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AdvertisementChina & global engagement schemeHong KongEducationUGC fosters global environment for Hong Kong universities by providing students with national and international learning opportunitiesPaid Post:University Grants CommitteeReading Time:9 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAdvertising partnerPublished: 4:25pm, 10 Feb 2026[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]
In the past three years, the University Grants Committee (UGC) has been supporting public-funded universities to develop a more global learning environment for Hong Kong’s higher education. With an increase of over 30% since the 2023/24 academic year, non-local students in UGC-funded programmes have become far more culturally diversified in recent years as Hong Kong establishes itself as an international education hub. While many are from Chinese Mainland thanks to geographical proximity and enhanced mobility, those from the Belt and Road countries and regions, as well as the Association of..

UAE public school registration opens February 9 for 2026–27 academic year, Ministry of Education announces/Representative Image Parents planning to place their children in UAE public schools next academic year will have a fixed window to complete enrolment, as the Ministry of Education opens registration from 9 February to 6 March 2026. Officials said applications will be accepted only during this period, with no extensions planned.Who can apply
Registration is open to Emirati citizens and eligible students across the public school system. The ministry stressed that early registration allows schools to prepare properly for the year ahead, from classroom distribution and staffing to textbooks and transport services, helping ensure a smooth start from the first day of term.Admission ages for the 2026–27 intake
Applications will be processed in line with the updated age policy for entry levels:Kindergarten 1 (KG1): Children born between 1 January and 31 December 2022, aged fourKindergart..

Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, left, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend their visit to Peacehaven Mosque in Peacehaven, England, in Oct. 23, 2025. (Peter Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP) British prime ministers are rarely undone by what they say. More often, they are undone by what they fail to anticipate.Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure not because of any personal wrongdoing, but because of a political misjudgement that has landed at precisely the wrong moment: the decision to bring Peter Mandelson back into the heart of Labour’s power structure just as the Epstein Files resurfaced in public consciousness. Epstein STORM: Starmer ‘HIDES FACE’ As Files Name Personal Donor, Right-hand Man McSweeney Quits Starmer is not accused of misconduct, and Mandelson has consistently denied any impropriety. Yet British politics does not operate solely on legal thresholds. It operates on perception, timing and instinct. The renewed attention on Epstein has revived a broader unea..

AdvertisementAsia housing and propertyOpinionAsia OpinionNicholas SpiroThe View | Asian property markets’ supply constraints are a double-edged swordThe narrow pool of high-quality assets benefits landlords and affluent investors but poses a challenge to prospective buyers and renters
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPNicholas SpiroPublished: 4:31pm, 9 Feb 2026Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has her work cut out for her. Among the daunting challenges confronting her after winning a resounding victory in a parliamentary election on February 8, tackling the rising cost of living is at the top of her political to-do list.Mounting concerns about the dramatic rise in property prices in Tokyo and other large cities have proved fertile ground for scapegoating, with immigration figuring prominently in election campaigns.Last year, the average price of a new flat in the Tokyo metropolitan area rose 17 per cent to a record high, prolonging a period of almost uninterrupted growth..

AdvertisementIndiaThis Week in AsiaEconomicsWhy US tariff deal cannot sever India-Russia defence ties: ‘structural reality’While the pact demands a halt to Russian oil imports, analysts say New Delhi’s military dependence on Moscow is non-negotiable
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJunaid KathjuPublished: 4:30pm, 9 Feb 2026The United States’ latest trade deal with India may be linked to a freeze on discounted Russian oil purchases, but analysts say it is unlikely to upset New Delhi’s decades-old defence ties with Moscow.Announcing the agreement last week, US President Donald Trump said tariffs on India imports would be cut from 18 to 50 per cent, tying the reduction to India halting its intake of Russian crude.“India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Trump said in an executive order dated February 6, adding that Delhi had agreed to buy US energy products.
AdvertisementThe order noted that tariff relief was conditional on ending R..

