Education Secretary Dr Choi Yuk-lin has argued against requiring every university degree to include a full-time internship year, after legislator Priscilla Leung Mei-fun asked whether students could use the fourth year of a four-year degree for workplace experience. The exchange took place in the Legislative Council on 4 November amid concerns about AI’s effects on jobs.
Dr Choi said universities should not design courses solely around labour-market vacancies or shortages, which can be difficult to predict. Responding to the idea of a compulsory internship year, she said it could squeeze classroom and research time, particularly in humanities and pure sciences, and limit universities’ ability to shape courses for different disciplines and students.
After Dr Choi’s response, Leung clarified that she was not seeking to make a full-time internship year compulsory. She said she was concerned that AI could reduce entry-level administrative jobs and that some internships might offer little learning.
Dr Choi said placements already feature in some courses, including in education, healthcare and social work, with requirements varying by subject. Some students must complete placements before graduating; in fields such as law, accountancy and engineering, work experience or an internship may instead be required after graduation to qualify for professional practice.