Following the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students, Hong Kong and Ireland have announced initiatives to attract foreign students and academic talent, Middle East Eye via Reuters reported on May 26th.
Hong Kong’s Education Bureau issued a statement encouraging local universities to accommodate affected students, reaffirming the city’s position as a global education hub.
The bureau said it had got in touch with the Harvard Club of Hong Kong to provide support to Harvard-admitted students and was “monitor[ing] the needs of students whose studies have been affected by the shifting global education landscape.” The Trump administration’s move against Harvard comes amid broader efforts to clamp down on pro-Palestinian campus activity in the US.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused the university of fostering antisemitism and maintaining ties with the Communist Party of China.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) revocation means that Harvard can no longer admit foreign students, and current international students must go to another institution or lose their legal standing.
On May 23rd, a federal judge issued a short-term restraining order halting the ban. A hearing is scheduled for May 29th. Harvard has also filed a lawsuit to contest the decision.
The University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong decalred an open invitation to Harvard’s international student body. In a statement, it offered “unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support to facilitate a seamless transition.”
Approximately 7,000 international students were admitted to Harvard for the 2024–2025 academic year, accounting for approximately 27% of the total student admittance. Over half of all foreign students in the US come from Asia, including more than 277,000 students from China alone in the academic year of 2023 to 2024.
Separately, Ireland launched a programme aimed at attracting global academic talent, particularly early-career researchers and senior scholars. The initiative, led by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, in coordination with Research Ireland, is focused on sectors such as energy, healthcare, AI, cybersecurity, and semiconductors.
“In a time of uncertainty for the scientific community, Ireland remains firmly committed to investing in scientific excellence and upholding the core values of academic integrity and independence,” Lawless said.
Lawless emphasised Ireland’s offer of “stability, opportunity and excellence” for those seeking to continue their work outside the US.
A number of US universities have come under federal review and lost funding as part of the administration’s broader scrutiny of campus activism.
Middle East Eye via Reuters
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