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Regarding the remarks made in a radio programme this morning (August 27) by Legislative Council member and convenor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Alumni Concern Group, Mr Ip Kin-yuen, in which he expressed concern that the government has fully controlled HKU Council by appointing external stakeholders as council members to interfere with the appointment of pro-vice-chancellor and academic freedom and autonomy of tertiary institutions might be violated, a spokesman for the Education Bureau responded as follows:
The above allegation is totally groundless.
HKU Council is the supreme governing body of HKU. Out of the total 24 members in the Council, only the chairman and six members are appointed by the Chief Executive as Chancellor of HKU, other members are either appointed or elected by the Council, the Court, teachers, employees, undergraduate students and postgraduate students, etc. The current Chancellor has appointed two new Council members. Based on the ratio of members appointed by the Chancellor and the number of members appointed by the current Chancellor, it is totally untrue to say that "the government has fully controlled HKU Council".
The spokesman stressed that the Government always respects the statutory functions of HKU Council and its decision-making power and decisions.
Ends/Thursday, August 27, 2015
Issued at HKT 21:06
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