Witnessing the opening of the MTR Academy

Today, I attended the opening ceremony of the MTR Academy.

In this year’s Policy Address, I announced that the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) would establish the MTR Academy to train personnel in rail management and operation so as to raise the quality of local and regional rail services and support the further development of the local transport professional services. Under the Country's Belt and Road Initiative, there will be a large number of new railway projects in the Belt and Road countries, boosting the demand for rail construction and operation technologies. Hong Kong can continue to leverage its strengths and expand its overseas markets. We can also "go global" with Mainland enterprises by working together to export quality services in rail design, construction and operation.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and I very much support the MTRCL in establishing the Academy. Currently, the MTRCL offers about 7 000 classes in professional  and management training for 17 000 Hong Kong staff and international business partners every year. With the help of advanced facilities at home and abroad, the Academy will provide tailor-made training courses for railway management and professionals from Hong Kong, Asia and other parts of the world. It will also establish a railway operator platform to promote transnational and trans-regional exchanges and professional training; as well as conduct applied research in partnership with railway operators, universities and research institutes.

Over the past few months, the Academy has actively prepared different programmes, including industry training and the Advanced Diploma in Railway Engineering programme. The Advanced Diploma course was accredited by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications at Level 4 of the Qualifications Framework. I hope that the Academy will continue to provide various quality programmes to enhance the rail services and operations in Hong Kong and the rest of the world.

The MTRCL is one of Hong Kong’s international brand names. In recent years, the company has been building or operating railways in cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, London, Stockholm, Melbourne and Sydney. It also owns the rail service franchise of Crossrail in London. With 40 stations, this 118-kilometre rail line is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe. When it commences full operation in 2019 as planned, the MTRCL will be responsible for servicing the entire rail line and the management of 28 stations. These achievements are Hong Kong’s glory and Hong Kong’s pride.

November 10, 2016