Universities vying for the opportunity to establish Hong Kong's third medical school engage in discussions with city officials.
Fresh Take:
Hong Kong's med school race heats up as officials meet with contenders! The city's third medical school is on the horizon, with the Government's Task Group on New Medical School holding talks with rival universities Baptist University, Polytechnic University, and another yet-to-be-named institution.
The Task Group, led by Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau, has been busy grilling representatives from each university about their proposals. During these chats, discussed details included preparation work, resource plans, collaborations with domestic and foreign partners, and resource allocation.
Lo explained that the task group aims to streamline and speed up the assessment process, utilizing a comprehensive and integrated approach to evaluate proposals. By year-end, the team hopes to finish the assessments and make recommendations to the government.
Education Minister Christine Choi Yuk-lin chimed in, revealing the government's expectations for the new medical school to bolster Hong Kong's global competitiveness. Choi also highlighted the importance of collaborating with the Greater Bay Area, leveraging Hong Kong's strategic position within the Northern Metropolis University Town.
Here's a sneak peek into the competing universities' proposals:
- Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU): Partnered with Shanghai Industrial Investment (Holdings) Co Ltd and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co Ltd to boost translational medical research and clinical training. Emphasizing innovation-driven medical education, HKBU aims to tackle Hong Kong's aging population and link up with GBA hospital networks for diverse clinical exposure. Its proposal includes establishing a Frontier Translational Medical Research Institute for drug development and technology commercialization.
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU): Likely focusing on interdisciplinary medical training and AI/technology integration in healthcare, aligning with its existing strengths in rehabilitation and biomedical engineering. Details on specific partners remains unclear for now.
- Third University: Details are still under wraps, but proposals are expected to cover the Task Group's key parameters, including curriculum design, clinical resources, and funding models.
Stay tuned for updates as this competition heats up!
- The holistic education-and-self-development approach of the new medical school in Hong Kong, as proposed by the Government's Task Group, will incorporate assessments of science, technology, and health-focused collaborations with domestic and foreign partners.
- Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has pledged to adopt a holistic education model by partnering with Shanghai Industrial Investment (Holdings) Co Ltd and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co Ltd, with a focus on innovation-driven medical education, translational medical research, and clinical training.
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is anticipated to emphasize interdisciplinary education, incorporating AI and technology into healthcare, in line with its existing strengths in rehabilitation and biomedical engineering, as part of its proposal for the new medical school.
- The third university contender in the race for Hong Kong's third medical school is expected to assess and adopt a funding model, as well as develop curriculum and clinical resources, following the key parameters set out by the Task Group.
- By integrating education, research, and self-development, the proposed new medical schools aim to bolster Hong Kong's global competitiveness, particularly by forging collaborations with the Greater Bay Area and leveraging Hong Kong's strategic position within the Northern Metropolis University Town.
