PolyU and MCMIA co-organise university-industry collaboration forum to drive Chinese medicine innovation in the GBA

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) co-organised the “University-Industry Collaboration on Chinese Medicine Innovation Forum”, bringing together over a hundred academic and industry leaders from the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to share insights on how to promote the development of Chinese medicine (CM) under the latest national plan and policies.

Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, said, “The HKSAR Government has always been supporting the research and development of Chinese medicine. The additional funding added to the Chinese Medicine Development Fund in the 2023-24 Budget and the expected opening of the first Chinese medicine hospital in the year 2025 will promote CM as an increasingly integral part in Hong Kong’s healthcare system. Furthermore, the GBA’s development brings invaluable opportunities for the local CM industry. The Government, industry and academics shall work closely to seize these opportunities and develop a long-term plan for improving the ecosystem of the local industry.”

Mr Harry Kwok Chun YEUNG, Chairman of the MCMIA Foundation, shared insights on talent nurturing initiatives for Chinese medicine innovation, explaining how the industry renders support to outstanding talents who want to pursue research in CM. Mr Yeung emphasised that innovative CM research is vital for the industry’s development and he thanked the Vincent and Lily Woo Foundation for establishing a fellowship scheme to nurture young talents in the GBA.

The forum explored how stakeholders including governments and research institutions in Hong Kong, Macao, and Mainland China could deepen collaboration to promote CM development and grasp the research and business opportunities in the GBA. Topics discussed included university-industry collaboration on Chinese medicine development in the GBA, talent nurturing initiatives for Chinese medicine innovation, and universities’ initiatives in CM innovation. Moderated by Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences and Co-director of the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) of PolyU, the panel discussion presented long-term measures to drive CM innovation in Hong Kong from business, technology and policy perspectives. These recommendations will be submitted to the Government during the 2023 Policy Address public consultation. Other experts shared their insights on CM innovations at the forum and discussed how universities in the region can integrate the advantages of artificial intelligence and other advanced technology into CM research, and explored interdisciplinary collaboration among institutions in the field of CM.

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About the Co-organisers

The Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) was established under the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) in October 2021. Led by Prof. Man-sau WONG, Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Director of RCMI of PolyU, the Centre aims to foster interdisciplinary and translational research for developing novel drugs, new treatment protocols and programmes based on CM practices for application in clinical settings or the community, thereby bringing CM innovations into clinical practice and informing relevant policy.

The Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) was founded in 2022 as a university-level interdisciplinary policy research centre. Led by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Director of PReCIT, and Prof. Eric Chui, Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences and Co-Director of PReCIT of PolyU, the Centre aims to support Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T) development in the GBA via interdisciplinary collaborative research including but not limited to carbon-neutral cities, I&T development in the GBA, and the Belt and Road Initiative’s development in Southeast Asia.

The Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) was established in 2000 as a non-profit trade organisation by a group of Chinese medicine (CM) business professionals, scientists and academics. It is currently under the chairmanship of Mr Lawrence LO. The goal of the association is to foster Hong Kong as an international centre of CM through its modernisation, popularisation and the enhancement of the professionalism of the CM industry.