Hong Kong can expect better healthcare services as the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) medical education and research complex moves into construction, said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.
He made the remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility this morning — the city's third medical school since the government gave its approval last November.
Expressing confidence in HKUST, Lee said he was delighted to witness Hong Kong's third medical school now taking shape, as well as attracting and training top talent while contributing to "Healthy China," one of the Five-Year Plan's key goals.
Beyond delivering better quality, greater efficiency, and higher capacity in the city's healthcare and medical services, Lee added that the new medical school will strengthen local doctor training, easing the manpower shortage, as well as addressing the challenges of an aging population.
Meanwhile, three working groups, with members coming from government departments and experts, will guide HKUST through curriculum planning and financing, he said.
Apart from matching funds, Lee indicated land at Ngau Tam Mei in the Northern Metropolis has been reserved for the medical school's permanent campus and an integrated hospital for medical education, research and patient care.
Speaking at the ceremony, HKUST president Nancy Ip Yuk-yu revealed the eight-story complex will span 6,000 square meters and is slated for completion by mid-2028.
Notably, the facility will house a clinical training center and research labs, where seven clinical professors from the US, Europe, and Australia have already been hired, and a dean of medicine is expected to be named soon.
“We will not poach from Hong Kong’s two existing medical schools,” Ip stressed.
Ip also highlighted the potential collaboration with the two medical schools, suggesting HKUST's first batch of students may take electives there, while their students can enroll in HKUST's AI courses.
However, she said the discussion is ongoing, believing more talents could be cultivated if schools unite.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
