Hong Kong should strengthen its strategies for retaining doctoral graduates so as to allow them to pursue their academic careers in Hong Kong more easily.

This would consolidate the city's leading position among global tertiary education hubs, a new study by Hang Seng University suggested.

The study conducted between September 2025 and February 2026 draws on comparative policy analysis and in-depth interviews with 50 doctoral students and university leaders in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and the UK.

Provost and vice-president of the university Joshua Mok said the study shows Hong Kong's immigration policies and post-study work opportunities are the most decisive factors influencing international doctoral students' choices.

Currently, non-local university graduates can stay in Hong Kong for two years without a job offer.

Mok suggested lengthening this period to attract more students and graduates to Hong Kong.

"If the government is very keen to retain those talent trained in Hong Kong for some selected area of high technology, which Hong Kong and also our country really needs, then the government may be more open in retaining them... maybe [for] a longer period of time for them to stay in Hong Kong for [the] further enhancement of the research," Mok said.

He also urged the government to deepen local research investment, promote the strengths of local doctoral programmes, collaborate with mainland universities and offer housing and living cost support to graduate students.

Mok noted students were also concerned about geopolitical tensions affecting research collaboration, mobility, travel opportunities and visa process when deciding on study destinations.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Mok anticipated more students from the Middle East would come to Hong Kong and other Asian regions for their studies instead of the US due to existing tensions.

"My experience of working with colleagues and students coming from the Belt and Road and Middle East is that they're very hard working... if we can attract them and retain them, it would be to the advantage of Hong Kong as a hub in future," he said.


Edited by Tony Sabine