Five gifted sixth-form secondary school students in the United Kingdom have each won a chance to study at a Hong Kong university this summer, through a competition organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO).
Hong Kong has a successful and diverse higher education system, with a number of outstanding universities that rank prominently in world league tables. Through the "Hong Kong: the best destination for start-up entrepreneurs!" competition, UK students are encouraged to pursue tertiary education in Hong Kong. Each of the five winners of the competition will be sponsored to study at one of the summer courses at a Hong Kong university to experience a taste of the city's world-class university life, as well as Hong Kong's cosmopolitan lifestyle and unique culture. The winners can also explore their areas of interest and develop their strengths and potential before starting at university. Sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and supported by the British Council, the Hong Kong Society and Invest Hong Kong, the competition has the participation of three key universities in Hong Kong.
To enter, students were invited to compare Hong Kong and a UK city in terms of their situation, development, respective policies and measures to support start-ups. They were also asked to give suggestions on how to further promote and develop Hong Kong as the best destination for start-ups.
Entries received were in many different forms including presentations, essays, websites, blog entries and YouTube videos, and were judged based on content, creativity and presentation. The panel of judges were the Director-General of the London ETO, Ms Priscilla To; the Marketing & Digital Sales Manager of Cathay Pacific, Mr Paul Cruttenden; Project Manager, International Education Programme, British Council, Mr Siôn James; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Society, Mr Nigel Johnson-Hill; and the Deputy Head of Investment Promotion, London ETO, Ms Jessica Kam.
The five winning entrants are:
Bertram Lyhne-Gold
North Bridge House School, Canonbury, London
His entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Bertram_Lyhne_Gold.doc)
He will study at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Thibau Grumett
Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone
His entry was a presentation (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Thibau_Grumett_1.pdf
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Thibau_Grumett_2.pdf)
He will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Tomas Utting
King’s College School, Wimbledon
His entry was a blog (available at www.hongkongforstartups.wordpress.com)
He will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Trinity Hooper
Benenden School, Kent
Her entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Trinity_Hooper.docx)
She will study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Uma Baron
St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith
Her entry was an essay (available on the London ETO website at
www.hketolondon.gov.hk/student_competition/winners2018/Uma_Baron.docx)
She will study at the University of Hong Kong.
At a prize presentation ceremony at the London ETO on June 6 (London time), Ms To said the London ETO launched the competition in 2012 to encourage more students from the UK to go to Hong Kong to further their university education. She said, "I would like to congratulate all the winners. All the entries were of very high quality, which made it quite a challenge for the judges, having to decide between them all, based on content, creativity and presentation.
"I am sure that this summer you will have a great and genuine taste of campus life in the best universities in Hong Kong. When you come back to the UK, I hope that you will be proud ambassadors for Hong Kong as a great place to study and share your experiences with your friends and fellow students.
"The reason we chose this theme of start-up entrepreneurs is simply this: the start-up scene in Hong Kong is flourishing. It is among the world's five fastest-growing start-up centres and one of the world's top 25 start-up hubs. Substantial resources have been allocated in the past few years to support the development of innovation and technology or I&T, with a focus on four critical areas of healthcare technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, smart city and Fintech."
Mr Cruttenden said, "Congratulations to all the winners and indeed all those who submitted entries. The effort and hard work invested was exceptional. Connecting people is at the core of what Cathay Pacific do – connecting ambitious, inquisitive and enthusiastic students to new educational, social and cultural experiences is why we are delighted to continue supporting this very worthwhile competition."
Mr James said, "I'd like to extend my congratulations to the competition's winners the number of high quality applications received made the judging process extremely challenging. Your time in Hong Kong will provide you with a rich variety of new experiences in a different culture, and having seen the amount of creativity, skill and commitment demonstrated in the applications, it's well deserved."
Mr Johnson-Hill, said, "I was really impressed by the quality and presentation of the winners' essays. And I'm particularly grateful to the London ETO for arranging such an inspiring competition."
Ms Kam said, "I am impressed by both the quantity and quality of the entries for this year's competition. The number of entries we received clearly reflects UK secondary school students' keen interest in Hong Kong. The students' works are of exceptionally high standard which made it very difficult for the judging panel to make the decision. Their level of understanding about the start-up scene and business environment in Hong Kong also impressed me. I wish all the winners a memorable experience and a pleasant journey in Hong Kong."
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