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HomeNews UpdateLetter | Despite tuition fee increases, Hong Kong universities offer good value for money

Letter | Despite tuition fee increases, Hong Kong universities offer good value for money

June 26, 2024
Letter | Despite tuition fee increases, Hong Kong universities offer good value for money

In terms of admission, students with a Diploma of Secondary Education have the best chance of enrolling at HKU. According to the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Jupas) 89.7 percent of last year’s applicants were offered a place at their three preferred universities, which certainly include HKU.

In addition to HKU, four other Hong Kong universities are among the world’s top 100: the Chinese University of Hong Kong at 36th place, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology at 47th place, the Polytechnic University at 57th place and the City University at 62nd place.

Internationally, HKU is one of the top 20 easiest universities to get into, with 17 percent of applications accepted. Cornell’s acceptance rate is significantly lower at 7 percent.

Why this inequality? In Hong Kong, the number of school candidates for the DSE fell from 66,613 in 2014 to 43,295 in 2024 due to falling birth rates.

However, the number of funded study places remains at 15,000, and thousands of places in minor study programs are also subsidized.

With a university acceptance rate of 40% among DSE students, it doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that any suitable local applicant is virtually guaranteed a place.

In summary, while the proposed tuition fee increase may be a cause for concern for some students, one should also consider the exceptional value and quality of higher education in Hong Kong. The city’s top universities are regularly ranked among the best in the world, yet are significantly more affordable than their international counterparts.

Higher education in Hong Kong is a great option.

Roy YingLecturer at Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

No pressure from the British government on judges

I would like to share the reaction to my recent resignation as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal, except in one respect. In my capacity as a non-permanent judge, I have never taken my cues from the British Government. I have not communicated with it directly or indirectly about Hong Kong. Neither I nor any other British judge has been put under pressure by the Government to resign from the Court, except in the case of Lords Reed and Hodge in 2022.

Their position was different because they were British judges sitting in the Court of Final Appeal under an agreement between the British Government and the Hong Kong authorities which the British Government decided to annul.

Jonathan Sumption, London

To improve students’ mental health, they must be addressed at an early age

I refer to your report“Hong Kong teachers are at the forefront of identifying their students’ suicide risk and are making this a top priority” (June 13). It was shocking to read that “nearly one in four children and adolescents had at least one mental disorder and nearly one in ten secondary school students had suicidal thoughts.”

We need to do something to help these students. Mental health is extremely important to a person’s development. As mentioned in the report, the Let’s Pause pilot project provides opportunities for teachers and students to come together, relax and build a relationship. This project should be brought to more schools.

Psychological research suggests that it is helpful to talk about problems and fears. Therefore, regular therapeutic meetings should be held where teachers or students can share their concerns in the presence of an expert.

In addition, school curricula should also include topics such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, stress management, etc. Mental health must be approached holistically from primary school onwards. In the age of artificial intelligence, some subjects are in danger of becoming redundant. But the human ability to manage emotions will always be indispensable.

Hong Kong has always been a high-stress environment, and three years of pandemic have made things even worse. Mental health has suffered, and I am saddened to hear that many students have had suicidal thoughts.

Reasons for this situation could be excessive academic stress, overcrowded housing conditions and the weak economywhich puts pressure on parents. Socially disadvantaged families could be particularly affected. Can children from such backgrounds easily remain positive and healthy?

It is not just about preventing youth suicide. It is a broader problem that government and society must address with a variety of strategies and measures.

Fion Yip, Guangzhou

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