The Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute – a world-class international partnership for vaccine development in support of local, regional and global health through pandemic preparedness

Five years ago the world was swept by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a powerful reminder that vaccine development, and the fast and efficient delivery of vaccines, is a vital global necessity. For the truth is that no one is safe until everyone is.

This is the mission of the The Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute, which officially commenced operations this month. An international collaboration between world-leading experts from the University of Hong Kong, the University of Cambridge and the International Vaccine Institute, it is being funded with a HK$563 million donation from the Club’s Charities Trust.

Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Dr Henry Chan said the institute will synergise with the Club’s support for the HKSAR Government’s epidemic preparedness measures, building on the work of the Centre for Health Protection, which was established with Club funding following SARS.

The institute’s major areas of work include epidemiology and pandemic preparedness; health economics and modelling; vaccine process development; vaccine platform development; immunology; capacity building, training and global partnerships. Its work aligns with the National 14th Five-Year Plan to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub, specifically in biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals.

The Club’s support for The Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.