Hong Kong universities open doors to foreign students blocked by Trump's Harvard ban
The sharp escalation in US President Donald Trump's longstanding feud with the prestigious university came as tensions simmer between Washington and Beijing over trade and other issues.
The Trump administration's decision on Thursday — which was temporarily halted by a US judge after Harvard sued — has thrown the future of thousands of foreign students and the lucrative income stream they provide into doubt.
Yesterday, Hong Kong Education Secretary Christine Choi called on universities in the Chinese city to welcome 'outstanding students from all over the world'.
'For international students affected by the United States' student admission policy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has appealed to all universities in Hong Kong to provide facilitation measures for eligible students,' Choi said in a statement, noting the ban on Harvard's admission of international students.
She said local universities were making use of government measures, including relaxing the maximum limits on foreign students to attract more to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Friday invited international students enrolled at Harvard, as well as anyone with offers to attend the elite school, to continue their studies at HKUST.
'HKUST is extending this opportunity to ensure talented students can pursue their educational goals without disruption,' it said in a statement.
The university 'will provide unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support to facilitate a seamless transition for interested students', it added.
Harvard is ranked number one in US News and World Report's most recent list of the world's top universities, while HKUST is 105 out of more than 2,000 ranked.
President Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting his administration's push for oversight on admissions and hiring amid his claims the school is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and 'woke' liberal ideology.
A US judge on Friday halted the administration's move to prevent Harvard from admitting foreign students after the university sued, calling the government's action unlawful.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that the administration's decision would hold Harvard 'accountable for fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus'.
Beijing condemned the 'politicisation of educational cooperation', adding that the move by Washington would 'only harm the image and international standing of the United States'.
Around 1,300 Chinese students are enrolled at Harvard, around a fifth of its international student body, according to university data.
Hundreds of thousands more attend other US colleges and universities, long viewed by many in China as beacons of academic freedom and rigour. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
40 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Agriculture Ministry: RM160 per hectare ploughing incentive for padi farmers
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — The government has agreed to increase the Ploughing Incentive for Padi Farmers (IPKP) from RM100 to RM160 per hectare for each season, starting this year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) said the incentive will be implemented in stages to ensure efficient and effective delivery to padi farmers. 'The implementation of this incentive involves two main disbursement methods: an additional cash payment of RM60 per hectare for farmers who have completed ploughing and submitted claims for the first planting season of 2025; 'And a payment of RM160 per hectare through the existing mechanism under the Padi Production Incentive Scheme (SIPP), channelled via service providers or machinery owners for the second planting season of 2025,' it said in a statement today. KPKM explained that for the additional RM60 per hectare incentive for farmers who have planted during the first season of this year, the ministry is finalising the list of eligible recipients based on claims submitted by machinery owners and service providers. 'It will be paid as soon as the list is finalised. The process may take some time as there are service providers who have completed the ploughing work but have yet to submit claims to the agency,' it said. The ministry also announced a new initiative - the Padi Harvesting Incentive - at a rate of RM50 per hectare, starting this year. According to the statement, the incentive will be paid once harvesting work is completed and claimed by registered combine harvester owners or service providers under the Farmers' Organisation Authority (LPP) or Area Farmers' Organisations (PPK), beginning from the second planting season of this year. 'At present, the agency is registering the combine harvesters to enable payment to be made once harvesting is completed,' it said. The ministry also acknowledged delays in incentive payments and said efforts are being made to expedite disbursements to padi farmers in stages. — Bernama
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
PM: Govt to restore ‘pondok' institutions with new technology and AI
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — The government will restore and elevate the nation's 'pondok' institutions to ensure they remain a bulwark for the faith, morals, and character of the Muslim community, in line with modern demands, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He stated that this initiative involves cooperation between the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to ensure that religious schools and pondok institutions that are in poor condition can be developed with new facilities and technology. 'We want to add new technology, including information technology, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence, so that this bulwark remains the strongest one to defend the faith, morals, and character of the Ummah,' he said at the opening ceremony of the 65th International Al-Quran Recital and Memorisation Competition (MTHQA) at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTCKL) yesterday. Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar said history proves that while the country's political, economic, and educational systems bowed to the colonisers, the pondok institutions remained the last bastion defending the identity of the Muslim community. Additionally, the Prime Minister announced that he will launch the Mushaf Ummah Program on Aug 8 in an effort to expand the dissemination of the Quran and the message of Islam worldwide through official translations into 30 world languages. 'In all my travels around the world - to Peru, Brazil, France, Cambodia, and dozens of other countries in recent years - every time I visit, I bring the Quran along with a translation in that country's language, and we distribute it officially. This, I believe, is a good approach,' he said. This year's 65th MTHQA, running from Aug 2 to 9, 2025, features the theme 'Developing a MADANI Ummah' and brings together 71 participants from 49 countries. Malaysia is represented by four participants: Aiman Ridhwan Mohamad Ramlan from Perak and Wan Sofea Aini Wan Mohd Zahidi from Terengganu for the Recital category, while Muhammad Adib Ahmad Rozaini from Perak and Putri Auni Khadijah Mohd Hanif from Kelantan are in the Memorisation category. The winners of the two categories will receive RM40,000 in cash, the runners-up will get RM30,000, and third place will receive RM20,000, along with jewelry sponsored by the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM). — Bernamaa
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Kedah water agency raising tariffs, says to sustain water supply in state
ALOR SETAR, Aug 3 — Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada) is implementing a tariff adjustment through a review of the Tariff Setting Mechanism for all categories of users in Kedah, taking into account the company's operational expenditure (opex) and capital expenditure (capex). In a statement, Sada said the tariff adjustment came into effect on Friday and will be reflected in the September billing cycle. 'The tariff adjustment is a crucial requirement for the water operator to ensure long-term sustainability of the water supply in the state. It is also in line with Sada's ongoing efforts to improve service quality through the development of water infrastructure projects currently being actively implemented by the state government and Sada itself. 'Key focus areas include the replacement of old and deteriorated pipes, which are the main contributors to the non-revenue water (NRW) issue. To address water supply shortages, several new water treatment plant (WTP) projects are being developed, including the Pelubang WTP, Kodiang WTP Phase 1, Padang Saga WTP Phases 4 and 5, Sidam Kiri WTP Phase 1, Sungai Karangan WTP Phase 1, and the construction of a compact plant at Kulim Hi-Tech,' it said. Sada added that repair works for distribution systems and pump houses were also being actively carried out to address low water pressure issues in several areas. It said additional revenue from the tariff adjustment would be used to cover operating costs, repair and maintenance of existing systems, development of new, more sustainable and efficient water supply systems, improvements in service quality, including the company's capacity to respond to consumer complaints more swiftly, and to reduce the NRW rate in Kedah. 'The adjustment also considers the need to meet the company's operating costs for 2025, which are expected to increase by six per cent, covering key components such as electricity, wages, raw water charges, and chemicals used in the water treatment process,' it said. Sada stated that these rising costs exerted direct pressure on the company's operational capacity to deliver efficient, stable and quality water supply services to the people of Kedah. 'This tariff adjustment is seen as a strategic step to ensure the company's financial stability and to strengthen Sada's ability to continuously plan and implement service improvements,' it added. Overall, the impact of the tariff adjustment was described as reasonable and not burdensome. Sada said the adjustment had gone through a thorough review with the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and was being implemented in phases to avoid burdening users. According to the statement, the approach taken strikes a balance between user affordability and the need for the water operator to meet its operating expenses. 'Sada expresses its deep appreciation and gratitude for the support provided by all parties, especially the Federal Government, the State Government, SPAN, and consumers,' it added. — Bernama
