To enhance the international recognition of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), an HKEAA delegation participated in the 2025 European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference and Exhibition, held in Gothenburg, Sweden from 9 - 12 September 2025. A dedicated exhibition booth was set up to promote the HKDSE to tertiary institutions and academic organisations from over 100 countries/regions across the globe.

The HKEAA representatives discussed the latest developments and advantages of the HKDSE during the exhibition with delegates from Europe, including Sweden, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Norway and Romania; Belt and Road countries like Georgia and Turkey, as well as countries in Asia, like India and Thailand etc. The institution representatives had expressed interest in campus internationalisation and we took this opportunity to encourage the institutions to admit Hong Kong students directly based on their HKDSE results and provide relevant admission requirements, which will be made available on the HKEAA website for Hong Kong students’ reference soon.

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The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) held its annual Stakeholders’ Forum on 30 August 2025 at the Hung Hom Office and Examination Centre. The event brought together 25 representatives from school councils, professional bodies in the education sector, Parent-Teacher Associations, special educational needs (SEN) concern groups, and counselling bodies to engage in in-depth discussions on the latest developments in the HKDSE, various examinations and assessment services, as well as broader educational issues in Hong Kong.

The Forum was hosted by Prof Paul Lam Kwan-sing, the HKEAA Chairman, Prof Wei Xiang-dong, the Secretary General, along with three Directors of the Authority. They provided updates on the operations of the 2025 HKDSE, candidates’ results and performance, global assessment and learning initiatives and the Authority’s corporate development. The attendees acknowledged the achievements of the HKEAA over the past year in delivering quality assessment services and strengthening the global recognition of the HKDSE qualification. They also offered valuable suggestions to support the Authority’s long-term strategic planning.

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On 5 and 6 July 2025, the HKEAA participated in the 31st Hong Kong International Education and Careers Expo, organised by the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, to promote the HKDSE and its qualification recognition, along with a wide range of international and professional examinations suitable for young learners.

Prof Paul Lam Kwan-sing, the Authority’s Chairman, attended the opening ceremony of the Expo as one of the officiating guests. After the ceremony, Prof Lam and other officiating guests visited the HKEAA exhibition booth, which showcased comprehensive information on public examinations and assessment, and diverse pathways for further education.

Meanwhile, Prof Ricardo Mak, Director of Public Examinations of the Authority presented at a seminar during the Expo, to introduce the newest updates of HKDSE to the students and parents, including its global recognitions and the latest assessment arrangements for the 2026 HKDSE.

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The HKEAA has proactively extended the recognition of HKDSE qualifications in Europe. In March 2025, the Authority received an Irish delegation comprising representatives from seven higher education institutions, cultural organisations and the Irish International Education Center to share the latest developments of the HKDSE and its international recognition. In addition, demonstrations of the Onscreen Marking System (OSM) and the newly developed Digital Assessment System (DAS) were also arranged for the delegates.

Currently, over 1,000 non-local tertiary institutions have published their general admission requirements for candidates holding HKDSE qualification on the HKEAA’s international recognitional webpage and/or their official websites. In Ireland, the HKDSE is considered as equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate (Level 5 of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications, NFQ), allowing senior secondary graduates progress to higher education and training programmes or into employment. Please visit the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)’s website for details.

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Reference materials (Chinese version only except the seminar on HKDSE English Language) :

1. Seminar on HKDSE Core Subject – Chinese Language

2. Seminar on HKDSE Core Subject – English Language

3. Seminar on HKDSE Core Subject – Mathematics

4. Seminar on HKDSE Core Subject – Citizenship and Social Development

This year, the HKEAA held its Open Day at its Hung Hom Office and Examination Centre for the first time on 11 January. Nearly 500 students, parents and members of the public joined the event to gain an in-depth understanding of the latest developments and behind-the-scenes of public examinations through marking and grading seminars, hands-on Onscreen Marking (OSM) trial, participating in games and visiting the Information Centre.

For the first time, overseas education bodies and relevant Consulates-General of Austria, France, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom were invited to host an exhibition and seminars during the Open Day on further education pathways for HKDSE candidates. Read the blog article on DSE Express for details.

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Reference Materials (Chinese version only):

1. Seminar on Marking and Grading of Public Examinations