A renowned professor has described Hong Kong is an ideal gateway for connecting China with the rest of the world.

Speaking in Hong Kong, Venky Shankararaman, president of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE), said that as Asia's world city, Hong Kong possesses advantages in international connectivity, world-class infrastructure and rich cultural experiences, and is a "melting pot" of Eastern and Western cultures.

"It's open, internationalized environment makes it an ideal gateway connecting China with the world, providing unique fertile ground for cultivating international talent and fostering diverse innovation," he said during the 2026 Asia-Pacific Association for International Education Conference and Exhibition.

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The conference, which concluded on Friday, was hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) under the theme of "Asia-Pacific Partnerships for the Global Good". The event drew over 3,000 educational leaders, scholars and professionals from more than 70 countries and regions, a record high.

During the conference, the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government launched its "Study in Hong Kong" brand, which aims to convey the city's attributes as a top-tier study destination to students worldwide.

Hong Kong, a metropolis with a population of approximately 7.7 million, boasts five universities ranked among the world's top 100 — a concentration of world-class higher education institutions rarely seen globally.

Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, vice-chancellor and president of CUHK, said Hong Kong has become a vital international education hub, capable of showcasing its higher education strengths in facilities, research, talent cultivation, and scientific and technological innovation.

As one of the world's three most significant international education conferences, the APAIE Conference and Exhibition was previously hosted successfully by CUHK in 2013. In addition to showcasing Hong Kong as an international education hub, this year's event also aimed to chart a forward-looking blueprint for Asia-Pacific higher education cooperation.

Backed by the vast Chinese mainland market and with strong international connections, Hong Kong enjoys unique advantages in both basic and higher education, Lo said. Combined with the HKSAR government's proactive talent attraction policies, comprehensive study and employment schemes, and the city's social stability and safety, Lo added that Hong Kong is undoubtedly among the world's top study destinations.

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The "Youth Forum" emerged as one of the highlights of the conference, with international student representatives from eight countries and regions sharing their experiences of growth and transformation in Hong Kong.

Experts have noted that educational opportunities are deeply intertwined with macro trends, including regional economic integration, technological revolutions, demographic shifts and the evolution of global governance.

Lo said the driving forces of Asian economic growth are undergoing a fundamental shift, with mutual dependence, synergy from intra-regional trade, and investment increasingly becoming key engines, altering the previous singular reliance on exports to Western markets.

Lo added that the technological revolution led by artificial intelligence (AI) and the green energy transition, represented by the photovoltaic and electric vehicles industries, are becoming core factors reshaping Asia's economic resilience and defining future competitiveness.

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He said that emerging markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam are performing remarkably, and their substantial demand for higher education is expected to only increase.

"By deepening regional education cooperation, expanding teacher and student exchange networks, and jointly building research collaboration platforms, we can effectively promote the cross-border flow and optimal allocation of educational resources, achieving complementary advantages and synergistic development," said Shankararaman.

He added that while educational resources in the Asia-Pacific region are unevenly distributed, the region possesses prominent complementary advantages.

"This complementarity of differences will not only enhance the overall quality of education and innovation efficiency in the region, but also provide solid talent and intellectual support for addressing shared global challenges and promoting inclusive growth," Shankararaman said.