PolyU signs MoU with Pok Oi Hospital to provide internship opportunities for students in Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences and Nutrition and to expand the healthcare talent pool

Hong Kong’s ageing population is a growing concern and there is an increasing demand for nursing and allied healthcare professionals in rehabilitation and nutritional science. In response to this challenge, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Pok Oi Hospital Board of Directors (Pok Oi) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) today, with the aim of exploring placement opportunities for students of relevant disciplines at Pok Oi’s elderly care service units, jointly fostering the next generation of nursing and allied healthcare professionals for Hong Kong.

Witnessed by Prof. Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education) of PolyU; Prof. Raymond WONG, Dean of the Faculty of Science; and Mrs Winnie TAM KEUNG May-chu, Permanent Adviser to the Pok Oi Hospital Board of Directors, the MoU for the Department of Food Science and Nutrition was signed by Prof. Sheng CHEN, Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition of PolyU, and Mr Danny Chun-tat CHAU, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pok Oi Hospital. This was followed by the signing of the MoU for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences by Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of PolyU, and Mr Simon TSO, Member of the Pok Oi Hospital Governing Committee and 3rd Vice Chairman of Pok Oi Hospital.

Prof. Kwok-yin WONG stated, “PolyU is committed to providing quality and comprehensive education for our students. We offer a range of healthcare-related programmes aiming to cultivate healthcare professionals and inject new impetus into the healthcare system in Hong Kong. Pok Oi Hospital has a long history of development in elderly services, providing comprehensive care and support to the elderly in Hong Kong. This collaboration will create diverse clinical placement opportunities for PolyU students, allowing them to put their knowledge and skills into practice in the service units of Pok Oi. Through this partnership, we hope to advance PolyU’s efforts in nursing and allied healthcare education, enhance healthcare and social service standards, and jointly contribute to community health with Pok Oi.”

Mr Danny Chun-tat CHOW remarked, “The signing of this MoU marks a significant milestone for both Pok Oi Hospital and PolyU. Students will have the opportunity to participate in clinical placements and frontline services of elderly care, rehabilitation and nutrition under professional guidance, which will help solidify their practical knowledge and professional skills. We hope students will also gain a deeper understanding of elderly care, so equipping them for a future career in nursing homes. Building and nurturing a talent pool for supporting long-term development in the industry is one important part of the overall talent strategy.”

Through this collaboration, students from the PolyU Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Nursing and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences will have the opportunity to undertake clinical placements, project research and service planning at the Pok Oi service units. Moving forward, both parties will deepen their communication on industry needs and talent cultivation, and work together to exchange views on the planning and development of nursing and rehabilitation, as well as food and nutrition programmes, to formulate a holistic curriculum that better meets the needs of local professionals and contribute to the expansion of the talent pool of nursing and allied healthcare professionals in Hong Kong.

Witnessed by Prof. Kwok-yin Wong, Vice President (Education) of PolyU (back row, centre); Prof. Raymond Wai-yeung Wong, Dean of the Faculty of Science (back row, 1st from left); and Mrs Winnie Tam Keung May-chu, Permanent Adviser to the Pok Oi Hospital Board of Directors (back row, 1st from right), the MoU for the Department of Food Science and Nutrition was signed by Prof. Sheng Chen, Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition of PolyU (front row, 1st from left) and Mr Danny Chun-tat Chau, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pok Oi Hospital (front row, 2nd from right). This was followed by the signing of the MoU for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences by Prof. David Shum, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of PolyU (front row, 2nd from left) and Mr Simon Tso, Members of Pok Oi Hospital Governing Committee and 3rd Vice Chairman of Pok Oi Hospital (front row, 1st from right).

Prof. Kwok-yin Wong stated that the collaboration would advance PolyU’s efforts in nursing and allied healthcare education, enhance healthcare and social service standards, and jointly contribute to community health with Pok Oi.

Mr Danny Chun-tat Chau stated that this collaboration was a significant milestone for both parties, aiming to prepare students for their future careers through internships under professional guidance and support long-term industry development.

Representatives from PolyU and the Board of Directors of the Pok Oi Hospital attended the MoU signing ceremony.