Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has highlighted the University Town in the Northern Metropolis as a pivotal engine for regional development, emphasizing its role in shaping the education of an entire generation. He noted that the project, underpinned by the concept of lifelong learning, aims to elevate the overall quality of the population and serve as a vital measure for improving people's livelihoods.

Lee underscored the international strengths of Hong Kong's education sector, such as its five world's top 100 universities and a highly globalized faculty and curriculum, as key assets for attracting top-tier global talent. The establishment of the University Town in the Northern Metropolis is designed to solidify this advantage, offering a high-quality educational environment for professionals and their children, thereby driving the adoption and growth of innovation and technology as well as artificial intelligence.

Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan added that the government will move away from purely quantitative metrics, instead prioritizing research capabilities and industry collaboration as core criteria. He stated that institutions will be selected through a competitive bidding process, focusing on their ability to contribute to the region's positioning as an international innovation and technology hub.

Chan emphasized that universities entering the University Town must possess notable research strengths and establish deep partnerships with mainland or overseas enterprises. Drawing on international experience, this industry-academia model is expected to not only boost research standards but also attract large corporations to set up operations on campus perimeters, fostering a dynamic industrial cluster. Additionally, students involved in corporate research projects could gain direct employment opportunities, creating a seamless bridge between education and the workforce.