The University of Hong Kong plans to establish an international campus, to be attended by thousands of students, at the city’s developing Northern Metropolis University Town, the university's President Zhang Xiang revealed on Friday, adding that the school will submit a proposal to the government within Q1 of this year.  

Speaking at a media spring reception on Friday, Zhang revealed the university's 2025 plans — including its vision for setting up a campus in the Northern Metropolis, a new development area near the city’s border with Shenzhen. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government aims to establish a university town in this area for national and international institutions to enhance cooperation and generate synergy through resource sharing.

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Zhang revealed that, in contrast to the university's main campus on Hong Kong Island, the international campus will collaborate with various leading international universities to co-offer a wide range of programs for thousands of students.

Zhang said he believes that, through collaborative efforts in developing the university town, Hong Kong and the HKU can be transformed into a global education and talent hub. He said the new campus could serve as a hub, attracting top international students to Hong Kong, and added that “brain power” is crucial for shaping the city's future. By nurturing a diverse talent pool, the education sector can become an “engine” for supporting Hong Kong's economy.

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He added that several physical spaces at the university’s main campus will be completed in 2025, providing accommodation for the growing student population, with the first phase of its Tech Landmark project set to be completed by late summer or fall. The cutting-edge project is intended to house 10 research institutes specializing in interdisciplinary studies and emerging fields like artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.  

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com