Jockey Club to support construction of Life and Health Academic Research Building in Northern Metropolis with HK$3 billion donation from Charities Trust

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced that its Charities Trust has approved in principle a donation of HK$3 billion to support construction of a Life and Health Academic Research Building in the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT). This is in support of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and in alignment with the HKSAR’s First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. The initiative follows HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee’s 2026 Policy Address on 16 September, in which he announced the construction of an integrated teaching and scientific research building in the Northern Metropolis. The facility will focus on education, scientific exchange and the nurturing of research talent, while providing shared facilities for tertiary institutions.
 
The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of the Club, said, “2026 marks the commencement of the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan, while 2027 will see the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As a patriotic world-class horse sports organisation, as well as a charity institution deeply committed to our country and Hong Kong, the Club is honoured to work alongside the HKSAR Government to support the long-term development, prosperity and progress of Hong Kong as it advances from stability to greater prosperity and success.”

Located in the Hong Kong Park within the Hetao Co-Operation Zone, the Life and Health Academic Research Building will provide more than 30,000 square metres of gross floor space. As part of the NMUT, the building will serve as a catalyst to turn innovation in health into real-world solutions, providing an enabling environment to build capacity for talent that serves the community.

The building’s development aligns with both national and Hong Kong’s policy directions, especially in the context of the national 15th Five-Year Plan and the HKSAR Government’s ambition to advance the development of the Hong Kong Park in the Hetao Zone to create a global high-end talent hub.
 
The building’s construction is a reflection of the Club’s long-standing commitment to nurturing talent. By way of example, the JC STEM Lab initiative, launched in 2021, supports state-of-the-art laboratories that draw leading researchers, nurture STEM talent and translate scientific discoveries into solutions that provide societal impact. Building on this, the Club launched the JC STEM Early Career Research Fellowship for Translation and Application in 2024, providing promising early-career researchers with funding, capacity-building and industry exposure to turn innovative ideas into impactful real-world applications. Further, the Jockey Club One Health Tower at the City University of Hong Kong is advancing interdisciplinary education and research in veterinary medicine and life sciences. Together, these initiatives underscore the Club’s dedication – in collaboration with the HKSAR Government, academia and research institutions – to translating learning and innovation into tangible solutions that serve the community.

The Club’s support for the Life and Health Academic Research Building’s establishment, like all its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model, which enables the Club to generate economic and social value for the community through tax contributions, charitable donations and employment opportunities.