The education secretary has been accused of a conflict of interest by retaining his professorship and senate seat at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he was vice-chancellor before joining the government.
Academics yesterday urged Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung to resign as a senate member and professor of surgery at the university.
A spokeswoman for the Chinese University confirmed that Professor Li, who was the university's vice-chancellor before taking up the post of education secretary in August, was on three years' unpaid leave from his position as professor of surgery.
The spokeswoman said Professor Li held a seat in the senate, the university's supreme academic body, as a full professor.
'He still retains his senate seat since joining the government but he has not attended any meetings since August,' the spokeswoman said, adding he was not supposed to turn up at senate meetings.
The principal officials under the ministerial system are not allowed to undertake any service or job or do anything that might reasonably be considered to conflict with their official duties.
Professor Li's press secretary said the government had approved his retention of the title of professor of surgery on the basis of unpaid leave in July.
