PolyU proposes the establishment of a medical school and a large-scale teaching hotel in the Northern Metropolis to support the development of the medical, hotel and tourism industries in the Greater Bay Area

At a spring media luncheon today, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Council Chairman Dr LAM Tai-fai and President Prof. Jin-Guang TENG outlined the University’s latest developments, alongside other senior management team members, faculty/school deans and representatives. Themed “United and Progressive, Innovation for Strength”, these developments included an earlier proposal to the government for the establishment of a PolyU satellite campus in the Northern Metropolis, with a focus on fostering scientific research and innovation to address the needs of the Greater Bay Area and the Nation. Additionally, PolyU aims to establish a research powerhouse and large-scale research facilities to attract and nurture more innovation and technology (I&T) talents.

Dr Lam Tai-fai said, “2024 holds great significance for PolyU as it marks the 30th anniversary of our institution achieving university status. We are thrilled to organise a series of celebratory events under the theme ‘Powering Innovation: 30 Years and Beyond’, including the ‘PolyU Chinese Culture Festival’. The Festival aims to promote the rich traditions of Chinese culture, cultivate a deeper appreciation of Chinese heritage, and strengthen the sense of pride and belonging to the Nation among the younger generation, the PolyU community and wider society.”

PolyU proposed establishing a medical school and large teaching hotel with a convention and exhibition centre at the new campus to address the healthcare needs of the Greater Bay Area’s population and boost the region’s tourism, convention and exhibition industries. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “Once established, the Northern Metropolis is projected to have a population of 2.5 million, accounting for one-third of Hong Kong’s population, with an emerging need for medical services. With a long history of excellence, PolyU offers expertise across a wide spectrum of health technology disciplines, including rehabilitation science, medical laboratory science, radiography, nursing, optometry, and more. We hope to fully leverage our strengths in ‘medical and engineering integration’ and build on this solid foundation to advance the integrated development of medicine and health sciences.”

In addition, to meet the demand for talent and technology in the Artificial Intelligence era, PolyU also plans to establish its tenth school in the middle of this year, initially comprising three departments, including the Department of Applied Mathematics, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

The “PolyU Chinese Cultural Festival” will kick off in the middle of March, focusing on different art forms and themes including pottery lacquerware and embroidery, and inviting scholars, experts and artists to showcase the values and charm of Chinese culture through exhibitions, lectures and workshops.

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