The University Grants Committee (UGC) is trying to work out an agreement with the Government to give universities an assurance that funding will not be reduced should staff salaries be de-linked from the civil service.
The higher education review report proposes breaking the salary link to give institutions flexibility in hiring staff. But about 5,000 university staff have signed a statement opposing the idea.
At a forum on the report this week, UGC's senior research administrator Eric Ng Shu-pui said the UGC would present a final document on higher education reform and implementation schedules to the Education and Manpower Bureau shortly after consultation ends late next month.
Universities could then decide when they wanted to implement the change in salaries should the recommendation be endorsed by the Government.
