HKU’s ‘coup’ is gaining momentum

Eunice Lam

The management of the University of Hong Kong has once again plunged into internal conflict after the governing council abruptly approved the interim appointment of six vice-presidents despite the opposition of President Zhang Xiang.

Zhang’s right-hand man, Richard Wong Yue-chim, interim provost and vice chancellor and acting executive vice president (administration and finance), was demoted to vice president and vice chancellor.

This position has been vacant since July 2021 following the resignation of Norman Tien Chihnan, professor chair of the department of microsystems technology.

Chemistry professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah has taken over as chancellor, and Tien will become the new executive vice president (administration and finance).

Current Vice President (Teaching and Learning) Ian Holliday and Vice President (Research) Max Shen Zuojun will remain in their positions.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering professor Alfonso Ngan Hing-wan replaced Gong Peng as vice president (academic development).

Gong was appointed vice president (global), a position that had been vacant since the resignation of John Kao Weiyuan in January 2019.

The council also approved two new positions, including Dean of Medicine Lau Chak-sing as vice president (health) and economics chair professor Cai Hongbin as vice president (business).

All interim appointments are effective immediately, while Wong’s interim term is expected to last until December 31 next year. The list of officers on the HKU website was not updated last night.

It is understood that council members were asked to approve appointments for several interim vice-chairman positions during Tuesday’s HKU council meeting and that the list of recommendations was only presented at the meeting. Senior management positions are typically selected first by a search committee and then appointed by the board.

The president may also nominate candidates to the council who will be approved for interim positions before they are officially filled.

However, the insider said the shortlist was prepared by board chairwoman Priscilla Wong Pui-sze, not Zhang or the selection committee, adding that it was rare for the board to recommend candidates itself.

“We only gave five minutes to read the comments and vote,” said a council source who described the investment as a “coup.”

Despite Zhang’s objections, the appointments were approved by a “simple majority” vote of the council after someone noted that the council was HKU’s “supreme power structure.”

The Standard contacted HKU for comment but had not received a response by press time yesterday.

Tensions between Zhang and Wong came to light last October when Zhang faced a series of mismanagement allegations made by “whistleblowers.”

Zhang was cleared of misconduct allegations in mid-April after a six-month investigation by a five-member panel convened by Wong.

Zhang said that although the investigation “confirmed” his innocence, his colleagues had been struggling with “tremendous psychological pressure” over the past six months, and the university’s reputation had suffered as a result.

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