PolyU plans to establish Hong Kong’s third medical school, fostering the development of Hong Kong into an international medical training, research and innovation hub

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) submitted a proposal to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for the establishment of Hong Kong’s third medical school, aiming to train more outstanding doctors to meet the healthcare needs of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). With strong research capabilities, a solid foundation, and extensive experience in healthcare education and training allied health professionals, PolyU is confident and well-positioned to support the initiative proposed in last year’s Policy Address to foster the development of Hong Kong into an international medical training, research and innovation hub.

Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President, along with Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost; Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; and Prof. HE Mingguang, Chair Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology and Global STEM Scholar, held a press conference today to share the latest developments regarding the University’s efforts to establish Hong Kong’s third medical school.

The proposal was prepared based on the 10 key parameters set out by the HKSAR Government’s Task Group on New Medical School, covering innovative strategic positioning, staffing, campus and teaching facilities, clinical exposure and learning resources, curriculum structure and assessment methodologies, student admission arrangements, funding arrangements, implementation plan, teaching and learning quality as well as research excellence.

PolyU expressed its heartfelt gratitude to its Expert Advisory Committee members for their significant contributions to the proposal, including:

• Prof. ZHONG Nanshan, Recipient of the Medal of the Republic; Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Director of the Guangzhou National Laboratory

• Prof. Barry MARSHALL, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine; Professor, Senior Honorary Research Fellow of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Marshall Centre, The University of Western Australia

• Dr York CHOW Yat Ngok, Former Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food / Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR Government; Former Hospital Chief Executive of Queen Mary Hospital

Dr Lam Tai-fai stated, “PolyU is committed to supporting the Government by contributing both financially and through dedicated efforts to develop the third medical school. We stand with the Government during challenging times and pledge to cover all financial expenses if needed before the medical school relocates to the UniTown in Ngau Tam Mei. Over the past half-century, PolyU has trained over 50,000 healthcare professionals, including nurses, physiotherapists, optometrists, radiologists and more, playing a pivotal role in the development of Hong Kong’s medical system. This has earned us the recognition and trust of both the public and the Government, who have full confidence in the University’s healthcare education. PolyU has a strong foundation in healthcare education, along with extensive experience and achievements in nurturing healthcare professionals. These outstanding accomplishments and advantages have been accumulated over many years, and there are no shortcuts to attaining them.”

Prof. Jin-Guang Teng stated, “PolyU has achieved remarkable success in medicine-engineering integration and AI-powered medical advancements. Among its recent technological breakthroughs are myopia control lenses, a prime example of successfully translating research outcomes into practical applications. With over 35 million units of lenses sold globally, the innovation has significantly improved the vision health of countless children worldwide. Another advancement is an AI-enabled self-testing retinal fundus camera, which can assess cardiovascular disease risk and screen for three common eye diseases. Other innovations include a 3D ultrasound imaging device for radiation-free assessment of scoliosis and portable equipment for the quantitative assessment of chronic liver diseases, such as fatty liver and liver fibrosis.”

PolyU plans to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree programme in medicine, targeting undergraduate degree holders. The first intake will admit 50 local and non-local students and will gradually increase the admission quota based on demand. Supported by a robust team of over 1,300 healthcare-related teaching and research staff and equipped with more than 90 specialised laboratories and research facilities, the University intends to invest more resources to enhance its existing health science education and research facilities and strengthen collaboration with the current network of hospitals in Hong Kong that provide clinical teaching, laying a solid foundation for establishing the medical school.

PolyU will also establish an “AI+ Academy”, with a focus on pioneering research in AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. PolyU is thus well-equipped to establish a medical school, leveraging its advantages in medicine-engineering integration to advance healthcare technology and meet the medical needs of Hong Kong and the GBA.

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