Press Release
Hong Kong Baptist University announces its intention to establish a new medical school
Thursday, 7 Novmber 2024
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is pleased to announce its intention to respond to the Government's call to bid for the establishment of a new medical school in Hong Kong.
Pioneering transdisciplinary education and research in Hong Kong as well as championing biomedical innovation and translation, HKBU is well-positioned to provide a new comprehensive and innovative medicine programme designed for students with a first degree, and nurture future-shaping medical professionals who are capable of tackling challenges brought by ageing population and other healthcare issues. Its all-rounded approach ensures that students receive a robust education, combining the latest in medical science and technology with practical, hands-on experience. The University will also elevate its quality and impactful biomedical research and innovation, further benefitting our society.
HKBU aims to set up a new medical school which will adopt innovative approaches to admission of students, recruitment of talents, curriculum and clinical training design, and funding model, ensuring that it will complement the existing medical schools in Hong Kong while maintaining a stable and sustainable financial foundation.
“We are excited about the opportunity to contribute to the expansion of medical education in our region,” said Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU. “HKBU, together with our global renowned partners, is more than ready to deliver the expertise and actualise the establishment of the new medical school. By benchmarking to high international standards and crafting a curriculum which nurtures and enriches professional competence and fitness to practice, our proposal will be recognised by local and international professional organisations”.
HKBU has rich experience in medical education and patient care through the offering of programmes by its well-established School of Chinese Medicine and operation of clinics. This extensive experience in clinical practice and patient management will be invaluable in the development and operation of the proposed medical school. Additionally, HKBU was selected by the Government as the contractor for the service deed of the first-ever Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong, The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong. This recognition affirms HKBU’s capability and dedication to providing comprehensive healthcare education and services.
Through its Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development which is funded by the InnoHK programme, HKBU has two drug candidates undergoing Phase I clinical trials: one allowed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) and the other one allowed by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). In addition, HKBU has received two orphan drug designations from the U.S. FDA. These achievements make HKBU one of the few universities in Hong Kong with drug candidates that have successfully entered the human-testing phase and been approved by both the U.S. FDA and the NMPA. We have also developed a fully automated multiplexing molecular detection platform for disease diagnosis which is funded by the Hong Kong Government’s Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme, and such platform has already been used by some of the medical laboratories. Our capability in drug discovery, medical device development, and their application further underscores our commitment to advancing medical science and developing innovative diagnoses and treatments.
HKBU welcomes the Government’s support to the establishment of the third medical school and intention to extend invitation of proposals to local universities interested in establishing the new medical school. The University has already submitted a letter of intent to the Co-chairmen of the Task Group on New Medical School (Task Group) set up by the Government expressing its interest in establishing the third medical school in Hong Kong. Composed of talented and prominent medical experts, the preparatory committee which has been formed by the University will work out a high quality and feasible proposal outlining the unique positioning and features of the new medical school for submission to the Task Group, ensuring that future generations of medical professionals are not only proficient clinicians, but also compassionate caregivers and ethical leaders. It will also echo with the National 14th Five-Year Plan which emphasises the equal importance of Western medicine and Chinese medicine and advocates for their better integration.
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