On 20 August 2018, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) celebrated the naming of Hong Kong’s first and only veterinary college: Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences in collaboration with Cornell University.

A high point of the ceremony was the announcement by University Grants Committee (UGC) Chairman Mr Carlson Tong Ka-shing that following the results of an international Task Force review, “UGC will be recommending to the Government to accept CityU’s proposal to establish an undergraduate Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme starting from the 2019-2022 triennium, as a publicly-funded programme.” It is the first 6-year BVM programme in Asia designed to meet strenuous international accreditation standards.

The University is immensely grateful to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and to all the Officiating Guests for their valuable support at the naming ceremony, including The Honourable Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, GBM, GBS, The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Dr Simon S O Ip, GBS, CBE, JP, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, GBS, JP, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, JP, Secretary for Education; Mr Carlson Tong Ka-shing, SBS, JP, Chairman of University Grants Committee; and Mr Lester Garson Huang, SBS, JP, Chairman of the CityU Council. We also thank the hundreds of guests who attended the ceremony, including Professor Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Professor Lorin Warnick, Austin O Hooey Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, who have flown all the way from Cornell University in the USA to support CityU.  

“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,” said Mrs Lam in her address at the ceremony.

Dr Ip said, “The Club, having its own extensive veterinary operations, sees the benefits the College will bring to the community as a whole, combining as it does veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences under the banner of One Health. As such it embodies the important insight that the health of human beings is intimately connected with the health of animals and with the environment, in which they co-exist.”

Government funding marked an important milestone in the development of veterinary education in Hong Kong, first envisioned by CityU in July 2008, said Mr Huang, adding that “this support would create new growth points for Hong Kong and new career paths for our young people”.

“It has been my honour and privilege to lead CityU’s 10 year-long veterinary marathon.  This could not have happened without the vision, team work and perseverance of the campus community and the staunch support of Hong Kong society,” said Professor Way Kuo, CityU President. 

The Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences comprises the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health. Guided by One Health core principles, the College is helping CityU to pioneer excellence in veterinary education and research in Hong Kong, Asia and the world, spotlighting public health, food safety, animal welfare and aquatic animal health for the well-being of society. 

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Catherine Law, Communications and Public Relations Office, CityU (Tel: 3442 6807 or 6225 0030)