The Hong Kong Police College will introduce its first bachelor’s degree programme later this year, offering a total of around 120 places. The new “Bachelor of Policing (Honours) in Security and Criminal Investigation” is designed for serving junior police officers who do not yet hold a university degree.
The programme is an applied degree course that combines academic study with practical police work. Students will complete relevant subjects and then undertake internships at frontline uniformed and criminal investigation units in police districts, ensuring a balance between theory and practice. Those admitted will receive full sponsorship from the Force to complete their studies.
The course is structured in two stages: a junior-year entry and a senior-year entry. The junior-year intake will recruit about 80 officers with secondary school qualifications each year. After completing the junior stage and passing a selection process, they can progress to the senior-year programme. The senior-year intake will offer about 40 places annually and will also be open to serving police constables or sergeants who already hold an associate degree or higher diploma.
Graduates will be awarded a bachelor’s degree by the Police College and will be eligible to apply for master’s programmes at local or overseas institutions. Recruitment for the 2026-27 academic year will begin at the end of this year, with classes starting in March next year. The first cohort of senior-year entrants is expected to graduate by the end of 2029, while the first junior-year intake is projected to complete their studies by the end of 2030 at the earliest.
In addition to the degree programme, the Police College announced that the Hong Kong International Academy of Policing will be formally established on November 11. The academy will oversee more than 20 flagship projects, including specialised training courses and a policing leadership forum. The training courses will focus on strategic command and leadership, tactical applications, counter-terrorism and crisis management, criminal investigation and security operations, providing a platform for experience sharing and practical collaboration among law enforcement agencies. The leadership forum will invite policing leaders and experts from around the world to discuss emerging crime trends, smart policing, cross-boundary enforcement cooperation and corporate governance, aiming to build a dialogue platform with national perspective, Hong Kong characteristics and international influence.
The Police College successfully obtained accreditation from the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications in August this year, enabling it to offer the new degree programme.