Major progress in HK's third medical school: HKUST

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced on Wednesday that its third medical school had entered a new phase of development. Officials revealed that construction of the Medical Education and Research Complex, serving as the interim facility for the new institution at the Clear Water Bay campus, is progressing ahead of schedule.

The eight-story building reached its final height just over half a year after ground-breaking commenced. Dean King Li provided updates on faculty recruitment, citing successful hires for critical positions. He highlighted the goal of maintaining a 1:1 teacher-student ratio, with HKUST aiming to hire at least 100 professors by 2030.

Li emphasized that the ratio of local and overseas professors is expected to be balanced, intending to attract globally diverse faculty over time.

HKUST President, Professor Nancy Ip, clarified that the school is not poaching talent from other medical institutions, despite receiving numerous inquiries from both local and international candidates. She stressed that the university's interest in establishing the third medical school in Hong Kong was demonstrated before the selection process, garnering significant interest from potential faculty members.

Anskar Leung, a former vice-dean at the University of Hong Kong's medical faculty, joined HKUST as the Senior Associate Dean of Medicine. He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, stating it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and mentioned resigning from the University of Hong Kong about four months prior.

The university remains confident in meeting its target of admitting the first cohort of 50 students in the 2028/2029 academic year.