Building a World-Class International Education Hub: Hong Kong's Trajectory, Tensions, and Theoretical Frontiers

Abstract

Hong Kong’s strategic ambition as a Special Administrative Region of China to evolve into a world-leading international education hub sits at the intersection of global higher education trends, urban competitiveness agendas, and complex regional dynamics. This article examines the current conditions, governance challenges, and theoretical implications of this transformation. Moving beyond enrollment metrics and ranking discourses, we conceptualize hub-building as a multi-scalar governance project that requires coherent policy mixes, sustained legitimacy, and robust academic labor foundations. Drawing on theories of policy design, global cities, and organizational justice, the paper outlines a conceptual framework for analyzing Hong Kong’s hub trajectory across five dimensions: global positioning, policy instruments, social legitimacy, human resources, and digital transitions. It further introduces four anchor studies that explore critical tensions in exam mobility fairness, international student policy coherence, multi-actor governance narratives, and academic talent retention. The article concludes by proposing a research agenda that prioritizes comparative, mechanism-oriented scholarship to inform how Hong Kong—and similar hubs—can pursue credible, equitable, and sustainable pathways in an era of geopolitical shifts and digital transformation.

Document Type: Original article

Cited as:

Zhang, Y. L., & Chen, Z. L. (2025). Building a world-class international education hub: Hong Kong’s trajectory, tensions, and theoretical frontiers. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 2(4): 156-165. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2025.04.01

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