Supporting Athletes

The HKSI recognises the importance of a whole-person approach to athlete development. It offers athletes educational and career planning services to cater to their different needs at various stages of their sporting careers.

Inaugurated in 2015, the Partnership School Programme (PSP) with the English Schools Foundation and Lam Tai Fai College provides a tailor-made curriculum to meet young athletes’ training and education needs, enabling them to train full-time while studying at senior secondary level. A class of 22 athletes graduated in the 2020/21 academic year, and among them, four were enrolled in tertiary institutions. In addition to this, eight athletes successfully joined the PSP for the 2021/22 academic year. As at 31 March 2022, a total of 41 athletes were studying under the programme.

In 2021/22, the HKSI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) in October 2021 to support full-time elite athletes to realise dual development in sports and academics. HKMU is the 12^th tertiary education institution engaged in a MOU with the HKSI for supporting athletes on their dual career pathways in their sporting life.

In February 2022, the University Grants Committee (UGC) launched the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme in the 2022/23 to 2024/25 triennium, with a commitment of HK$100 million, to facilitate the direct admission of elite athletes to UGC-funded universities recognising their elite sports performance and providing focused, multi-pronged and personalised learning support throughout their university journey. A total of 31 full-time athletes were admitted to higher diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate programmes in the 2021/22 academic year under the MOUs and the scheme.

The HKSI collaborates with tertiary institutions to support athletes in pursuing academic and sporting excellence concurrently.

The HKSI also provides general education and career planning services to athletes, such as tutorial support, continuing education subsidies, and scholarships for athletes who are enrolled in the PSP. As at 31 March 2022, 480 athletes received educational support.

The Government’s injection of HK$250 million into the Hong Kong Athletes Fund (HKAF) to strengthen support for athletes’ dual career development has enabled the education grant under the HKAF to be greatly enhanced. These enhancements include relaxing the eligibility threshold, expanding the scope of eligible study programmes, increasing the number of funded programmes and raising the grant ceiling. A new sports certificate grant has also been introduced to support interested athletes in pursuing sports-related certificates. Athletes may apply for grants to cover tuition fees as well as subsistence allowances. In 2021/22, HK$6.61 million of funding was approved to cover the tuition fees of 42 athletes up to the 2026/27 academic year. The recipients were:

In addition to educational support, the HKSI also helps elite athletes prepare for their career transition through the Elite Athletes Apprenticeship Programme. With enhanced support introduced in 2020/21, the programme not only enables elite athletes who plan to retire within two years to develop coaching skills and gain practical coaching experience, but also enriches their experience in administration, diversifying their post-athletic career options. The programme has benefited 34 athletes since its launch in 2008, and has been sponsored by the Western Harbour Tunnel Company since 2013.

The Elite Athletes Performance Recognition Scheme, set up in 2015 under the HKAF, has been enhanced effective from 2020/21 with a significant increase in grant levels, including an increase of 165% in the highest level of grant to recognise athletes’ achievements and provide greater retirement support, enabling them to pursue a second career after retiring from high-level sporting competitions. The scheme has benefited 60 athletes to date.

A series of workshops was organised for athletes to enhance their social and personal development.

A series of workshops was organised for athletes to enhance their social and personal development.

 

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Social & Personal Development

The HKSI has in place other tailor-made programmes that enable athletes to dedicate themselves to an elite training lifestyle in parallel with their social and personal development.

In 2021/22, 35 online workshops were organised for 410 Scholarship Athletes, offering them learning opportunities in areas such as communication, public speaking, team building and financial planning.

In 2021/22, a total of 469 elite athletes were accommodated at the Athlete Hostel, which provides a comfortable and professional environment for elite training and living.