Mainland China trips for students won't be compulsory in future, pledges HKU chief Peter Mathieson

The University of Hong Kong's vice-chancellor has pledged that mainland trips will not be compulsory for future students, a step back from his earlier remarks that they would need to justify exemptions from such trips.

Professor Peter Mathieson had earlier told the South China Morning Post that "exemptions will be possible where justified", when asked about the plan to launch a campus-wide scheme requiring students to attend one mainland and one overseas "learning experience" from 2022.

Many students questioned the need for compulsory trips and mainland exposure being thrust upon them. The university clarified that no details had been set out and students would be consulted.

In a statement by Mathieson, read out yesterday in an open forum by Professor Ian Holliday, HKU's pro-vice-chancellor, he said: "We have no intention of forcing students to do something they don't want to do."

Asked by students whether the latest remarks contradicted Mathieson's point about exemptions in the Post interview, Holliday said the vice-chancellor was referring to existing programmes which required students to take part in overseas studies, including architecture and Chinese medicine.

That was not something mentioned in Mathieson's email to the Post, nor raised by the Post in its questions, which dealt only with the 2022 proposal.