John Lee urges University of Hong Kong’s feuding heads to focus on institution’s interests

Lee confirms Post report about his personal intervention, reminds institution’s leaders of billions spent on publicly funded universities

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HKU’s president Xiang Zhang and governing council chairwoman Priscilla Wong are at the centre of the university’s leadership row. Photo: SCMP

Published: 2:45pm, 11 Jun 2024Updated: 11:35am, 12 Jun 2024

Hong Kong’s leader has told the president and governing council head of the city’s oldest university to put the institution’s interests first as “an overriding principle”, after sources earlier said he personally stepped in to help end the infighting.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who serves as chancellor for the University of Hong Kong (HKU), said on Tuesday that he would “make a decision” about how to follow up after assessing reports from education officials who had spoken with vice-chancellor Xiang Zhang and council chairwoman Priscilla Wong Pui-sze.

Lee’s remarks confirmed the Post’s exclusive report on Monday, which cited sources saying that he had met the pair separately “more than once” recently to settle their dispute. The government has since set up a group to investigate the leadership row, which a source had suggested would occur.

“University of Hong Kong does not belong to any single person. It doesn’t belong to the vice-chancellor. It doesn’t belong to any individual of the council,” he told the press on Tuesday.

“I tried to coordinate their communication and I reminded them that good communication and cooperation are important. I also reminded them to take the interest of the university as the overriding principle in all their business.”

The university would also need to work on its procedures if current arrangements were ambiguous and should establish “clear accountability and responsibility” regarding its finances, Lee added.