SED strikes deal with Korea to strengthen education

Secretary of Education Mr Michael Suen, after signing the MOU, will be visiting Seoul with a higher education delegation from Hong Kong.

The education secretary signed on Wednesday a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on education co-operation with the Korean Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Mr Ahn Byong Man, a report from the government said.

At the signing ceremony, Mr Suen said, "The MOU endeavours to strengthen collaboration in education and to promote educational exchanges between the two places."

The MOU sets out four directions in advancing co-operation between Hong Kong and Korea, namely, to recognise and support extensive collaboration between the educational communities of the two places; to strengthen partnerships and strategic collaboration that support internationalisation of education and lifelong learning; to enhance excellence and creativity in teaching, learning and research conducted by their educational institutions; and to contribute to professional development in the education sector.

Mr Suen also updated the minister on the latest developments on Hong Kong's education front and initiatives to promote Hong Kong as a regional education hub.

On Tuesday, Mr Suen and university representatives briefed the local media on Hong Kong's education reforms. He then delivered a keynote speech in the afternoon at the opening ceremony of the "Study in Hong Kong" education exhibition which Hong Kong is staging in Korea for the first time.

He pointed out that Hong Kong had three fundamental strengths, namely cultural diversity, opportunities and international standards, enabling it to become a regional education hub.

Inviting Korean education staff and students to study in Hong Kong, Mr Suen said, "By welcoming more overseas students to Hong Kong, we will be able to provide an even more culturally diverse learning environment for developing intercultural competencies which are much sought after by higher education in different countries."