HKBU plans Northern Metropolis expansion, seeks more non-local students
Baptist University plans to relocate and expand labs and research into the Northern Metropolis University Town, including biomedical and Chinese medicine facilities. It also aims to raise non-local student numbers to 50 per cent and expects its continuing education arm to gain registered college sta
Baptist University is preparing to relocate and expand into the Northern Metropolis University Town, bringing strengths in health, arts and technology to the hub, president Alexander Wai Ping-kong said. With biotechnology among the area's key focuses, the university plans to move some biomedical and Chinese medicine laboratories there, while sports tech, health tech and art tech research are expected to relocate to the San Tin University Town in the long run, he said.
For the Ta Kwu Ling University Town, which features an arts element, Wai said HKBU intends to bid for the first batch of sites, expected to be rolled out in 2028. On financing, he noted that debt issuance is under discussion for the relocation and upgrades related to Northern Metropolis projects.
Beyond that ambition, HKBU, its School of Continuing Education (SCE), and Beijing Normal-HKBU are expected to form a "triangular partnership" that creates synergies, Wai said, adding the alliance is expected to reach 40,000 students in the future. SCE's application to become a registered post-secondary college is anticipated to be approved within two months, and its proposal for a private university title could go to the Chief Executive-in-Council as soon as the first quarter next year. Private institutions enjoy flexibility to respond quickly to market demand, he noted.
To promote the government's "Study in Hong Kong" brand, Wai said the university hopes to lift the non-local student proportion from 35 per cent to the capped 50 per cent in the next two to three years. HKBU is also seeking top scholars under its four research clusters: Creative Media and Practice, Health and Drug Discovery, Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and Humanities and Cultures.
The university has brought in Nobel laureate Michael Houghton, who discovered the hepatitis C virus and is now working with HKBU on developing an HCV vaccine, Wai added.
Aligning education with the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong's development, HKBU – which incorporated the hospital's operator – is positioned to align its double-degree program in Chinese Medicine and Biomedical Science with the hospital's goal of standardizing and internationalizing Chinese medicine. As the hospital is equipped with modern diagnostic tools such as X-ray machines, HKBU will modify its program to teach students how to apply these in syndrome identification. The hospital aims to offer 23 disease-specific programs in total, and HKBU will explore courses allowing advanced studies in these specialties.
On art tech, Wai pointed to the Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, which opened last year and has done music work for the Chinese war film Against All Odds. He hoped working with artists there will give students more opportunities to interact with the industry.