Choi Yuk-lin (sitting, right), secretary for education of the HKSAR government, and Zhu Kongjun (sitting, left), director-general of the Department of Education of Guangdong province, sign the Framework Agreement on Strengthening Education Exchange and Cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong as Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki looks on, in Hong Kong, on Aug 24, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG — The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has agreed to strengthen education collaboration with Guangdong province in a bid to support high-quality development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as well as Hong Kong's alignment with national development strategies.

The Education Bureau of the HKSAR government signed with the Department of Education of Guangdong province on Thursday the Framework Agreement on Strengthening Education Exchange and Co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki said the agreement represents a key step forward in the course of Guangdong and Hong Kong pressing ahead at full steam to promote high-level cooperation and pursue high-quality development

The agreement covers several initiatives, including strengthening collaboration among higher education institutions in Guangdong and Hong Kong on education services provision, talent cultivation, and technological exchanges and cooperation. It also encourages the two places to promote the pairing of sister schools and to support training and exchanges of teachers between the SAR and the province.

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Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki, who witnessed the signing, said the agreement aims to facilitate further education collaboration and exchanges between Guangdong and Hong Kong, nurture talent to meet the needs of the social and economic development in the GBA, and make greater contributions to the high-quality development of the country.

It represents a key step forward in the course of Guangdong and Hong Kong pressing ahead at full steam to promote high-level cooperation and pursue high-quality development, Chan added.

Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki (front row, center), Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin (front row, fourth right), Director-General of the Department of Education of Guangdong province Zhu Kongjun (front row, fourth left), and other attendees pose for a group photo after the signing of the framework agreement, on Aug 24, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

The Vocational Training Council (VTC), a statutory body in Hong Kong, on the same day signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Guangdong’s education department.

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The MoU supports the vocational institutions in the two places to jointly launch different collaborative projects and supports the VTC to participate in the development of the GBA Vocational Education Park.