Hong Kong’s government has unveiled plans to create a new university cluster in its flagship Northern Metropolis development, making three sites available for new campuses.

Financial secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has set aside HK$10 billion (£1 billion) in loans to finance new developments north of the city’s existing academic hubs.

Giving his 2026-27 budget speech on 25 February, he said universities will be encouraged to apply to develop campuses on sites in Hung Shui Kiu and the Ha Tsuen New Development Area.

The announcement signals a potential shift in the geography of Hong Kong’s higher education system, but the budget does not specify whether institutions are expected to open additional campuses, relocate existing operations or develop specialist research facilities aligned with the government’s innovation agenda. No timeline or selection criteria were set out for the allocation of the sites.

̽����Ƶ

The Northern Metropolis (NM), a large-scale development zone near the mainland Chinese border, has become central to Hong Kong’s economic strategy, intended to strengthen cross-border ties with Shenzhen and anchor new technology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing industries.

The budget also confirmed that the government has “reserved land at Ngau Tam Mei in the NM for the permanent campus of the new medical school and for the development of an integrated teaching and research hospital”, with resources to be earmarked accordingly.

̽����Ƶ

This medical school, the island’s third, is being developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and aims to admit its first cohort in the 2028-29 academic year.

As well as the plans to expand campuses, the budget included wider investment in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

The government will allocate HK$50 million to support AI application courses, seminars and competitions organised with technology enterprises and tertiary institutions, while about HK$220 million has been set aside to establish the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside the Chinese mainland. 

Sector leaders broadly welcomed the proposals. Alexander Wai, president and vice-chancellor of the Hong Kong Baptist University, said the development would provide “the necessary supporting infrastructure for the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s tertiary education sector in the long run”.

̽����Ƶ

“This will also enable local institutions to diversify their teaching and research endeavours, deepen collaboration with the Chinese mainland and international partners and help establish Hong Kong as an international hub for higher education while promoting the ‘Study in Hong Kong’ brand,” he said.

Nancy Ip, president of HKUST, said the budget sets out “important initiatives to enable Hong Kong to proactively align with national strategies, integrate into the country’s overall development, and drive long-term, high-quality development for both the nation and Hong Kong”.

tash.mosheim@timeshighereducation.com