On the morning of May 15th, 2023, the groundbreaking ceremony of the School of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen was held. This momentous occasion was attended by a host of dignitaries including Hongbo Zheng of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee; Yangsheng Xu, president of CUHK-Shenzhen; Xiuyu Zheng, director of Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau; Liang Yao, director of the Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality; Liwei Zhang, the Party Secretary of the Longgang District; Laurie Pearcey, the Associate Vice-President External Engagement & Outreach at CUHK; Davy Cheng, Dean of the School of Medicine, CUHK-Shenzhen; Arieh Warshel, Nobel laureate and Professor of CUHK-Shenzhen; Hongtao Wu, Chairman of China Construction Science and Industry Corporation Ltd.; and Xiong Chen, Chief Architect of Guangdong Province and National Master of Engineering Survey and Design. The assembly collectively performed the foundation-laying ceremony, signifying an auspicious beginning to the project.

Groundbreaking Ceremony of CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine

Professor Yangsheng Xu, President of CUHK-Shenzhen, addressed the audience

Xiuyu Zheng, director of Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau, addressed the audience

Media interview - Arieh Warshel, Nobel laureate 2013 in Chemistry

Media Interview - Davy Cheng, Dean of School of Medicine, CUHK-Shenzhen

Overview of The School of Medicine Construction

（Video: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV12s4y1B7GG/ ）

The School of Medicine, CUHK-Shenzhen represents the cooperation between the Shenzhen Municipal Government, CUHK, and CUHK-Shenzhen to nurture a world-class medical institution. Situated within the International University Park in Longgang District, the project lies adjacent to the provisional CUHK-Shenzhen School of Music (also recognized as the Shenzhen Conservatory of Music) to the east, and overlooks the Shenzhen MSU-BIT University to the south.

The project encompasses an area of approximately 235,000 square meters with a constructed space of 550,000 square meters. The endeavor includes the construction of 16 new edifices, such as academic buildings, experimental teaching buildings, research buildings, a library, an administrative building, faculty apartments, residential colleges, an indoor sports hall, along with the renovation of one existing structure. The project wholeheartedly embraces design leadership, with the overarching campus design concept and principle grounded in "pavilions, landscapes, Chinese planning, and Lingnan style", aiming to create a campus distinguished by its natural landscapes and unique features.

II. Status Quo of The School of Medicine, CUHK-Shenzhen 

Birds' eye view of MED

CUHK-Shenzhen holds the distinction of being the first (and presently the only) university in China offering a clinical medicine program via mainland-Hong Kong collaboration. CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine, co-founded by the Shenzhen Municipal Government, CUHK, and CUHK-Shenzhen in 2021, covers an area of 235,000 square meters, with a built-up area of 550,000 square meters. The institution intends to accommodate 6,000 students, thereby becoming an international nexus integrating advanced medical talent cultivation, leading-edge medical services, and innovative medical research. Currently, CUHK-Shenzhen MED offers eight undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with approximately 700 students enrolled. The projected total enrollment is expected to reach 6,000 students, backed by a proficient faculty and expert team comprising 1,500 members.

CUHK-Shenzhen MED plays host to three Nobel laureate laboratories and a wealth of key laboratories across Guangdong Province and Shenzhen. These facilities provide globally competitive research platforms, further strengthening the symbiotic relationship between industry, academia, and research. Plans are underway for The Medical Center of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, a facility directly affiliated with the University, to accommodate a 3,000-bed capacity. This center is set to function as a teaching hospital for CUHK, serving as a pivotal platform for medical collaborations between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Amidst this progress, the construction project in Bantian, Longgang is advancing steadily. Moreover, the Longgang People's Hospital has been officially integrated as the University's second affiliated hospital, a move that further bolsters the integrated development of medical education and services.

Bird's eye view 2

CUHK-Shenzhen MED assigns paramount importance to international collaboration as a means to amplify its global medical resource capacities and refine its pedagogical effectiveness. It has penned letters of intent with internationally recognized institutions and healthcare facilities, including Toronto General Hospital in Canada, Mount Sinai in the United States, Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Center. The institution has also forged a partnership with Medical Intelligence 10 (MI10) based in the U.S., to co-develop a cutting-edge medical education curriculum focused on intelligent medicine. Looking ahead, the medical school aims to deepen its cooperative ties in medical education, faculty development, scientific research, and clinical programs with an even broader spectrum of international medical institutions and healthcare facilities.

III. Future Development of School of Medcine, CUHK-Shenzhen 

Library

The CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine represents a pivotal initiative within the ambit of Shenzhen's "14th Five-Year Plan". With a progressive vision, the institution aims to sequentially launch the School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, School of Public Health, School of Nursing, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, among other relevant disciplines. This strategic rollout is intended to gradually shape a comprehensive spectrum of medical and health science disciplines and specialties. Aligned the nation's Healthy China strategy, the CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine, rooted firmly in Shenzhen and poised to serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, sets its sights on becoming an internationally renowned medical school by 2035 that excels in cultivating top-tier medical talents, providing advanced medical services, and conducting innovative medical research.

About the School of Medicine

The inception of the School of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, along with its affiliated hospitals, was catalyzed by a tripartite agreement signed in January 2019 among the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. This was a pivotal moment as Shenzhen was undertaking historical tasks of leading the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and evolving into a Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (PDA). These landmark projects aimed to grasp the significant opportunities arising from the regional development, implement the overarching requirements of the Healthy China national strategy, deepen the cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, enhance Shenzhen's healthcare services, and promote the development of the healthcare industry in the Greater Bay Area.

The CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine seeks to nurture outstanding innovative and caring medical talents with an international perspective. Drawing on the first-class educational foundation and teaching experience of CUHK Medical School, and fully embracing the advanced philosophy of medical schools in China and abroad, the School has identified a well-established education system covering undergraduate, master, and doctoral training, and will actively explore a new model of medical education that integrates Shenzhen and Hong Kong. CUHK-Shenzhen is home to three Nobel Laureate Institutes and the Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data. In tandem, the CUHK-Shenzhen School of Medicine will give full play to the University's research and talent strengths in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Life Health, further integrate the medical industry with science and engineering, stimulate the development of translational medicine, and stay committed to building an international medical system with three pillars: advanced medical services, high-end medical talent cultivation and innovative medical research.

The School of Medicine currently offers the following undergraduate programs:

Clinical Medicine,  Biomedical Engineering, Bioinformatics, Biological Sciences and Pharmaceutical Science