The Federation for Self-financing Tertiary Education (FSTE) warmly welcomes the news of Hong Kong’s remarkable ascent to 4th place globally and 1st in Asia Pacific in the recent IMD World Talent Ranking 2025 (International Institute for Management Development), marking the city’s highest-ever position in this prestigious index.

While this achievement reflects the collective impact of sustained investment in education, innovation, and talent development policies by the HKSAR Government, it also affirms the critical role played by Hong Kong’s tertiary education institutions — including those in the self-financing sector — in nurturing globally competitive graduates, attracting high-calibre talent from around the world as well as providing employee training.

Among the sector-related indicators, Hong Kong excelled in:

  • Graduates in Sciences – ranked 1st globally
  • University Education – ranked 9th
  • Management Education – ranked 5th
  • Student Mobility Inbound – ranked 8th
  • Employee Training – ranked 18th

Full list of indicators available at the country profile: https://imd.widen.net/content/fzdzye7xk5/pdf/2025WTR-Country-profile-HK.pdf.

These results highlight the strength and diversity of Hong Kong’s tertiary education ecosystem, which includes a wide array of academic, vocational, and transnational programmes offered by FSTE Member Institutions. Our sector continues to evolve in response to global trends, providing flexible and alternative pathways as well as lifelong learning opportunities that empower students and employees to thrive in a dynamic, interconnected world.

FSTE Chairman, Prof Reggie KWAN, commented: “This ranking underscores the resilience and innovation of Hong Kong’s tertiary education sector.  We are proud to contribute to a system that not only cultivates local talent but also welcomes learners from across the globe. FSTE remains committed to advancing quality, fostering collaboration, and supporting the Government’s vision of positioning Hong Kong as an international education hub, as well as other societal initiative.”

As Hong Kong continues to strengthen its strategic position as one of the world’s leading centres for talent, FSTE will work closely with stakeholders to enhance programme quality, expand capacity, and foster inclusive excellence across the self-financing tertiary education sector.

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2025.09.12