University of Hong Kong medical school suspends classes in mainland China for rest of 2019 – no reason yet given

School yet to answer questions about cancellation – despite complaints from students about border searches

Students notified this week that compulsory courses at University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital were suspended

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The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital in Shenzhen. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 7:16pm, 23 Aug 2019Updated: 11:20pm, 23 Aug 2019

Hong Kong’s top medical school has suspended this year’s classes in Shenzhen, saying it would review the situation at the end of the year.

The announcement on Friday comes as medical students report an increase in searches by mainland authorities linked to the city’s recent anti-government protests. Hongkongers of all backgrounds have reported that mainland immigration officers have asked to inspect their mobile phones at border crossings.

A spokesman for the medical school of the University of Hong Kong confirmed that students would not be attending classes in Shenzhen for the rest of the year. He did not link the suspension to tightened border checks.

“The school has always arranged for students to study clinical medicine at each teaching hospital, including in Hong Kong and Shenzhen,” he said. “Currently, the school has no plan to arrange for students to attend classes at HKU-Shenzhen Hospital.”

Medical students were notified this week that all compulsory courses at University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital in Shenzhen would be suspended for the semester that started in June, according to two medical sources.

Drone aerial view of University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (centre) in the Futian district, Shenzhen. 08JAN18 SCMP / Roy Issa

A final-year medical student, who declined to give his name, said a recent group of his fellow students was asked by mainland officers to log into their social media accounts – like Facebook and Instagram – and delete certain messages related to the protests.