Asia Institute for Political Economy (AIPE) summer academic programme at HKU

The School of Economics and Finance, in conjunction with The Fund for American Studies and Georgetown University in Washington D.C., offer a 3-week academic programme at the University of Hong Kong in summer term each year.

In 2008, students from around the world, including Hong Kong, China Mainland, Cambodia, Canada, India, Japan, Macau, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United States congregated in Hong Kong to participate in the Asia Institute for Political Economy summer academic programme to learn about the principles of free market economics and political concepts. Universities represented from abroad include, inter alia, Cornell University, Ferris University, Hanoi University of Technology, Indiana University, Kathmandu University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ming Chuan University, National Cheng Chi University, National Cheng Kung University, National Taiwan University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Oxford University, Pannasastra University of Cambodia, Preston University, Singapore Management University, Tamkang University, The Royal University of Phnom Penh, United States Coast Guard Academy, University of California, Berkeley, University of Columbo, University of Philippines, United States Military Academy and from the China Mainland – Fudan, Nanjing, Peking, Renmin, Shanghai Jiaotong, Sun Yat-Sen, Tsinghua and Zhejiang. For three weeks, 66 students lived and studied on campus, and engaged in discussions on global economic and trade issues with one another as well as with regional specialists, industry leaders, legislators and professors from the United States and Hong Kong. Topics ranged from the rule of law and the property rights infrastructure as the underpinnings of a free market system, the local and regional equity markets, to the factors underlying China's economic growth. Well-known and popular speakers included Mr. Bernard Chan, Mr. Joseph Yam, etc. Extracurricular activities were planned to promote both cross-cultural awareness and exchange.