Hong Kong’s first and only veterinary college at City University of Hong Kong, was named the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences in collaboration with Cornell University. The naming ceremony was attended by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mrs Carrie LAM Cheng Yuet-ngor who has pledged support for the Veterinary Medicine programme at CityU.
The College is immensely grateful to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, to their 10-year partner Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, one of the world’s leading institutions in veterinary medicine, and to the countless stakeholders who have tenaciously supported the idea of a veterinary college at CityU over the years.
At the naming ceremony, the University Grants Committee (UGC) Chairman Mr Carlson Tong Ka-shing announced that, following the results of an international task force review, UGC will recommend to the Hong Kong government to accept CityU’s request for public funding of the currently self-funded Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme, from 2019 onwards. It is the first six-year BVM programme in Asia designed to meet strenuous international accreditation standards.
In her address, Mrs Carrie Lam was highly supportive of CityU’s initiative to provide veterinary education in Hong Kong and said that ‘I am happy to say that we are willing and happy to endorse the UGC’s recommendation’ and ‘I am confident that the generous donation of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust will propel the College to new heights, and I look forward to the College’s contribution to our work in safeguarding public health.’
The CityU BVM programme enrolled its first intake of 12 students last year and another 15 to 20 students will join in September.