ENG-2009 — Page 190

138 Education

Student Achievements

As in previous years, Hong Kong students continued to excel in international competitions. Hong Kong teams won five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad, the International Physics Olympiad, the International Olympiad in informatics and the International Junior Science Olympiad.

Hong Kong students also won top prizes in other world contests in visual arts and design, including 2009 Évora the 10th International Meeting of Juvenile Art, the 18th International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment, the 6th REMIX International Fur Design Competition and the Small Montmartre of Bitola. One of the students was named one of the Best Six Global Youth Artists. The Hong Kong delegation performed at the World Harmonica Festival 2009 where they won a total of 14 medals, producing five champions, four first runners-up and five second runners-up.

In sport, the Hong Kong Youth Team won five gold, eight silver and five bronze medals and ranked number five among 43 countries or regions in the 1st Asian Youth Games 2009. The Hong Kong Wushu Team also won five gold, nine silver and four bronze medals at the 5th Asian Junior Wushu Championships while the Hong Kong Fencing Team gained a total of 13 medals at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships 2009 (including one gold medal won by the Men's Sabre Team) and the Asian Fencing Championships. Hong Kong students were also awarded four gold, six silver and nine bronze medals in the 5th Asian Rope Skipping Championships.

In science and technology, a student won the first prize at the 9th Awards for Little Scientist of Tomorrow and awards were also received in the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robot Contest.

Major Challenges Ahead

Developing Education Services

Education services is one of the six advantaged industries with good potential for further development. The Government's objective is to enhance Hong Kong's position as a regional education hub, nurturing talent to support various sectors of the economy, thereby increasing its competitiveness. To achieve this, efforts will continue to internationalise and diversify the higher education sector.

Hong Kong is well positioned to provide quality higher education in the region. because of its cosmopolitan outlook, strong links with the Mainland, world-class universities and diversified system of education. It is Hong Kong's stated intention to become a regional education centre. Measures have been implemented to attract quality non-local students to study in Hong Kong. This process will further internationalise the city's higher education sector and increase local students' exposure to the world. It is also the Government's aim to persuade non-local students to live and work in Hong Kong after they have graduated. This will enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in the long term.