The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is exploring the possibility of expanding its campus by applying for land in the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT), president Zhang Xiang said during a media luncheon on Wednesday.
His remark follows the government plan to roll out three sites in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area for universities to develop new campuses. Zhang highlighted that HKU's student population has surged by 20 percent over the past five years, intensifying the need for additional space.
Cherry Tse Ling Kit-ching, executive vice-president (Administration and Finance), said HKU has already carried out internal consultations regarding the plan. She noted that government loans would likely come with interest payments, and depending on the scale of the NMUT campus, the university may consider issuing a bond to finance the development.
Wallace Lau Chak-sing, Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, added that planning for the faculty’s new teaching building remains ongoing, partly due to the redevelopment of Queen Mary Hospital and the planning of the MTR South Island Line (West). He said discussions with the government are underway to expedite the mid-term project, with plans to convert the former Caritas Wu Cheng-Chung College building in Pok Fu Lam into medical teaching facilities.
