IANG Policy Disputes and Their Impacts on GBA Cooperation in Education

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area

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The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is among the most vibrant and innovative academic areas. The Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) policy improves the education system in GBA, which mainly attracts top science and technology talents globally and fills a skills shortage in GBA. Besides, the policy narrows skill gaps in GBA while making universities more competitive globally. The IANG Policy covers political, economic, and educational aspects consistent with the "one country, two systems" principle intended to attract non-local graduates into the knowledge economy of this part of the world; however, this approach raises concerns about equity, socioeconomic implications, balancing global exposure versus nurturing local talents. This paper will focus on Hong Kong-originating IANG Policy disputes and their impacts on GBA cooperation in education. Therefore, this research would offer additional information about such policy that will enable a more profound understanding of its future directions and possible improvements that may need development. Appraising the IANG Policy in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area would determine its socioeconomic and educational effects since it promotes regional development and academic globalization. This critical analysis proposes practical policy measures aligning IANG with GBA requirements to meet inclusive needs for an inclusive, harmonious, globally competitive education environment.  

Policy Reasoning and Agenda Setting

It is vital to consider some issues, including the origin, driving force, and direction of the IANG policy. Various economic, demographic, and educational factors influenced this policy, so it was adopted to attract and retain international talents who would help foster the region's knowledge economy. They made GBA a place where graduates from other countries could get jobs. This policy has undergone implementation to bridge the gap between non-local graduates and opportunities available in GBA labor markets and encourage innovations. The strategy aims to enable GBA to have industrial development that supports economic growth through a competitive workforce.[1] Another purpose of drafting this policy was to improve the global competitiveness of GBA Universities. Diversifying academic environments and improving the international ranking of schools from GBA are vital as they will facilitate intercultural interactions.[2] Therefore, this policy encourages non-local graduates. Arguably, universities worldwide see internationalization as enriching their academic programs while developing research partnerships. However, it is illogical for the policy to focus on non-GBC students at the expense of Hong Kong students who also learn locally. For instance, if the country does not prioritize local graduates over foreign counterparts, it may lose talented individuals due to the migration of brains. These issues bring concerns about balancing global reach against domestic talent development.[3]

Political, economic, and educational factors led to the creation of the IANG Policy. Politically, it achieves closer Hong Kong- People's Republic of China (HK-PRC) relations consistent with the "one country, two systems."[4] From another angle, due to a GBA collaboration, it becomes a more coherent economic and social entity or nation. Economically speaking, it supports GBA's aspiration of becoming a global hub for innovation and technology. In addition, the region expects to attract non-local graduates who will bring in new ideas and approaches; thus, there is a need to innovate and grow the economy. On the other hand, educationally, the IANG Policy aims at turning GBA universities into international student destinations.[5] To this end, new university programs are evident, and much collaboration has occurred across borders. Such shows how GBA institutions adopt strategic visions to improve their academic profile and research capacities.[6] Nevertheless, agenda-setting has been extremely difficult. Also, multiple stakeholders who have engaged in several rounds of negotiations have considered many different interests. Universities' role in implementing the policy was also debated, including the distribution of funds and its effect on the structures of academics. This is one way through which it is evident that harmonizing numerous GBA priorities is challenging, as are continuous arguments and adjustments.

Outcomes and Dilemmas

It is crucial to thoroughly analyze its effectiveness concerning non-local graduates, education, and local background before judging the unfolding IANG Policy in GBA. The IANG policy opens the GBA job market for non-local graduates, especially from science and technology disciplines.[7] In response to GBA's rising internationalization efforts, its workforce has grown more diverse with various skills and perspectives.[8] This is a matter of critical thinking since it can hide issues such as excluding local graduates by chance or developing a two-tier labor market that favors non-locals. On top of that, this policy makes GBA universities accommodate more students