The Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE) was granted a university title on Tuesday, after the Chief Executive-in-Council approved a change in its name to Saint Francis University.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi offered her congratulations, saying self-financing tertiary institutions will continue to play a "pivotal role" in nurturing talent.

"The granting of a university title not only represents a milestone for the CIHE but also bears testimony to the government’s commitment to promoting the parallel development of the publicly funded and self-financing post-secondary education sectors to provide young people in Hong Kong with quality, flexible and diversified study pathways," Choi said in a statement.

The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications had concluded in a review that CIHE met the standards expected of a private university.

CIHE is the fourth self-financing tertiary institution to be granted a university title.

The institution in Tseung Kwan O thanked the government for its approval, adding that it would continue to improve its postgraduate programmes in various disciplines.

It also said that it would introduce applied degrees in nursing and hospitality to help meet manpower needs in line with the objectives of the Education Bureau.