The Civil Service College of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was established today (December 9), marking a new milestone for training and development for the civil service.
The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, officiated at the establishment ceremony. Addressing the ceremony, she expressed gratitude to the staunch support from the Central Government and its offices in the HKSAR for the establishment of the Civil Service College. In expressing her expectations for the enhancements in civil service training by the College, Mrs Lam said that she would look to the College to strengthen training on the relationship between the HKSAR and the Central Authorities under the principle of "one country, two systems", the Constitution, the Basic Law and the Hong Kong National Security Law, so as to reinforce civil servants' self-awareness of safeguarding national security; assist civil servants to better understand the country and its development; provide colleagues with more training opportunities on positive values and attitude; and cultivate the civil service as a team which is innovative and effective in communication. She said that as Hong Kong is embracing a new era and a new paradigm, she hopes that the civil service can display confidence and sustain professionalism in delivering services, and that civil servants be proactive in taking forward their work and be united in leading Hong Kong to a better future.
The Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, Mr Zhang Xiaoming, gave a video speech at the establishment ceremony, expressing the Central Government's support for the establishment of the Civil Service College and the importance attached to civil service training in the HKSAR. Mr Zhang said that the College should strive to nurture civil servants in their sense of patriotism, affection for the community, global horizons and strategic thinking. The civil service plays a critical role in achieving good administration and governance for Hong Kong, and the Civil Service College carries an important mission on this front. The HKMAO would continue to provide strong support and assistance to Hong Kong in leveraging resources in the Mainland for civil service training.
Other officiating guests at the establishment ceremony included Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Chen Dong; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Liu Guangyuan; Deputy Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Li Jiangzhou; the Director of the Political Work Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, Major General Sun Jushun; the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip; the Chairman of the Civil Service Training Advisory Board, Dr Victor Fung; the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Mrs Rita Lau; and the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung.
Partner institutions of the HKSAR Government in civil service training also sent congratulatory messages on video for the establishment of the Civil Service College, including the Chinese Academy of Governance, the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Tsinghua University, Peking University, the Civil Service College Singapore, the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Ivey Business School Asia.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Fung said that the civil service was very important to effective governance. He was honoured to serve as the Chairman of the Advisory Board, and work together with other members from the community to advise on the civil service training programme, development strategy, and the preparations for establishing the Civil Service College.
Mr Nip, said that the establishment of the Civil Service College had profound significance to the HKSAR Government in enhancing the effectiveness of governance. He said at the ceremony, "The Civil Service College will further enhance training for civil servants in terms of both quality and quantity, deepen civil servants' understanding of the country's development and the HKSAR's constitutional order, strengthen training in leadership development and innovation and technology application, and broaden their international horizons and global outlook."
Mr Nip stressed that, "By establishing the Civil Service College, we look forward to nurturing more talents in governance for the accurate and full implementation of the principle of 'one country, two systems', promote with full steam Hong Kong's integration into the national development, and work together to build a better future for Hong Kong."
The College's establishment ceremony took place in the North Point Government Offices. The third to fifth floor of the premises were formerly the premises of the Civil Service Training and Development Institute and, with training facilities having been renovated and enhanced, will serve as the interim accommodation of the Civil Service College. The construction of the long-term accommodation of the College will be taken forward as part of the Kwun Tong Composite Development Project. The construction works of the project are expected to commence next year and be completed by phases beginning from the end of 2026. The new premises will allow the College to deliver better, more flexible and diversified training services, in a more effective manner. At the establishment ceremony, the Director of Architectural Services, Ms Winnie Ho, also introduced the design of the long-term accommodation of the College.
The Chief Executive proposed to establish a civil service college in the 2017 Policy Address as a major undertaking of the HKSAR Government in enhancing training for civil servants on various fronts. The Government set up the Civil Service Training Advisory Board in November 2019 to give guidance on training programmes for the civil service and its long-term development strategy, and to prepare for the development of the college.
Meanwhile, the Civil Service Bureau is conducting a recruitment exercise for the Head of the College, with a view to appointing a suitable candidate to the post in the first half of 2022. Pending the appointment of a suitable candidate to the post, the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service will double down as the Head of the College.
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