Hong Kong's goal of becoming an international higher education hub certainly looks realistic, thanks to its high-performing universities, world-class research, and attractive lifestyle.

The home of both the highest-ranked Asian university in the QS World University Rankings (Hong Kong University at 23) and the number one university in the 2012 QS University Rankings: Asia (the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Hong Kong is truly an higher educational powerhouse.

The quality by no means ends with this illustrious pair either. Indeed, Hong Kong boasts no fewer than six universities in the top 300 of the 2012/13 QS World University Rankings, four of which are in the top 100. Not too shabby for a city state of seven million people.