City University will receive up to HK$32 million (US$4.08 million) in public funding each year to launch a six-year veterinary medicine degree course in 2024/2025, after fighting for government support over the past decade. The student recruitment target is set to enrol 30 students each year.
The students are now paying tuition fees of HK$120,000 a year – and the cost will drop to HK$42,100 when the government funding become available. The current self-financed course attracted an overwhelming 1,000 applicants last year and only 12 were accepted. CityU earlier said the quota would be increased to 20 this year.
CityU expected the programme to obtain full accreditation from the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, allowing graduates to register and to practise as veterinary surgeons in Hong Kong.
Commentary by Anna Lee
City University is the only higher education institution offering an undergraduate degree in Veterinary Medicine in Hong Kong. After receiving the government funding, the tuition fee will drop from HK$120,000 to HK$42,100 a year. The establishment of a local UGC-funded degree will therefore provide competition, and potentially make student recruitment for this subject in Hong Kong more difficult. According to HESA data, there were 30 HK students studying Veterinary Medicine (first year) in the UK in 2016/17. If City University offer 30 UGC-funded places per year starting from 2024/2025, this may mean more local competition to recruit students to UK veterinary science programmes. On the other hand, the large number of applicants to City University last year suggested that there is strong interest in the field among Hong Kong students.