The Hong Kong authorities have received proposals from 19 local higher education institutions on the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT), the city’s education chief said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Christine Choi Yuk-lin said the submissions differ in recommendations, operating models and development priorities, which the special administrative region government will review and incorporate into its planning process.
Top-tier universities from the Chinese mainland and overseas have also expressed interest in establishing a presence in NMUT, she said.
However, as the new education hub will primarily operate on a self-financing basis, institutions are required to submit detailed proposals to the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the university town.
According to the plan, NMUT will comprise three sites: in the Ngau Tam Mei New Development Area, in the New Territories North New Town, and in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area.
Answering legislators’ questions about the potential expansion of the Hung Shui Kiu site, the secretary for education said the SAR government is dynamically adjusting the size of the university town in line with actual circumstances.
On how many universities the project could accommodate, she stressed that the government is focused on industry-academia-research integration rather than the number of institutions, adding: “What we want to see is synergy.”
The NMUT has conducted study tours to the mainland, South Korea, Germany and other countries and regions to examine successful university town models. While the visits offered valuable reference points, each university town develops under distinct backgrounds, conditions and challenges, said Choi.
“The SAR will consider its own advantages and characteristics, adapt measures to local conditions, and integrate them into NMUT development plan,” she added.
She also outlined the different positioning and goals for the three sites.
The Hung Shui Kiu site will focus on applied higher education and cultivating international talent, while the Ngau Tam Mei site will host Hong Kong’s third medical school, providing a platform for life and health technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and microelectronics innovation. The New Territories North site will house the second campus of Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
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On concerns about resource allocation and supporting facilities, the secretary acknowledged that local universities have traditionally operated independent, dispersed campuses.
Given constraints on land resources, she said NMUT will adopt the “multi-institution shared facilities” model, which is already common in overseas university cities.
“The working group is conducting in-depth research on integrating shared facilities — including teaching buildings, laboratories, libraries, sports venues and student dormitories — into the planning framework,” she added.
