HKUST Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Medical Education and Research Complex

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) received support from the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) last year to establish the city’s third medical school, and the preparatory work is progressing steadily. HKUST today held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Medical Education and Research Complex, which will serve as the principal teaching and research base for the School of Medicine (SMED) during its initial phase. This complex will provide advanced facilities and resources for medical education and research, helping SMED to nurture more high-caliber medical and technology professionals for both Hong Kong and the nation.

The unveiling of the commemorative plaque for the complex was first officiated by The Hon. John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR and HKUST Chancellor; Mr. ZHOU Ji, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR (LOCPG); Mr. LI Yongsheng, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR (OCMFA); Prof. LO Chung-Mau, Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government; Dr. CHOI Yuk-Lin, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government; Prof. Harry SHUM, HKUST Council Chairman; and Prof. Nancy IP, HKUST President. They were subsequently joined by Dr. John CHAN Cho-Chak, HKUST Pro-Chancellor, and Dr. the Hon. Andrew LIAO Cheung-Sing, HKUST Court Chairman, to officiate the groundbreaking ceremony. Together with the attending guests, they witnessed a new milestone in the development of the HKUST SMED, marking the opening of a new chapter in the University’s medical education and research endeavors.

The Hon. John KC Lee remarked, "The National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in becoming an international hub for high-caliber talent. A new medical school will help turn that vision into reality, attracting and training top talent in healthcare and higher education. Equally important, the new medical school will ensure better quality, greater efficiency, and higher capacity in local healthcare and medical services. HKUST's medical school will develop differently from the two existing ones, creating synergy, driving innovation, generating multiplier effects, and raising the city’s medical-education capabilities. The Government’s goal is to ensure that the new medical school and its teaching hospital become a key pillar of Hong Kong's medical teaching and service system. The Government is backing this commitment with substantial resources. Today’s groundbreaking of the HKUST Medical Education and Research Complex is a tangible step forward. It will support the new medical school's phased development for years to come."

Prof. Harry Shum expressed the University's profound gratitude to the Central Government and the HKSAR Government for the trust that they have placed in HKUST to lead this vital endeavor for cultivating the next generation of medical professionals. He remarked, “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Medical Education and Research Complex is of historic significance. This purpose-built interim facility will be the place where our founding class of medical students begins their training in 2028. While it is a concrete first step, it also points the way forward – to a bigger vision in the University Town in the Northern Metropolis, where a permanent medical campus and a teaching hospital will rise in the years ahead. Working closely with the Government, HKUST aims to leverage its distinctive strengths and pursue complementary development alongside Hong Kong’s existing medical schools, collectively strengthening the city’s healthcare system, nurturing future‑ready medical talent, and advancing our city as a hub of medical innovation. Guided by the national 15th Five-Year Plan and the 'Healthy China' strategy, the University will continue to harness its strengths in research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to drive the high‑quality development of medical education and research.”

President Ip reiterated her heartfelt gratitude to the Central Government, the HKSAR Government, and various partners for their steadfast support, and emphasized that the University’s commitment to embracing new challenges in service of society is deeply rooted in HKUST’s founding vision. She said, “Thirty-five years ago, our Founding President envisioned Hong Kong's first research intensive university—one created not merely to transmit knowledge, but to create knowledge with tangible impact on society. That vision, grounded in courage, innovation, and a strong sense of responsibility, has shaped the University from its very beginning. Today, as we break ground on this Medical Education and Research Complex, we honor that legacy by embracing the same determined, can do spirit. The establishment of our School of Medicine signifies another ambitious chapter in the University’s history. This groundbreaking marks its physical and symbolic start. With state of the art teaching and research facilities, this Complex will welcome our first cohort of students and serve as a foundational base that fosters daily interaction and interdisciplinary collaboration, sparking innovation across disciplines.”

The eight-storey complex spanning a site area of approximately 6,000m2 equips with cutting-edge facilities that support technology-enabled teaching and learning. Key facilities include simulation and clinical skills center, teaching and research laboratories, team-based learning studios, classrooms, lecture theater, medical library, and a variety of communal and collaborative learning spaces. The foundation work was completed in mid-April, and the building is expected to be completed by mid-2028. Along with other on-campus facilities, including central research facilities that foster interdisciplinary research collaboration, will provide SMED faculty and students with a dynamic environment.

In the future, upon completion of the Ngau Tam Mei Development Area, SMED will relocate to its permanent campus there, adjacent to the planned integrated medical teaching and research hospital within Hong Kong’s strategic Northern Metropolis.  Looking forward, SMED will collaborate with the San Tin Technopole and the University Town to create synergies that support the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.