College to put focus on poor, say Jesuits
Leading US advisers of proposed university explain order's underlining philosophy during visit to city to prepare for tender
Helping the poor would be an important focus of the proposed Jesuit liberal arts college in Hong Kong, say two advisers, who are presidents of two of the oldest Catholic universities in the United States.
Dr John DeGioia, of Washington DC's Jesuit Georgetown University which dates back to 1792, and Father Michael Engh, president of San Francisco's 162-year-old Jesuit Santa Clara University, are among 23 trustees of the proposed college, along with non-official executive councillor Anna Wu Hung-yuk.
DeGioia said in Hong Kong that the Jesuits - founded by St Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century - had a 400-year-old tradition of education with a "profound respect for those who are in need, those who are marginalised, those who are disenfranchised - specifically the poor".
The preparation task force hopes to establish the non-profit, self-financing university on a 16-hectare site in Queen's Hill, Fanling, which former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen designated for a private university.
The land is due to go to tender in March.
Education Secretary Eddie Ng Hak-kim said this month it would go ahead, after saying he was mystified by recent "rumours" that the land had been redesignated for housing.