​​The "Task Group on New Medical School" today met the three universities that have submitted proposals for the establishment of a third medical school.

Co-chaired by Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin, the discussions were focused on proposals from the Baptist University, the Polytechnic University and the University of Science & Technology.

Prof Lo said that during the exercise the task group’s expert advisers and representatives from various bureaus conducted fruitful exchanges with the university representatives on matters including strategic positioning, curriculum structure and assessment methodologies, and financial sustainability.

The task group also took the opportunity to better understand the preparatory work and resource plans underpinning each proposal. This includes collaboration models involving local and non-local partners, the allocation of resources for curriculum software and hardware, teaching manpower, and student recruitment and training.

Prof Lo added that the task group will increase speed and efficiency in the next phase, adopting a holistic and integrated approach to assessing the proposals, with a view to completing the assessments within the current year and recommending to the Government the option that best supports Hong Kong’s development into an international medical training, research and innovation hub.

Ms Choi highlighted that the 2024-2035 master plan for building China into a leading country in education strives to accelerate the development of world-class universities and advanced disciplines. To tie in with this important blueprint, she added, Hong Kong is preparing to establish a third medical school to further enhance its status as an international post-secondary education hub.

Strategically located in the Northern Metropolis University Town, the new medical school will have immense potential to foster synergy among academia, the research community and industry within the vicinity and the wider Greater Bay Area, Ms Choi added.     

The task group issued a letter of invitation on December 2 last year to all University Grants Committee-funded universities. The letter invited local universities interested in taking the new medical school project forward to submit proposals by March 17 this year. Three proposals were received by the deadline.