Government sets up Task Group on New Medical School

     The Government announced today (October 17) the establishment of the Task Group on New Medical School responsible for devising the direction and parameters for a new medical school. The Task Group intends to extend invitation of proposals within this year to local universities interested in establishing the new medical school, so as to select a suitable university for setting up the third medical school.

     The Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address 2024 that the Government supports the establishment of the third medical school by a local university, with a view to nurturing more talented medical practitioners in support of the local healthcare system to provide quality service, while at the same time driving Hong Kong's development into an international medical training, research and innovation hub.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "The establishment of the third medical school is an important project in developing medical education in Hong Kong to drive the pursuit of excellence in medical teaching and research in Hong Kong. Echoing the plan to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, I hope that the new medical school could pursue an innovative strategic position complementarity with the two existing ones, in areas such as the medical curriculum, sources of students and research projects, with a view to promoting diversified development in local medical education and research as well as attracting more local, Mainland and overseas medical talent to take up teaching and research duties.

"We attach significant importance to the establishment of the new medical school. To that end, we have in particular invited seasoned local, Mainland and overseas academics for medical teaching and university management, professionals, the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and the Chairman of the Medical Council of Hong Kong, together with relevant Directors of Bureaux and Heads of Departments of the Government, to form the Task Group on New Medical School. The Task Group will holistically examine various factors when considering proposals submitted by universities, including the strategic position of the medical school, curriculum design, student recruitment arrangement, demand and supply of teaching and training manpower, facilities, and financial resources required. I sincerely look forward to working closely with all members of the Task Group to start a new chapter for medical education in Hong Kong. Our first target is to extend invitation of proposals within this year to local universities interested in setting up the new medical school."

The terms of reference of the Task Group on New Medical School are as follows:

To devise directions and parameters for the establishment of a new medical school with the aim of supporting the local healthcare system in providing quality medical services and fostering the development of Hong Kong as an international hub for medical training, research and innovation, and the criteria for assessing proposals for a new medical school from local universities.
To liaise with interested local universities, invite and assess proposals from them for a new medical school, to handle related matters (including but not limited to funding arrangements, programme accreditation, teaching hospital and research support), and to formulate recommendations on the establishment of a new medical school and related arrangements for decision by the Chief Executive in Council; and
To liaise with the university selected for the establishment of the new medical school on its implementation plan (including but not limited to funding arrangements, programme accreditation, teaching hospital and research support), and to provide facilitation on the interim and long-term arrangements for a designated school campus and teaching hospital in consultation with the relevant government bureaux/departments.

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The membership of the Task Group on New Medical School is as follows (see Annex for brief biographies of expert advisors of the Task Group):

Co-chairmen
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Secretary for Education
Secretary for Health

Alternate Co-Chairmen
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Permanent Secretary for Education / Under Secretary for Education
Permanent Secretary for Health / Under Secretary for Health

Expert Advisors
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Chairman of the Medical Council of Hong Kong
President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (or representative)
Professor Nivritti Gajanan Patil
Professor Joseph Sung Jao-yiu
Professor Zhao Yupei
Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung

Official Members
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Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands) (or representative)
Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (or representative)
Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee (or representative)
Director of Health (or representative)
Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (or representative)
Deputy Secretary for Education (1)
Deputy Secretary for Health 3
Commissioner for Primary Healthcare (or representative)