PolyU and Sun Yat-sen University collaborate to cultivate interdisciplinary medicine-engineering talent to support the long-term development of the healthcare system and to boost Hong Kong’s biomedical industry

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) yesterday to initiate education and research collaboration in interdisciplinary medicine and engineering. This partnership aims to jointly cultivate medical professionals, develop new programmes in medical technology, establish joint laboratories, facilitate academic and professional exchanges, and enhance collaborative research outcomes. By leveraging the strengths of both institutions, the collaboration will promote the novel development in interdisciplinary medicine and engineering, help to alleviate the pressures on Hong Kong’s healthcare system, elevate clinical medical research, and support the development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) into an international health and medical innovation hub.

The signing was witnessed by Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, and Prof. YANG Qinghua, Executive Vice President of SYSU. Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of PolyU, and Prof. KUANG Ming, Dean of Zhongshan School of Medicine of SYSU, signed the MOU on behalf of both parties.

The two institutions will focus on exploring educational and research collaboration in interdisciplinary medicine and engineering, including the integration of PolyU’s niche disciplines with the clinical medical expertise of the SYSU Zhongshan School of Medicine. Both institutions plan to jointly offer an eight-year (four plus four) dual bachelor’s degree programme in medicine and explore a dual degree professional doctorate programme in medicine and engineering. The initiative aims to cultivate students with expertise in medicine and engineering and to facilitate graduates in obtaining cross-border medical practice qualifications that are recognised in both Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Prof. Wing-tak Wong stated, “This collaboration is a significant step towards PolyU’s goal of establishing a medical school. As one of the world’s top 100 universities, PolyU boasts strong capabilities in health science and engineering. The Zhongshan School of Medicine at SYSU is renowned for its foundational and clinical medicine disciplines, recognised as ‘Double First-Class’ disciplines. Together, we can harness the advantages of ‘medicine-engineering integration’ to create synergies in cutting-edge research and clinical medicine, foster the integrated development of the medical and healthcare disciplines, nurture more clinical medical talents, and meet the high demand for quality healthcare services in Hong Kong and the GBA.”

Prof. Kuang Ming stated, “The Zhongshan School of Medicine of SYSU has maintained close ties with PolyU. Over the years, the Zhongshan School of Medicine has provided a high-quality teaching platform for cultivating top medical talent and offering strong academic support for medical services. PolyU has a long history in teaching and research of health science, training numerous allied healthcare professionals who are familiar with the operation of the public healthcare system and are well-positioned to extend medical training to medical students. With the development of artificial intelligence and robotics, there is an increasing demand in the GBA for medical talent with a ‘medicine-engineering integration’ background. This collaboration is expected to achieve complementary advantages, advance medical education and curriculum innovation, and address the long-term medical talent needs of the GBA.”

The current population of the GBA has reached 86 million, with an increase of over 440,000 permanent residents last year. The population of the Northern Metropolis will reach 2.5 million, which is one-third of Hong Kong’s total population. This highlights the urgent demand for high-quality medical services in Hong Kong and the GBA. Therefore, it is imperative to cultivate medical students with knowledge in both medical and engineering technologies. Additionally, the HKSAR Government hopes to leverage Hong Kong’s medical strengths to fully promote the development of the biomedicine and medical device industries, which will increase the demand for talent in clinical medical technology.

PolyU has a solid foundation and extensive experience in health science education and research, supported by world-class facilities. The University has submitted a proposal to the HKSAR Government for the establishment of a PolyU satellite campus in the Northern Metropolis with a medical school. We hope the new medical school will help ensure the quality and sustainability of future medical services.

Over the past 40 years, PolyU has nurtured over 50,000 allied healthcare professionals in various disciplines, including medical laboratory science, medical imaging, radiotherapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing, optometry, prosthetics and orthotics, and speech therapy, supporting the long-term development of the healthcare system. The University has established strong collaborative relationships with hospitals under the Hospital Authority, private hospitals, and other medical institutions. PolyU also excelled in various disciplines globally, including engineering, data science and AI, and nursing.

The collaboration between PolyU and SYSU is expected to leverage their strong capabilities in clinical medicine and engineering, further deepening clinical medical cooperation across the border. This will facilitate “medicine-engineering integration” and cultivate more interdisciplinary medicine-engineering talent for Hong Kong and the GBA.