Hong Kong – Inaugural cohort of Master’s Degree in Public Policy Programme for senior civil servants graduated today (with photos)

     The inaugural cohort of the Master’s Degree in Public Policy Programme for senior civil servants of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government graduated today (July 3). They were awarded certificates at the graduation ceremony organised by the School of Government of Peking University. The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, and the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, witnessed the important moment of these civil servants of high potential in completion of their studies and expect them to better serve Hong Kong with what they have learned.
 
     Addressing the ceremony, Mrs Yeung said that civil servants are the backbone of the Government. As Hong Kong moves towards a new era of stability to prosperity, identifying and nurturing more governing talent who are patriotic and love Hong Kong, have good morals and integrity, and are competent and people oriented, together with an innovative spirit and an international perspective, is crucial for enhancing the Government’s governance capabilities and leading Hong Kong in addressing the current sophisticated international landscape and challenges.
 
     Mrs Yeung expressed her gratitude to the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HKMAO) for its strong support, and to Peking University for attaching great importance to this programme. Mrs Yeung said that through engaging in the year-long immersive learning in Beijing, participants have had in-depth exchanges with scholars, officials and the public, which have significantly deepened their understanding of the country and enriched their knowledge of the country’s politics and public administration. The insights gained from the development experiences on the Mainland also prompted the participants to thoughtfully reflect on what areas and experiences Hong Kong can learn from, and how to combine the strengths of both systems of the Mainland and Hong Kong to complement each other so that Hong Kong can move faster, gain more and contribute more to the country in its active integration into the overall national development. The knowledge gained and examples learned in respect of public administration also stimulated them to reflect on how to enhance the governance efficiency of the HKSAR when they return to work, align it more closely with public sentiment, and thereby gain the most for citizens.
 
     Mr Frederick Yu from the Administrative Officer Grade was one of the graduate representatives. At the ceremony, Mr Yu promised on behalf of all participants that they would support the HKSAR Government in enhancing governance capabilities through practice and actions, so as to respond actively to people’s aspirations, thereby showing their appreciation to the HKMAO, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) and Peking University for nurturing them.
 
     The Master’s Degree in Public Policy Programme is co-organised by the CSB and Peking University. The participants, who come from various professional fields, are civil servants recommended by their departments and have demonstrated leadership potential and outstanding performance. The programme covers four major areas, namely public administration and leadership skills, the country’s governance and Hong Kong affairs, global affairs and governance, as well as social studies and field work. The programme lasts for two years. Participants have to study full-time at Peking University for the first year. Participants will return to Hong Kong in the second year to complete their thesis and apply their learning to enhancing the governance of Hong Kong.
 
     Before the ceremony, the delegation led by Mrs Yeung met with the President of Peking University, Mr Gong Qihuang, to exchange views on the civil service training.
 
     Mrs Yeung said the CSB has long been co-operating well with Peking University. She thanked the teachers of the University for attaching strong importance and showing full support to civil service training of the HKSAR Government and organising various programmes with the Civil Service College to strengthen civil servants’ sense of national identity and deepen their understanding of the country to better support the development of the country and Hong Kong.
 
     After the ceremony, Mrs Yeung met and chatted with the graduates of the inaugural cohort and the HKSAR civil servants who are currently studying at Peking University to understand more about their learning experiences and reflections. She reminded them that civil servants have to shoulder the leadership responsibility in guiding their teams to proactively implement government policies and work together to achieve good governance for Hong Kong after completion of their studies.