More than 40 leading mainland universities and secondary schools will participate in an exposition aimed at introducing education developments and opportunities in Beijing to Hong Kong.

Organized by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, the event encompasses 22 Beijing tertiary institutions - including the renowned Peking and Tsing Hua universities - and will be the largest exhibition of its kind held outside the Beijing municipality.

"This exhibition will promote educational exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Beijing, and help local students and teachers understand the city's education policies and programmes, along with relevant and useful information for all who wish to pursue studies in the Chinese capital," Deputy Director of the commission Xian Lianping told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

David Lui Wai-chung, the event's consultant in Hong Kong, said local interest in mainland universities and schools has increased significantly in recent years. But only about 7.5 per cent of Hong Kong student know about application procedures or the programmes on offer at these schools.

With an estimated 20,000 matriculated students not accepted into local universities each year, mainland tertiary institutions offer an additional alternative for the pursuit of higher education, he said.

(HK Edition 06/30/2004 page2)