Hong Kong’s new academy for female medical scientists aims to bridge gender gap

AdvertisementUniversities in Hong KongHong Kong’s new academy for female medical scientists aims to bridge gender gapCUHK’s Women in Science and Medicine Academy hopes to attract 100 early-career female researchers from city and overseas in five years 3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenEmily HungPublished: 10:00am, 6 Apr 2026The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has launched an academy to nurture the next generation of female medical scientists, aiming to bridge a sex gap in which women make up just one-third of researchers globally. The Women in Science and Medicine Academy (Wise) aims to attract 100 early-career female researchers from the city and overseas in five years, supporting them with mentorship, leadership training and global exposure. Professor Siew Ng, an associate dean of CUHK’s medical school and Wise convenor, said Hong Kong had the potential to become a regional hub for female medical scientists, but women’s participation in the field had been limited. AdvertisementAt CUHK, even though women comprised half of all medical students, only one in three fellows and non-fellows were women. That largely aligned with the sex ratio of researchers globally. “Balancing family and research life is a huge challenge in itself, especially for those with children,” Ng said. Advertisement“We are targeting researchers in the early stages of their careers, particularly those who are starting families. As this is often their most challenging period, we aim to support them at this critical juncture so they can continue their professional journeys and access the right opportunities to build their networks.” AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x