Chinese University of Hong Kong will bid for one of the first three sites in the Northern Metropolis University Town in Hung Shui Kiu, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Lo said, but warned that the government's staggered tendering process and high construction costs pose major challenges.

In an interview with Ming Pao published on Tuesday, Lo said the university town project would allow the city's eight publicly funded universities to expand their footprint and increase their impact on society.

"Our campus is currently relatively small, like a boutique hotel, and I believe this Northern Metropolis University Town has given us a rare opportunity to have some land to expand our footprint," he said.

He said Hong Kong universities enjoy strong international reputations and high rankings but are limited in size.

Lo said scale is important for universities to produce research that can "change the world", as campus size affects the number of researchers, which in turn affects patents and publications.

The university town would help break through the space constraint, he said.

He noted that the university had established an InnoHub for New Quality Industries in Qianhai, near Hung Shui Kiu, in March this year, and believed there would be synergy effects.

He said the university was considering collaboration with overseas institutions and industries in future at the Hung Shui Kiu university town, but could not reveal further details as it was competing with other universities.

However, Lo redicted that due to limited land, the university may prefer to set up research institutes rather than full campuses in the university town.

He also said the government's plan to tender the three campuses — in Hung Shui Kiu, San Tin and Ta Kwu Ling — at different times would make planning and collaboration among universities more difficult.

"The three plots are being rolled out in batches. For the first ones, you dare not not bid, because each time is an opportunity," he said.

On financing, Lo said CUHK would be prudent with possible future development at the Northern Metropolis.

He noted that while the government has earmarked HK$10 billion for loans to support campus development at the Northern Metropolis University Town, there is a cap on borrowing and construction costs are high.

He estimated that HK$10 billion would only be enough to build five buildings, and called on the government to increase funding.




Edited by Tony Sabine