A university in Hong Kong that is establishing the city’s third medical school has broken ground for an interim teaching and research complex, which will be completed in mid-2028 to welcome the first batch of students.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) president Nancy Ip Yuk-yu also revealed on Tuesday that the institution had hired seven clinical professors for the new school, with many others from overseas expressing interest in joining the team.

The first intake of 50 students will attend classes at the eight-storey complex at HKUST’s Clear Water Bay campus before the government-proposed Ngau Tam Mei site in the Northern Metropolis becomes available in 2034.

Officiating the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who is also the university’s chancellor, emphasised the third medical school’s strategic role in aligning Hong Kong with the country’s development strategy.

“The national 15th five-year plan supports Hong Kong in becoming an international hub for high-calibre talent. A new medical school will help turn that vision into reality, attracting and training top talent in healthcare and higher education,” he said.

“It will also contribute to a healthy China – one of the five-year plan’s key focuses – by deepening collaboration with the Chinese mainland.”