Speaking to more than 120 veterinary professionals at the annual dinner of the Peace Avenue Veterinary Clinic (PAVC) on 25 February, Professor Way Kuo, President of City University of Hong Kong (CityU), discussed the importance to Hong Kong of a new veterinary school.

Professor Kuo pointed out that throughout Asia there is no internationally accredited veterinary school. Not only must Asia rely on veterinary professionals trained elsewhere, but there is also the problem of inadequate research support, as well as the absence of any scope for further study or training for those professionals based here, he added.

According to Professor Kuo, while individual talent can be imported, there is the need to create our own academic professions that can drive the development of local culture and the economy. One such field is veterinary science. With a forward-looking agenda, a veterinary school will not only train vets for Hong Kong and Greater China, but will also improve the standard of public hygiene and food safety tests in the region, he added. The veterinary school will help diversify local industry and promote a culture of using technology.

The Hong Kong government is focused on promoting creative and knowledge-based industries. In this year’s Budget, it put forward several plans, including those to develop testing and certification. Yet it takes long-term care and support to foster science and technology development. As a local university, CityU has always been active in helping the government realise its development strategy. One urgent task for CityU is to explore the academic and professional niche areas of study that will best benefit Hong

Kong society, Professor Kuo added. He also expressed his hope that Hong Kong would one day become an Asian oasis for science and technology-based culture and industrial progress.

PAVC has been acclaimed as a leading institution in the profession across Asia, to which difficult cases have regularly been referred by other clinics. PAVC founder Dr Phillip Mak invited Professor Kuo to share his veterinary studies vision after learning that CityU intends to launch a veterinary school in Hong Kong.