A study group set up by Hong Kong’s leader to look into a conflict between the president of the city’s oldest university and the chairwoman of its governing body will join the coming council meeting, the Post has learned.
The Education Bureau did not confirm such plans but said the group would reveal its work results in due course following more than 50 conversations with University of Hong Kong head Xiang Zhang, council chairwoman Priscilla Wong Pui-sze and other members of the governing body, as well as senior management staff.
In June, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the government had set up an investigation and study group to clarify facts and suggest solutions surrounding the escalating conflict between Zhang and Wong.
After nearly two months, the group, headed by Permanent Secretary for Education Michelle Li Mei-sheung and Tim Lui Tim-leung, chairman of the University Grants Committee, is planning to attend the council meeting set to be held in two weeks, according to at least two sources, who have met the group.
“They asked us what we thought about them attending the coming council meeting,” the sources said, giving no further details on when or how many members and meetings they planned to take part in.
“I was quite shocked when they raised the idea,” one of the insiders said.
The other source added: “They will attend the meeting on behalf of the government, or even the chief executive, which is a big matter.”
One source also said the idea was mentioned to other people who were also invited to meet the group, adding it was not met with strong opposition.
Their concerns were mainly over whether the group’s presence would affect the university’s academic autonomy and consistency with the procedure.
The Post also learned that the minutes of all HKU council meetings held since April had not been posted yet. This comes in contrast with a previous practice when the minutes would be available in the following meeting.
A bureau spokeswoman said lots of work had been done after the group’s establishment.
“The group has conducted in-depth research, reviewed relevant documents and held more than 50 interviews with relevant people, including council chairman and members, president and senior management staff,” she said.
She added the group would complete its work as soon as possible, promote communication and cooperation between the university’s council and the management, and improve operations and governance.
“The group will announce the results of its work in due course,” she said.
About three weeks after the group was set up, Lee said extended vacancies and frequent staffing changes in HKU senior management roles over the past few years were “not ideal”, the first indication of his stance on a row at the institution.
He also said some vice-president positions had been left vacant for more than five years while other important positions were filled in an interim manner for more than five years.
In late May, Zhang sought legal advice after he was kept in the dark about a surprise reshuffle of a number of vice presidents
Until now, the university’s web page does not show the updated list of the senior management team after the previous one was taken down in June after the reshuffle.
Previous media reports said Zhang did not want to recognise their appointment.
A source told the Post that the appointment of four out of eight vice presidents in the reshuffle had to be further confirmed as some involved procedural and contractual issues, but added they all could be resolved.
