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Higher Ed Chats

March 18th, 2026

17 minutes

Hong Kong's Rise as an International Higher Education Hub

In this episode of Higher Ed Chats, we welcome Tina Villareal, Assistant Lecturer and Admissions and Outreach Manager at the University of Hong Kong's School of Future Media. A third-generation journalist with extensive experience across media consulting, content creation, and communications coaching, Tina brings a practitioner perspective to international student recruitment in one of Asia's most dynamic cities.

Our conversation explores Hong Kong's emergence as a premier education destination and HKU's strategic position within this landscape. Tina describes the School of Future Media's distinctive approach—combining cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence with traditional journalistic principles to prepare students for evolving media careers. The program maintains a balanced 50-50 split between local and non-local students, creating genuinely international learning environments with representation from mainland China, South Korea, Ethiopia, Turkey, Madagascar, Myanmar, Russia, and Serbia.

We examine what attracts international students to Hong Kong: the city's status as an international financial center, opportunities for Cantonese and Mandarin language immersion, the blend of Eastern and Western culture, and crucially, geographic proximity to home countries across Southeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area. Tina candidly discusses recruitment challenges—competing with prestigious US and UK universities while balancing mainland Chinese demand with broader geographic diversity goals.

The discussion reveals Hong Kong's particular appeal as a "midpoint" destination where students access world-class education without venturing too far from family, with short-haul flights enabling holiday visits. Looking ahead, she predicts a recruitment boom as more Southeast Asian students recognize Hong Kong's advantages for both education and career launching within Asia's dynamic economy.

Who’s in the episode?

Scott Miller_headshot
Scott Miller

Scott Miller is the host of Keystone Higher Ed Chats and the Executive Director of Keystone's international division, bringing over 11 years of EdTech experience to conversations about global education. 


After graduating from DePauw University, living and working in different cultures showed him that stepping outside your comfort zone doesn't just broaden your horizons; it reshapes them entirely. That belief in the transformative power of international experiences brought Scott to Keystone in 2010, where he's spent over a decade (and counting) helping higher education institutions reach students worldwide. 


On Keystone Higher Ed Chats, Scott speaks with thought-leaders in the industry about what he's most passionate about: how education changes lives, how cultural experiences broaden perspectives at any age, and how Keystone's mission—connecting students with their ideal higher education institution—makes those life-changing moments possible. 

Tina Villareal_Headshot
Tina Villareal
Tina Villareal is an Assistant Lecturer and Admissions & Outreach Manager at The University of Hong Kong’s School of Future Media. Tina has experience in media consulting, digital and print media, including editorial work, content creation and copyediting, newspaper design, and advertising. When not working, Tina enjoys consuming all things related to pop culture and volunteers as a mentor to the local, ethnically diverse community in Hong Kong. 

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