Hong Kong Ranks Among Top 10 Leading Future Cities Globally, Showcasing Its Status as an International Talent Hub
HONG KONGMay 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — City University of Hong Kong (CityU) released on May 19 the “Future City Index 2025” (hereafter “CityU FCI Index”), focusing on the long-term development capabilities of the world’s top 100 cities in fostering education, technology, talent, and finance. It is the world’s first report to assess future competitiveness based on a “city-tier” benchmark. Analyzing key indicators, Hong Kong ranks among the global top 10 “Leading Future Cities” and firmly holds a top-10 position in the categories of “Talent Hub,” “Connectivity Hub,” “City Resilience,” and “Future Orientation,” reflecting its strong competitiveness and strategic value on the international innovation stage.
CityU launches the “Future City Index 2025” for the first time. Mr. Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong SAR Government (fourth from left); Professor Frederick Ma Si-hang, Chairman of the CityU Council (fourth from right); Professor Lee Chun-sing, Acting President of CityU (third from left); Mr. Ren Jingxin, Director of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (second from left); Mr. Leung Tsz-ying, Legislative Council Member (second from right); along with Professor Michael Yang Meng-su, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of CityU (third from right); Professor Edwin Tsoi Chi-keung, Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Dean of CityU’s Academy of Innovation (first from left); and Professor Wang Xiaohui, Director of the Global Talent Mobility Data Centre at CityU’s Academy of Innovation (first from right), officiate at the launch ceremony.
The launch ceremony of the CityU FCI Index was officiated by Mr. Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government; Professor Frederick Ma Si-hang, Chairman of the CityU Council; and Professor Lee Chun-sing, Acting President of CityU. Mr. Ren Jingxin, Director of the HKSAR Government’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, and Mr. Leung Tsz-ying, Legislative Council Member, also attended the ceremony.
In his speech, Secretary Sun said: “Hong Kong possesses the unique advantage of ‘backing onto the motherland and connecting with the world.’ As the nation embarks on the first year of the ’15th Five-Year Plan,’ Hong Kong will continue to play its role as a ‘super connector and super value-adder,’ working with all sectors, especially higher education institutions, to consolidate its status as an international talent hub and drive Hong Kong to become a high ground for gathering international high-end talent. The CityU FCI Index provides a global perspective and forward-looking insights for Hong Kong’s future development, which is of great significance in enhancing Hong Kong’s urban competitiveness and strengthening its strategic position as a bridge connecting the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems of the mainland and the world.”
In his welcome address, Professor Ma stated that CityU fully supports the HKSAR Government’s efforts to promote the integrated development of “education, technology, talent, and finance” and is committed to enhancing the “Study in Hong Kong” brand to attract global talent. He said: “The CityU FCI Index aims to provide a quantitative benchmarking tool for policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and public institutions. It also offers a clear policy roadmap for Hong Kong in ‘government-industry-academia-research-investment’ collaboration, cultivating and attracting world-class talent, helping to build a global talent pipeline for Hong Kong, connect with world-class research resources and international capital markets, attract leading international tech enterprises, and promote the transformation of research outcomes.”
In his vote of thanks, Professor Lee noted: “CityU has successively launched the HK Tech 300 program and established the CityU Academy of Innovation, driving the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem with remarkable results. The CityU FCI Index released today is an effective tool that uses big data to assess the long-term development and capabilities of cities. It will further provide a solid foundation for the university to nurture more deep-tech talent and startups.”
The CityU FCI Index was researched and published by the Global Talent Mobility Data Centre at CityU’s Academy of Innovation. The report covers 100 cities worldwide and 39 key indicators, conducting comprehensive data analysis across six dimensions: “Talent Agglomeration,” “Research Output,” “Technological Innovation,” “Future Orientation,” “Global Connectivity,” and “City Resilience.”
This inaugural report reveals that the global top 10 “Leading Future Cities” are Beijing, Boston, Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and Singapore[1]. Meanwhile, only five cities globally—Beijing, Hong Kong, London, New York, and Paris[1]—rank in the top 10 across all four categories of “Talent Hub,” “Connectivity Hub,” “City Resilience,” and “Future Orientation,” demonstrating their core positions in global talent competitiveness.
Among these five cities, Hong Kong stands out in attracting, nurturing, and gathering innovative talent, and ranks first among major global bay area cities in international collaboration.
Facing the global pandemic impact, Hong Kong has demonstrated strong resilience and stress resistance. Over the past decade, data on researchers, research output, R&D investment, and deep-tech enterprises have all seen significant increases. In the past five years, Hong Kong has attracted over 25,000 researchers, and the number of leading researchers (including in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, and semiconductors) is 3.7 times that of ten years ago, reflecting Hong Kong’s strength as an international high-end talent hub, channeling global capital and research resources, and serving as an important bridge between mainland China and the international innovation ecosystem.
Professor Wang Xiaohui, Director of the Global Talent Mobility Data Centre at CityU’s Academy of Innovation, pointed out that local universities continue to cultivate research talent. Leveraging the vast and high-end talent pool of the mainland, along with core advantages such as international connectivity and strong adaptability, Hong Kong effectively drives the policy goal of “bringing in and going global,” serving as a strategic gateway for mainland talent and enterprises to “go overseas.”
The CityU FCI Index was developed by CityU and supported by organizations including Clarivate and the United Nations International Organization for Migration. Please click here for the full report (English only).
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[1]Listed in alphabetical order by city name. |