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Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS), today announced the 2026 results of its fifth annual Life Sciences Talent Survey. Respondents continue to show strong interest in life sciences internships and career development, alongside a growing demand for greater job search support and one-stop platform services. On the same day, HKLSS co-organised the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference: UK-HK Perspectives on Innovation and Collaboration with the British Consulate-General Hong Kong for the first time, fostering the sustainable development and exchange of life sciences entrepreneurs and emerging industry professionals in Hong Kong.
The Survey was conducted from mid-November 2025 to early March 2026, receiving a record-high total of 425 responses. Respondents included undergraduate and postgraduate students, and graduates within five years of graduation in life sciences-related programmes, with local (53.0%) and non-local respondents (47.0%) each accounting for approximately half.
Hong Kong Remains Top Internship Destination, Non-local Talents Show Stronger Industry Commitment
This year’s Survey examined respondents’ views on the attractiveness of life sciences internship opportunities across different cities. A majority regarded Hong Kong’s life sciences internship opportunities as either “very attractive” (54.1%) or “attractive” (33.7%). In terms of preferred internship city, 58.5% of local respondents and 49.5% of non-local respondents selected Hong Kong as their top choice, showing the city’s competitiveness in attracting and nurturing life sciences talent.
Respondents were generally positive about life sciences career prospects in Hong Kong. Although the combined proportion of those who were “extremely optimistic” and “very optimistic” (60.7%) recorded a slight decline compared with the previous year (66.7%), it remained at a relatively high level. On a scale of 5, the overall commitment of all respondents to pursuing a career in the life sciences and/or biotechnology-related industry after graduation increased (4.25→4.28): non-local respondents demonstrated a stronger level of commitment (4.43→4.50), while local respondents also showed a modest uptick (4.05→4.09).
In response to the Survey findings and the industry's need for emerging talent and the bridging of academia, research and industry, HKLSS acknowledged the need to continuously advance the local life sciences industry ecosystem, and will remain committed to strengthening Greater Bay Area synergies and deepening collaboration with governments, life sciences organisations and universities/ higher educational institutions in the Greater Bay Area and beyond.
For respondents with no internship experience, Biotech Talent, HKLSS’ life sciences and biotechnology dedicated job platform, was found to be particularly helpful (58.0%). Among all respondents who indicated a need for a job search platform, non-local respondents accounted for a larger proportion (56.9%). HKLSS will continue to strengthen partnerships with high-quality employers and will open the Biotech Talent job platform free of charge to fresh graduates, expanding their life sciences employment opportunities to attract more outstanding talent to establish their careers in Hong Kong.
UK-HK Experts Explore Collaboration and Industry Trends, Rallying Emerging Talent to Grow the Ecosystem
Survey results also show that 30% of respondents found HKLSS’s biotech talks and webinars helpful, tripling the proportion of the previous year. Prof Ken Wong, Executive Director of HKLSS, said: “This year, HKLSS is honoured to co-organise the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference with the British Consulate-General Hong Kong. In response to the strong demand reflected in the Survey for members to engage with international experts, we invited senior undergraduates and postgraduates to exchange views with UK entrepreneurs on a range of life sciences topics, and explore collaboration opportunities in translational biomedicine between the two places.”
Mr Chris Woodward, Director General, Trade and Investment, British Consulate-General Hong Kong, said in his opening remarks: “For Hong Kong stakeholders, UK companies bring proven science, strong IP, and solutions aligned with global healthcare priorities - from biotech and medtech to diagnostics and digital health. For UK companies, Hong Kong is not just a market, but a strategic partner in growth.”
The Conference invited UK life sciences entrepreneur speakers for in-depth discussions across three key areas, including AI-powered drug discovery, innovative diagnostics, and novel therapeutics, sharing the latest industry developments from both regions. The Conference also featured a Fireside Chat with UK & HK industry leaders on “From Innovation to Collaboration — Opportunities, Challenges and Pathways”, driving a sector focused dialogue on collaboration opportunities and challenges, and building a foundation for long-term cooperation between both in the life sciences industry.
The HKSAR Government's 2026/27 Budget proposed to advance the integrated development of life and health technology across upstream, midstream and downstream levels, with talent development, research transformation, and industrialisation identified as core pillars. HKLSS will continue to strengthen and refine talent development and career support for Hong Kong's life sciences sector, with a diversified range of initiatives to address the needs of talent at different stages, such as the new Entrepreneurship Series activities for members with work experience, building a stronger professional network in life sciences to foster sustained career growth and long-term development for emerging industry professionals.