Bridging Borders, Building Talent
Nurturing talent through Belt and Road scholarships
The Belt and Road Initiative represents a profound, long-term national strategy aimed at fostering global development and promoting cultural connectivity. Within this grand national blueprint, Hong Kong plays a pivotal strategic role as an international education hub, tasked with building a diverse talent pool and facilitating cross-cultural exchanges for the Belt and Road countries and regions.
As the first university in Hong Kong to embrace this National Initiative, PolyU co-founded the “University Alliance of the Silk Road (UASR)” a decade ago. Today, the alliance comprises over 150 leading university members from 37 countries and regions. Through this extensive network, PolyU actively supports Hong Kong’s strategic responsibilities, capitalising on its unique advantages as a magnet for global talent to continuously deepen cross-regional academic exchanges and research collaborations.
These dedicated strategic initiatives have yielded remarkable results, directly reflected in the University's latest admissions figures. For the 2025/26 academic year, PolyU received over 2,000 undergraduate applications from Belt and Road countries and regions, representing a substantial year-on-year surge of over 63% from last year. Currently, 675 undergraduate students from 49 Belt and Road countries and regions study at PolyU, up more than 59% from last year.
While the University continues to expand its global reach, philanthropic support serves as the vital catalyst transforming these strategic visions into real-world impact. With generous support from Tan Siu Lin Foundation and China Merchants Foundation, PolyU has established the “Tan Siu Lin Foundation Belt-and-Road Entry Scholarship” and the “China Merchants Belt and Road Scholarship.” These scholarships provide essential backing for outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students, enabling them to embark on transformative academic journeys at PolyU while forging lifelong, cross-cultural connections.
These scholarships represent far more than financial assistance; they serve as a powerful springboard for students to step onto a grander global stage. For students from Belt and Road countries and regions, this vital support broadens horizons, facilitates deep academic exchange, and seamlessly bridges diverse geographies and cultures.
Sabrina, a first-year student from Vietnam, is determined, courageous, and deeply curious. Despite doubt, uncertainty, and financial concerns, she is now studying Hotel and Tourism Management at PolyU. Reflecting on the challenges she faced, she recalls: “My family was initially against my dream of studying abroad, as the financial burden was something we could not overlook. But when they learned that I had been admitted to PolyU and awarded the Belt and Road Scholarship funded by Tan Siu Lin Foundation, they were delighted.”
She added:
