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.
MOUs Signed with Tertiary Institutions as of 2022/23
Elite Athletes Admitted to Tertiary Institutions in 2022/23 under MOUs or SALSA Scheme
Athletes Studying under PSP in 2022/23
Partnership School Athletes Admitted to Tertiary Institutions in 2022/23
Educational Support
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 17 athletes graduated in the 2021/22 academic year, of these, six were enrolled in tertiary institutions. In addition, 27 athletes successfully joined the PSP for the 2022/23 academic year. As at 31 March 2023, a total of 48 athletes were studying under the programme.
The HKSI renewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in November 2022 to further strengthen dual career development for elite athletes, empowering them to simultaneously pursue excellence in sport and university education. Fourteen full-time athletes were admitted to higher diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate programmes in the 2022/23 academic year under MOUs.
Launched in 2022 by the University Grants Committee (UGC), the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission (SALSA) Scheme facilitates the admission of elite athletes to UGC-funded universities in the 2022/23 to 2024/25 triennium and provides focused, multi-pronged and personalised learning support to the athletes. In 2022/23, 11 introduction sessions and campus visits were organised in collaboration with UGC-funded universities and self-financing tertiary institutions. A total of 49 full-time athletes were admitted to tertiary study in the 2022/23 academic year under the SALSA Scheme.
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 2023, 456 athletes received educational support.
The HKSAR 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 the tuition fees as well as subsistence allowances. In 2022/23, HK$7.03 million was approved to cover the tuition fees of 44 athletes up to the 2027/28 academic year. Of this amount, HK$6.94 million was approved as Education Grant for 38 athletes, and HK$0.09 million as Sports Certificate Grant for six athletes.
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*Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China
Sports Certificate Grant
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Vocational Development
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 38 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 75 athletes to date. In 2022/23, the scheme approved HK$10.68 million for 15 retired athletes. The recipients were:
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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 2022/23, 35 online or face-to-face workshops were organised for 439 Scholarship Athletes, offering them opportunities for skills and personal development in diverse areas such as financial planning, media handling, personal branding and team building.
During the year, a total of 476 elite athletes were accommodated at the Athlete Hostel, which provides a comfortable and professional environment for elite training and living.