With the support of the HKSAR Government, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has commenced preparations to establish a new medical school. Dedicated to training a new generation of tech-savvy doctors, the School will bolster the future readiness of the local healthcare system and advance Hong Kong's development as an international hub for medical training, research, and innovation.
Prof. Harry SHUM, HKUST Council Chairman, remarked, "The launch of preparations for Hong Kong's third medical school at HKUST represents a landmark milestone for the University. This initiative is essential to addressing the city's evolving healthcare needs and will significantly enhance the resilience and sustainable development of Hong Kong's healthcare system. HKUST expresses its deepest appreciation to the HKSAR Government's Task Group on New Medical School for its comprehensive assessment on the submitted proposal, and to the numerous experts, scholars, and community members who have provided unwavering support over the past two years."
Prof. Shum emphasized that HKUST eagerly anticipates collaborating closely with the medical schools of the University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. By sharing resources and leveraging complementary strengths, these partnerships will advance medical education and research across the city. He further highlighted the strong foundations established by Hong Kong Baptist University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Chinese medicine, allied health, and nursing, respectively, noting substantial opportunities for multifaceted cooperation to enrich and diversify Hong Kong's healthcare education ecosystem.
Prof. Nancy IP, HKUST President, reiterated her gratitude to the Chief Executive, the Secretary for Health, and the Secretary for Education for their steadfast support. "The HKSAR Government has shown a visionary foresight in establishing Hong Kong as an international hub for scientific research and medical education, actively supporting the national goal of building China into a leading country in education," she said. "HKUST is fully committed to aligning with the government's strategic plans, including the development of the Northern Metropolis. The new medical school represents a pivotal initiative that supports 'the 2024-2035 Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education.' It will advance Hong Kong's ambition to develop world-class universities and disciplines. Leveraging the Northern Metropolis University Town as a strategic platform, we aim to deepen industry-academia-research collaboration and cultivate more top-tier talent in healthcare and technology for the benefit of both Hong Kong and the nation."
"Scientific research is in the HKUST's DNA, and we place paramount importance on interdisciplinary education and research. The HKUST School of Medicine will be guided by the core principle of 'integrating engineering and medicine through research.' Through an interdisciplinary approach, we will enhance students' clinical competencies and technological proficiency, while instilling a deep commitment to professional ethics, empathy, and a patient-centered philosophy throughout the curriculum," stated Prof. Ip.
"We are dedicated to cultivating medical professionals who excel in clinical practice and possess a forward-looking vision for technological innovation, equipping them to address the increasingly complex healthcare challenges of the future. The School will also drive cutting-edge medical research, accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical applications. By balancing technological advancement with profound humanistic care, we will chart new courses for the future of healthcare in Hong Kong."
Prof. Ip stated that HKUST will adopt an innovative, strategically complementary positioning to the two existing medical schools in Hong Kong, thereby fully leveraging its institutional strengths. She highlighted HKUST's ranking as first in Hong Kong and 17th in the world in data science and artificial intelligence. She emphasized that the next generation of doctors must master the application of technology and AI-understanding of both its capabilities and limitations to deploy them effectively in clinical practice.
Prof. Ip further elaborated: "We are fully confident in our campus readiness, particularly with an inaugural cohort of just 50 students and a campus expansion plan already well underway. Curriculum development is also significantly advanced, having commenced at the earliest planning stages. Despite the ambitious timeline, we are confident that, with continued guidance from the government and the Task Group, all preparatory work will be completed on schedule.
The early response to faculty recruitment has been highly encouraging. Even before launching a formal global search, we have received expressions of interest from 36 senior medical professors based in the United States, Europe, Singapore, and Australia-many of whom maintain strong ties to Hong Kong.
We are equally optimistic about student recruitment. As one of Hong Kong's most international universities, HKUST is ideally positioned to attract outstanding local and international talent, thereby enriching the pipeline of healthcare professionals for the city. Our immediate next step is to sign a memorandum of understanding with the government, which will enable preparatory work to proceed at full speed."
Outlining the recruitment and curriculum plans for the new medical school, Prof. Ip announced that HKUST will initially offer a four-year graduate-entry Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program. The inaugural cohort will comprise around 50 local and non-local students. The program seeks applicants with a strong passion for medicine who hold a bachelor's degree in a science or healthcare-related field from a leading university in Hong Kong or overseas.
Global admissions will open by 2027 or earlier, with the first cohort commencing in the 2028/29 academic year or earlier. The curriculum, benchmarked against leading medical schools worldwide, is designed to address Hong Kong's primary healthcare needs while integrating rigorous medical research training. This ensures graduates possess the professional competencies and clinical skills required to meet the standards of practice of the Medical Council of Hong Kong.
HKUST is assembling a world-class, diverse, and highly accomplished faculty-spanning both clinical and non-clinical disciplines-for its new medical school. In parallel with a major global recruitment drive to attract leading international experts and top-tier talent for key leadership roles, including the founding dean. The University is also appointing honorary and adjunct faculty from its clinical service partners. These appointees will play a key role in shaping the medical school's strategic direction, curriculum design, and the development of its teaching and research initiatives.
Regarding resources, Prof. Shum expressed strong confidence in the University's fundraising capabilities. He stated, "We sincerely thank those who share the educational vision of HKUST School of Medicine and are prepared to contribute generously. HKUST has a solid financial foundation, being entirely debt-free and maintaining substantial fiscal reserves. To support the medical school's development, the University has made a firm long-term financial commitment, planning to invest approximately HK$7 billion over the next 25 years-an average of around HK$300 million annually. The HKSAR Government, through the University Grants Committee, will provide recurrent funding for the academic programs. It will also subsidize the construction of the medical school's campus in the Ngau Tam Mei New Development Area as part of the public works program and will equip the School with the necessary education and research facilities. This robust public-private partnership will ensure ample resources for both the establishment and the sustained operation of the medical school."
The HKUST School of Medicine will initially be located at the University's Clear Water Bay campus, where a dedicated medical research and teaching building will be constructed. Upon completion of the Ngau Tam Mei Development Area, the School will relocate to the University Town there, adjacent to the newly established smart hospital. Looking forward, the School will collaborate with the San Tin Technopole in the Northern Metropolis and the University Town to create synergies that support the development of the Greater Bay Area.
Ranked among the top institutions in the Times Higher Education's Most International Universities, HKUST benefits from its high degree of internationalization and an extensive global network, which will be instrumental in attracting outstanding medical teaching and research talent from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and overseas.
Capitalizing on its leadership in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, and robotics, the University is committed to establishing a medical school that integrates exceptional clinical expertise with technological innovation. It will nurture a new generation of doctors who embody high ethical standards, a patient-centered approach, and proficiency in applying advanced technologies to clinical practice-thereby revolutionizing healthcare services.
HKUST's robust translational research capabilities, bolstered by its dynamic innovation and technology ecosystem, will accelerate the translation of medical research from the laboratory to clinical application and commercialization. This approach is set to deliver significant breakthroughs in primary healthcare, precision medicine, and personalized healthcare.
Since announcing its intention to establish the city's third medical school in early 2024, HKUST has actively forged partnerships in clinical internships, curriculum design, talent development, academic exchanges, and joint research. To date, the University has signed agreements with about 40 renowned medical schools, institutions, and hospitals from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas. Hospital partners include The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University; Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine; Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital; and Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, among others. Medical school partners include Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, University of California, San Diego, Imperial College London, University College London, and King's College London, Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the University of Edinburgh.
