Hong Kong education minister open to international version of DSE exams

Hong Kong’s education minister has said she is open to developing an international version of the city’s university entrance exams, but details such as the implementation of electronic testing still need to be discussed.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin told the Post in an exclusive interview that the decision to internationalise the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams could depend on the availability of resources and demand.

Choi said that she had adopted an open attitude towards the idea, which was supported by some lawmakers, and that the Education Bureau would consider it seriously.

“We would not simply internationalise our local DSE into an international version, just as GCSE has an IGCSE variant, but it takes time to develop such a version,” she said, referring to the UK-based General Certificate of Secondary Education exams.

“The biggest market for the DSE perhaps is for overseas students aiming to go to the mainland to study … currently over 100 mainland institutions recognise the DSE,” she added, noting that “internationalising” the DSE would align with national policy to attract foreign students.

Choi was referring to the 145 mainland Chinese higher education institutions that consider admission applications from Hong Kong students based on their DSE results, thereby exempting them from having to take the highly competitive Joint Entrance Examination for Universities, commonly known as the gaokao.

Earlier, lawmaker Dennis Lam Shun-chiu proposed establishing DSE exam centres outside Hong Kong to promote the assessment as an internationally recognised curriculum, similar to the International Baccalaureate (IB) and A-levels, by increasing the number of candidates and expanding its presence beyond Hong Kong.