PoD Research Institute

The Hong Kong Institute for Policy Studies officially released a research report entitled "Establishing a Professional Judge System Suitable for Hong Kong as a Talent Development Ladder for Judicial Personnel" to the judiciary and the public. The report proposes a core strategy of "targeted expansion and systematic training" to pave a new path for the sustainable development of Hong Kong's judicial talent pool. Currently, the judiciary's civil case processing timeline is largely up to standard, but the pressure on criminal case processing time is significant; for example, the waiting time for criminal cases in the District Court has reached 337 days. Therefore, reforms should precisely focus on strengthening criminal procedure and trial management capabilities. Addressing the bottlenecks of the traditional "practitioner-to-professional" model, which is limited by salary gaps in the private market and time lags in talent identification, the report recommends, while retaining the main channel of recruiting senior barristers and lawyers laterally, establishing supplementary pre-training and support pathways (such as judicial assistants and tribunal support) to systematically identify and cultivate outstanding legal talent at an early stage.

This report explores the significant development opportunities Hong Kong faces in the global low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite economy (LEO economy). LEO satellite ring

Hong Kong is at a critical juncture in its economic diversification, urgently needing to transform from traditional finance and tourism to a knowledge-based economy. Despite possessing a vast but underutilized asset of world-class universities, Hong Kong has missed opportunities in the estimated $10 trillion global education market due to a lack of a comprehensive city-level strategy. Drawing on international experience, by developing diverse models such as Transnational Education (TNE), Hong Kong can not only leverage its unique advantages—the "One Country, Two Systems" framework and its close ties with the mainland—to stimulate economic growth and create high-value jobs, but also significantly enhance its international reputation and soft power. Therefore, formulating and implementing a comprehensive education export strategy is crucial for Hong Kong's future prosperity.

The soundness of Hong Kong's urban infrastructure depends on efficient, transparent, and ethical construction and maintenance. However, allegations of bid-rigging and collusion have long plagued this sector, leading to increased costs.

This study aims to explore the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) development in Hong Kong and compare it with that of Singapore, Japan, and mainland China. Based on longitudinal data (2021–2025) and stakeholder interviews, the report assesses Hong Kong's performance across seven AI ecosystem elements and proposes corresponding policy directions to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in the next phase of AI development.

Against the backdrop of continued tensions in Sino-US trade relations and the US imposing a new round of tariffs on the world, the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute will officially release its first thematic research report, "Hong Kong Economic Health Report 2025," which will provide key analysis on Hong Kong's economic resilience and strategic path under the impact of tariffs.