The leader of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has called for greater financial support to develop a proposed 300-hectare (741 acres) university town near the border with mainland China, including funding for local institutions to build campuses, arguing that expansion will help navigate future challenges. In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post, CUHK president Dennis Lo Yuk-ming said Hong Kong universities needed to expand their presence in the Northern Metropolis university town, where institutions could gain significant advantages and make a greater impact. “If we compare ourselves to international competitors, our weakness is size and scale, as city university campuses are relatively small. “Some well-known universities on the mainland have multiple campuses, but Hong Kong has had no such luxury until now. The Northern Metropolis offers a valuable opportunity for us to expand, especially given that land in Hong Kong is such a precious resource,” he said.