Chief Executive John Lee today attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the University of Science & Technology (UST) Medical Education & Research Complex, marking a milestone in the establishment of Hong Kong’s third medical school.

Joining Mr Lee were Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Zhou Ji, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong SAR Li Yongsheng, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau, and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin.

Located at the UST’s Clear Water Bay campus, the complex is a core facility of the new medical school. Scheduled for completion by mid-2028, it will admit its first cohort of students that same year and serve as an interim campus until the permanent facility in the Northern Metropolis is completed.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lee said the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong’s development as an international hub for high-calibre talent. He noted that the new medical school will help realise this vision by attracting and training top healthcare and education professionals, while enhancing the quality, efficiency and capacity of local healthcare services.

The Chief Executive added that the UST’s medical school will adopt a unique development model to create synergy with existing schools, drive innovation and boost the capabilities of the city’s scientific research and medical education.

Mr Lee stated that the new medical school and its teaching hospital will become a key pillar of Hong Kong’s medical teaching and service system, and that the Government is backing this commitment with substantial resources. He added that today’s groundbreaking is a tangible step forward, and it will support the new medical school’s phased development for years to come.

Prof Lo thanked the Medical Council of Hong Kong for swiftly establishing an accreditation committee to begin preparatory work. This will ensure the medical school’s new four-year graduate-entry programme meets the quality and standards of the city’s medical education.

Meanwhile, Ms Choi said the Government looks forward to the new medical school complementing the existing two medical schools to create a more comprehensive and diverse medical education ecosystem. She added that it will nurture outstanding medical talent with global vision, humanistic care and innovative thinking.

In November last year, the Chief Executive in Council approved the establishment of the third medical school and gave approval-in-principle for it to be established by the UST, with a target of admitting its first cohort of 50 students in the 2028-29 academic year.