News
HKBU participates in the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine
23 December 2025
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) recently participated in the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine from 17 to 19 December 2025 in New Delhi, contributing to the development of a global roadmap to ensure safe, effective and evidence-based integration of Traditional Chinese medicine into healthcare. Under the theme “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being”, the Summit brought together government leaders, health practitioners, scientists and scholars to explore how traditional medicine can help shape more holistic and sustainable approaches to health.
Professor Terence Lau, Interim Chief Innovation Officer of HKBU and Director of Wu Jieh Yee Institute of Translational Chinese Medicine Research (WJY ITCMR), spoke at the plenary session on “Bridging Tradition and Innovation: Science-Driven Strategies for Advancing Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) in Global Health”, alongside Dr Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist of WHO and Prof. Dr Dennis A. Ostwald, Founder and CEO of WifOR Institute. Professor Lau emphasised the integration of modern science and TCIM, the need for research investment, cross-sector collaboration, and policy alignment to unlock TCIM’s potential in global health.
Professor Lau also shared projects and facilities at WJY ITCMR to foster evidence-based development of traditional medicine and its standardisation with advance engineering science. With a generous HK$230 million donations from Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation, the University established the WJY ITCMR in 2024 to accelerate clinical translation and commercialisation of Chinese Medicine via cutting-edge research. Complemented by the operation of Hong Kong’s first flagship Chinese Medicine Hospital, HKBU is playing a critical role in driving standardisation and internationalisation of Chinese Medicine.
Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) and Dean of Graduate School of HKBU, spoke at a parallel session on “Quality, Efficiency and Patient Safety" which focused on advancing quality and patient safety in Traditional Medicine for safe and effective integration into health systems.
At the Summit Exhibition, alongside the Tai Chi session given by Prof. Dai Jingang from the Experimental Research Center at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, HKBU’s Institute for Innovation and Translation showcased its vision for evidence-based, scalable traditional medicine solutions, including a Chinese Medicine drug designated by the USFDA as an orphan drug, WHO-recommended diagnostic tool, lemon peel compounds for brain health, tele-diagnostics in Chinese Medicine, and next-generation herbal therapeutics. Participants also enjoyed a curated set of four herbal teas crafted by the School of Chinese Medicine, each supporting a specific aspect of wellbeing and bringing the wisdom of TCM to life.
Through rigorous scientific research, methodological innovation and strategic partnerships, HKBU is committed to advancing traditional Chinese Medicine to address global health issues.