Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) said on Wednesday that it will invest over HK$7 billion in the next 25 years to develop its new medical school and train a new generation of doctors skilled in advanced technology.

This follows Executive Council approval for the university to establish the city’s third medical school.

At a news conference, President Nancy Ip said HKUST has very strong reserves, and that part of the funds will be used to build a HK$2 billion medical complex in Clear Water Bay.

She said the medical school will offer a four-year graduate-entry programme, and the university aims to admit its first cohort of 50 students with a background in biological sciences in 2028.

She said six clinical professors have already joined and 36 experienced academics have agreed to join the medical school. She added that the university will launch a global search for the medical school’s head and senior leadership.

Ip said advances like AI are transforming healthcare. As a university strong in technology, HKUST believes future doctors must master these tools and understand their limits to use them effectively in clinical practice.

She said HKUST’s medical school will complement Hong Kong’s two existing medical schools, adding that the university will begin preparing the curriculum for accreditation.

"We are extremely confident that going forward, starting from ground zero, actually it will be our advantage because in terms of drafting the curriculum, you know, we're doing it from scratch. We can shape it the way that we want. It will be easier to do it that way rather than to revise an existing traditional curriculum. I do think that we'll move very fast and we'll make rapid progress," she said.

In the long run, the medical school will relocate to a campus in Ngau Tam Mei once it is ready.

Ip said the Northern Metropolis campus will create synergy with the San Tin Technopole and University Town to drive development in the Greater Bay Area.