Colliers unveils strategic roadmap to position HK as global education hub

Colliers Hong Kong has released a strategic roadmap aimed at transforming the city into a world-class international education hub.

The publication of its latest report, “Building Hong Kong into an International Education Hub,” highlights critical infrastructure gaps, policy considerations, and outlines three major strategic initiatives to unlock investment potential and support Hong Kong’s ambition to attract students from secondary school to university levels.

Despite being home to five of the world’s top 100 universities, Hong Kong faces significant challenges, including a severe shortage of student accommodation, fragmented campus development, and limited boarding infrastructure for secondary students. Colliers projects a shortfall of 120,000 student beds by 2028, driven by rising demand from non-local students and constrained land supply.

The report also identifies several structural barriers, such as the city’s limited provision of boarding places—currently only 2,100 are offered across eight Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) and private schools, and only on a non-compulsory basis. This restricts access for younger international students. Other challenges include land and zoning constraints and a lack of available development space.

To unlock Hong Kong’s potential as an international education hub, Colliers proposes a focused three-part strategy that addresses infrastructure gaps, policy considerations, and investment opportunities.

First, Colliers calls for the urgent development of boarding school infrastructure to support non-local secondary students. “The government should establish a regulatory framework for boarding services and introduce land grants and planning concessions to encourage private investment,” said Thomas Chak, head of capital markets and investment services at Colliers Hong Kong. “Developers are also urged to build purpose-built boarding facilities near international schools and explore modular deployment for faster, cost-effective delivery.”

Furthermore, Colliers recommends adaptive reuse of underutilised commercial assets to meet rising demand for student housing and education space. Jason Kwong, head of land consultancy at Colliers Hong Kong said the “Hostels in the city Scheme” is a breakthrough policy that lowers regulatory thresholds and creates new opportunities for investors to revitalise assets in prime urban areas.

“Subject to application outcomes, the government may further consider expanding the scheme to cover redevelopment projects, and consider allowing industrial building sites to provide student accommodation through wholesale conversion or redevelopment, thereby increasing supply. Currently, investors should target en-bloc Grade B/C office buildings in urban areas, establish long-term leases with educational institutions, and design flexible spatial layouts to enhance usage efficiency.”

Last but not least, Colliers advocates prioritising Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen NDA as the anchor site for the Northern Metropolis University Town. “With infrastructure readiness and proximity to urban centres, it offers a faster path to market than other sites,” Kathy Lee, head of research and retail consultancy at Colliers Hong Kong, said.

“We recommend rezoning nearby industrial and logistics land for education use, adopting dynamic planning models, and integrating transport and campus development. Investors should focus on mixed-use education precincts that combine academic, residential, and innovation spaces, leveraging transit-oriented development to enhance accessibility and long-term value.”

“Hong Kong has the academic credentials, but lacks the ecosystem to support a full-spectrum education experience,” added Lee. “To position Hong Kong as a competitive education hub, there is a need to expand access to international secondary students through boarding infrastructure investment, accelerate the development of student housing through adaptive reuse of existing assets, with modernised policy frameworks, and to advance the University Town Vision with Hung Shui Kiu as anchor site.”

Take your brand to new heights with cutting-edge AI strategies, innovative technology, and data-powered experiences. Don’t miss Digital Marketing Asia 2025 in Hong Kong on 20-21 October, where 200+ marketing leaders will explore game-changing trends, proven successes, and bold ideas shaping the future.

Related articles:

Colliers names Cecilia Chan marketing director of valuation and advisory services
Colliers appoints director to strengthen ESG capabilities