Saint Francis University (SFU) today held the 2025/26 Graduation Ceremony for the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) (Applied Degree Places), underscoring its commitment to applied education and professional nursing training. About 160 graduates from SFU's pioneering nursing applied degree programme, have completed their professional training and successfully obtained their Registered Nurse (General) qualifications. The graduation ceremony was officiated by His Eminence Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong and Chairman of the Board of Governors, together with President Professor Stephen Cheung and Dean Professor Eric Chan.
As Hong Kong's largest institution for registered nurse training, SFU launched its 3.5-year applied degree programme in nursing in 2022 in response to the pressing demand for healthcare professionals in society. President Professor Cheung remarked, "The graduation of our first cohort of nursing applied degree marks a key milestone in advancing applied professional education at SFU. We will continue to leverage our strengths as a University of Applied Sciences, deepen industry collaboration, and contribute to the development of Hong Kong's healthcare system."
A key programme feature is the consolidation of the 1,400 clinical practicum hours required for registered nurse registration into 30 consecutive weeks in the final year. Dean Professor Eric Chan said, "SFU's nursing applied degree programme integrates theory with a continuous and structured clinical practicum, ensuring that graduates can seamlessly transition into frontline healthcare work. The School will continue to stay attuned to industry needs and nurture high-calibre nursing professionals."
As a pioneer in applied sciences education, SFU will continue to expand its health sciences curriculum in line with the Government's Primary Healthcare Blueprint. The University is developing two new programmes, the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Pharmaceutical Studies and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Community Health and Practice, to nurture diverse healthcare talent in Hong Kong.