The University-Industry Collaboration on Chinese Medicine Innovation Forum was jointly organised by PolyU and MCMIA in the GBA. Over a hundred academic and industry leaders gathered to share insights on driving innovation in Chinese medicine development, in line with the latest national plan and policies.
PolyU’s Deputy President and Provost emphasised the Hong Kong government’s support for Chinese medicine research and development. He cited the recent allocation of additional funding to the Chinese Medicine Development Fund in the 2023-24 Budget and the upcoming launch of the first Chinese medicine hospital in 2025 as measures to promote CM as an integral part of the local healthcare system.
He also highlighted the opportunities brought about by the GBA’s development and emphasised the need for collaboration between the government, industry, and academics to enhance the local CM industry’s ecosystem.
The Chairman of the MCMIA Foundation discussed talent development programs for Chinese medicine innovation. He highlighted how the industry supports outstanding talents who wish to pursue CM research and emphasised the importance of innovative research for the industry’s growth.
The forum delved into the ways in which stakeholders, including governments and research institutions in Hong Kong, Macao, and Mainland China, could strengthen collaboration to promote CM development and capitalise on research and business prospects in the GBA. Discussions centred on university-industry collaboration for CM development, talent development programs for CM innovation, and universities’ initiatives in CM innovation.
Moderated by the Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences and Co-director of the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) at PolyU, the panel discussion proposed long-term strategies to drive CM innovation in Hong Kong from business, technology, and policy perspectives.
These recommendations will be presented to the Government during the 2023 Policy Address public consultation. Other experts shared their insights on CM innovations, discussed the integration of artificial intelligence and other advanced technology into CM research, and explored interdisciplinary collaboration among institutions in the field of CM.
The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) established the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) in October 2021. The Centre is headed by a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and the Director of RCMI at PolyU. Its objective is to promote interdisciplinary and translational research to develop novel drugs, treatment protocols, and programmes based on CM practices for use in clinical settings or the community. By doing so, the Centre aims to bring CM innovations into clinical practice and inform relevant policy.
In 2022, the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) was established as an interdisciplinary policy research centre at the university level. The Centre is directed by PolyU’s Vice President (Research and Innovation) and the Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences and the Co-Director of PReCIT. Its objective is to support the development of innovation and technology (I&T) in the GBA, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaborative research in areas such as carbon-neutral cities, I&T development in the GBA, and the Belt and Road Initiative’s development in Southeast Asia.
The Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) is a non-profit trade organisation that was established in 2000 by a group of Chinese medicine business professionals, scientists, and academics. Its aim is to promote Hong Kong as an international centre of Chinese medicine by modernising and popularising CM practices and enhancing the professionalism of the CM industry.
