Hong Kong’s eight public universities have received about 850 transfer inquiries related to “sudden policy changes” affecting overseas higher education amid the Trump administration’s hostile stance towards foreign enrolments, according to the government.

Authorities revealed the number of inquiries submitted so far following a meeting between university heads and the government’s Committee on Education, Technology and Talents on Thursday.

Last month, the United States said that international students at Harvard University must either transfer or leave the country. Some Hong Kong students looking to study at US universities earlier also failed to secure visa appointments with the country’s local consulate.

During the meeting, Chief Secretary and committee chairman Eric Chan Kwok-ki expressed gratitude to the heads of the eight public universities for helping affected students.

“Chan thanked the University Grant Committee-funded universities for providing comprehensive support measures to affected students in a holistic approach, as well as seizing the opportunity to attract more top talent to pursue their studies in Hong Kong to give full play to Hong Kong’s role as an international post-secondary education hub,” a government statement said.

“The government will also do its utmost to provide assistance and convenience for overseas talent interested in studying or conducting research in Hong Kong’s higher education institutions, including striving to further expand the non-local student quota based on actual needs.”