By Ayomide Otitoju
Hong Kong has announced plans to welcome more international students to its universities, particularly those affected by the U.S. government’s recent attempt to block Harvard University from enrolling foreign nationals.
The move follows an escalation in tensions between Washington and Beijing, with U.S. President Donald Trump targeting the prestigious Ivy League institution over what his administration claims is its resistance to oversight and ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The decision—temporarily blocked by a U.S. judge after Harvard filed a lawsuit—has cast uncertainty over the academic future of thousands of foreign students and the billions of dollars they contribute to American higher education.
On Friday, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education, Christine Choi, urged local universities to accommodate displaced students. “For international students affected by the United States’ student admission policy, the Education Bureau has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students,” Choi said in a statement carried by AFP.
She added that institutions would take advantage of relaxed government policies, including lifting caps on foreign student admissions, to attract more global talent.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) also issued a direct invitation to students currently enrolled at or accepted into Harvard. “HKUST is extending this opportunity to ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without disruption,” the university said, promising unconditional offers, simplified admissions, and academic support to ease the transition.
The dispute in the U.S. centers on claims by the Trump administration that Harvard fosters anti-Semitism and “woke” ideology, and has resisted government oversight of its admissions and faculty practices. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the administration’s decision aimed to hold the university “accountable for fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”
A federal judge has since issued a temporary injunction, calling the administration’s action unlawful.
Beijing condemned the move, accusing the U.S. of “politicising educational cooperation” and warning that the policy would damage America’s international image.
Harvard, ranked the world’s top university by U.S. News & World Report, enrolls about 1,300 students from China—roughly 20% of its international student population. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese nationals study across other U.S. institutions, which have long been seen as global hubs for academic excellence and intellectual freedom.