UAE Green Visa vs UAE Golden Visa/Representative Image The UAE offers two long-term residency pathways for professionals, investors and entrepreneurs seeking stability without relying on traditional employer sponsorship. The Green Visa and the Golden Visa are designed for different profiles, with distinct eligibility rules, benefits and timelines. Knowing how they differ helps applicants choose the option that aligns with their career stage and long-term goals.What is UAE Green Visa
The Green Visa is a renewable five-year residence permit introduced to give skilled professionals, freelancers and investors greater independence in the UAE. It allows holders to sponsor themselves, removing the need for a UAE-based employer or national sponsor.The visa supports the country’s wider push to attract skilled talent, encourage entrepreneurship and strengthen the private sector. It is positioned as a mid-level long-term residency option, complementing other programmes aimed at high-value investo..

Source: UNESCO Our planet is more unpredictable and more fascinating than most of us imagine. Most countries have one dominant climate, which is maybe a hot desert or a wet rainforest. Australia breaks that rule completely. Travel a few hundred kilometres, and you could step from sun-baked dunes straight into dense, dripping forest. The country manages extremes like few others. From the parched interior to the lush northeast, Australia is a place of contrasts. Experts say its size, latitude, and unique weather systems make it possible. It’s not just a scenic quirk. It tells a story about geography, climate, and life adapting in extreme ways. For travellers, it feels like seeing two planets in one.How geography shapes Australia’s extreme landscapes
The country’s unusual geography is the main reason. A large central landmass sits under high-pressure zones. Rain can barely reach it. That’s why deserts dominate the interior. Meanwhile, moist winds blow in from the Pacific Ocean. They hit t..

AdvertisementChina economyOpinionChina OpinionJustin DiamondOpinion | How the US can actually benefit from China’s ‘overcapacity’China doesn’t have a problem with ‘overcapacity’; rather, the United States lacks an economic strategy that can generate abundance
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJustin DiamondPublished: 4:30pm, 8 Feb 2026Western media and policymakers enjoy wagging their fingers at China’s industrial “overcapacity”, which in reality is simply the ability to produce solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, steel and other goods more cheaply and efficiently than others can.
Yes, some industries are subsidised, but they also benefit immensely from rapid growth in technical know-how and economies of scale. China hasn’t really built too much; it’s just built too efficiently for the comfort of its competitors.The standard narrative is that China is building a Potemkin economy of ghost cities, churning out goods no one ordered and hoping that foreign consumers will ..

AdvertisementBritainWorldEuropeMandelson Epstein scandal: demands grow for ex-envoy to repay US$75,000 severanceGovernment allies urge ex-ambassador to return controversial UK taxpayer-funded buyout as probe into his Epstein connections deepens
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1dpaPublished: 4:19pm, 8 Feb 2026The former British ambassador to the United States and former government minister Peter Mandelson is facing demands to hand back the payoff he received after being sacked as US envoy.
The senior Labour Party figure was sacked over his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, but anger in Westminster has intensified after the latest release of documents which indicated he leaked information to his friend while he was a government minister.
Allies of Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the peer should give the taxpayer-funded handout back or donate it to a victims’ charity.
AdvertisementThe Foreign Office said a review had been launched “in light of further in..

UAE mandates English as the medium for advanced mathematics and science in private schools / image: @moeuae The UAE's educational landscape is undergoing a monumental transformation. Under a new federal decree, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has officially mandated that Advanced Mathematics and Science subjects must now be taught in English across private schools nationwide.This directive, taking full effect for the 2025–2026 academic year, marks a departure from traditional models where schools had more flexibility in their language of instruction. By standardizing English as the medium for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), the UAE aims to ensure that every student, regardless of their school’s curriculum, is equipped with the linguistic tools necessary to excel in international higher education and the global workforce.UAE’s new education policyThe UAE’s Ministry of Education has introduced a major new policy requiring that mathematics and science subjec..