Task Group on New Medical School meets for second time with universities that submitted proposals (with photos)

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The Task Group on New Medical School met separately with the three universities that have submitted proposals for the establishment of the third medical school, namely Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, for the second time today (June 17) to have a focused exchange on the specific implementation plans of their proposals. Each university further presented to the Task Group its overall plan for implementing the new medical school proposal, including the curriculum content, clinical training for medical students, construction of teaching facilities, and funding arrangements, and responded to the suggestions and targeted questions raised by the Task Group after the first meeting. The Task Group will enhance speed and efficiency in expediting the assessment of the proposals, with a view to completing the assessments and providing a recommendation to the Government within this year.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "I am pleased to see that all the three universities have demonstrated a strong commitment to nurturing medical talent and developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, as well as responded positively to the key concerns raised by the Task Group, in particular, the quality of medical education and clinical training arrangements. As President Xi Jinping said, 'Health is the most important indicator of people's happiness.' The current-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strives to comprehensively deepen the reform of the healthcare system, and the new medical school will not only shoulder the mission of coping with the rapidly ageing population and the worsening shortage of healthcare manpower, but also collaborate and pursue complementary development with the two existing medical schools, with a view to contributing to the long-term enhancement of the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of Hong Kong's healthcare system."

The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said, "The establishment of the new medical school is not only a development project for an individual university, but also an important step in elevating Hong Kong's position as an international hub for medical education and innovation. The 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education newly released by our nation strives to accelerate the development of world-class universities and advanced disciplines. We expect the selected university to take on the important task of actively promoting curriculum innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and establishing closer ties with regional partners. In addition to facilitating the overall development of the university concerned, the new medical school will also be able to nurture more healthcare talent, raise academic standard and broaden the scope of medical education and research in Hong Kong."

Established in October last year, the Task Group comprises seasoned local, Mainland and overseas academics in medical education and university management, professionals, representatives from the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, as well as representatives from the relevant government bureaux and departments. It has already set the overall direction and parameters for establishing the new medical school. In December last year, the Task Group issued a letter of invitation to all University Grants Committee-funded universities to invite local universities interested in establishing the new medical school to submit proposals, and three proposals were received by the deadline. The Task Group's first round of meetings with each of the three universities that have submitted proposals was conducted on May 3 this year to have in-depth discussions on the proposals.

Ends/Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:12

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The Task Group on New Medical School, co-chaired by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (front row, centre), and the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (front row, right), meets separately with the three universities that have submitted proposals for the establishment of the third medical school for the second time today (June 17) to have a focused exchange on the specific implementation plans of their proposals. The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee (first row, left), also attended the meeting.

The Task Group on New Medical School, co-chaired by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (front row, fifth right), and the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (front row, fourth right), meets separately with the three universities that have submitted proposals for the establishment of the third medical school for the second time today (June 17) to have a focused exchange on the specific implementation plans of their proposals.