Hong Kong's third medical school on track for 2028 intake, task force says
A government task force says Hong Kong's third medical school, to be run by HKUST, is progressing well. The school aims to admit its first 50 students in the 2028/29 academic year, with key milestones including curriculum development, faculty recruitment and hospital partnerships.
A government task force overseeing the establishment of Hong Kong's third medical school said on 26 October that the project is making solid progress, with the first batch of 50 students expected to enrol in the 2028/29 academic year. The school, to be run by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), was approved by the Chief Executive-in-Council in November last year.
The Preparatory Working Group on the New Medical School, set up in October 2024, reported that three sub-groups formed in the first quarter of this year have held multiple meetings over the past months. These sub-groups focus on curriculum and faculty development, clinical teaching and research support, and finance and infrastructure. Government bureaux, departments and the Hospital Authority (HA) have been working closely with HKUST and expert advisers on all key aspects of the project.
On curriculum and staffing, HKUST appointed Professor Li Jingcun as the founding dean of its medical school in June and has since drawn up a faculty recruitment plan for 2026 to 2030. The university is accelerating the hiring of academic staff and prioritising clinical faculty for major departments. It has also proposed an overall structure and subject outline for a four-year second-degree medical programme, covering evidence-based and precision medicine, professionalism, ethics, quality and safety, technology and artificial intelligence. The curriculum will integrate basic science with early clinical learning and include primary care content and pre-clerkship preparation.
Under the support of the Clinical Teaching and Research Support Sub-Group, HKUST will use Kwun Tong Hospital as its main temporary teaching hospital. The HA and the university have established multi-level cooperation and communication mechanisms. The HA will support HKUST's teaching and research while ensuring the hospital's daily operations and public healthcare services.
Before the permanent campus in the Northern Metropolis is completed, HKUST will use a medical teaching and research complex on its Clear Water Bay campus as the main venue. The complex broke ground in April 2026 and is expected to be completed in 2028, in time to welcome the first cohort of students. The government is also working with HKUST and the HA on the integrated design and construction of the medical school campus and a comprehensive teaching and research hospital at the San Tin University Town.
The task force noted that the Medical Council of Hong Kong's accreditation of the HKUST medical programme is proceeding in an orderly manner, with an accreditation visit conducted in October. A memorandum of understanding between the government and HKUST, effective from September, covers financial arrangements, curriculum accreditation, clinical teaching, faculty recruitment and infrastructure. Secretary for Health Professor Lo Chung-mau said HKUST's efficient and pragmatic approach has yielded encouraging progress, with the government continuing full support to ensure the first students enrol on schedule.
