Shenzhen University (SZU) is planning to build a campus in Hong Kong SAR, according to a motion put forward by Li Qingquan, the president of SZU, at the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC).

[Photo: Nanfang Plus]

"It will not only provide Hong Kong and Macao students with more job and start-up opportunities from the Greater Bay Area (GBA) but also deepen the exchanges and mutual learning between the Shenzhen and Hong Kong youth," Li said.

In recent years, GBA has become a front-runner of high education cooperation and development in the world. However, the pattern is more of one-way flow.

For instance, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) has started operation, and many other Hong Kong universities have built, or are considering building campuses in Guangdong, such as, University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Foshan), and Open University of Hong Kong (Zhaoqing).

Therefore, it is imperative and necessary to begin the “two-way flow” of higher education resources between the mainland and Hong Kong.

[Photo: Nanfang Plus]

Li also suggested that Shenzhen, as a key city in the Greater Bay Area, should take the lead in giving universities greater autonomy in running their own important affairs like student admissions, PhD and Master programs, and international cooperation with institutions of higher learning overseas.

SZU, which is based in Shenzhen, is established in 1983. It is within the one-hour living circle for Hong Kong students to study on the mainland and vice versa. At present, over 200 Hong Kong students are studying at SZU, and there are more than 10,000 graduates of the university currently working in Hong Kong.

Author | Fanny

Editor | Jerry