize recruitment talks in the mainland is not due to severe staff turnover or failure to attract talent. "The ICAC received about 5,000 job applications as of August last year, representing a 30 percent increase compared to the previous year," she said.

The ICAC plans to launch a new round of recruitment, with Recruitment Experience Days on June 22 and 29, to facilitate the application process for assistant investigators and investigators in the operations department in mid-June.Participants will have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience of the ICAC's work in law enforcement, anti-corruption efforts and education as well as the chance to directly apply for positions.

To said there was an overwhelming response to last year's Recruitment Experience Days, with registration numbers exceeding three times the capacity.The deadline for applying for commission against corruption officer positions in the corruption prevention department is Friday, April 12.The ICAC will consider its recruitment policy based on talent trends and actively explore opportunities outside of Hong Kong, although the current focus remains on domestic universities.