Hong Kong’s first Catholic university seeks up to HK$800 million to build new Sha Tin campus
- Vice-president of Saint Francis University says current campus in Tseung Kwan O has reached full capacity and institution must expand to help bring in more students
- Proposed site was home to now-closed Caritas Hong Kong-run educational institution and secondary school, with proximity to Prince of Wales Hospital
Hong Kong’s first Catholic university plans to raise up to HK$800 million (US$102 million) to fund the construction of a new campus in Sha Tin, days after receiving its varsity status from the government.
Professor Lo Tit-wing, vice-president of Saint Francis University, on Monday said the current campus in Tseung Kwan O had reached full capacity and the institution needed to expand its facilities to help bring in more students.
The proposed site belongs to the university’s operator, Caritas Hong Kong, and was previously home to the Sha Tin branch of the Caritas Institute of Community Education and the Caritas Shatin Marden Foundation Secondary School before they closed in 2020 and 2008, respectively.
“It would be better to demolish all the current buildings on the [Sha Tin] lot, which is owned by Caritas, as we could make good use of the land and have a larger capacity,” he told a press briefing.
The institution said it aimed to raise between HK$700 million and HK$800 million for the project, but Lo stressed that it was too early in the process to go into concrete details.