University staff union representatives said yesterday they felt snubbed by the government, which had endorsed a higher education report's proposal to deregulate their salaries despite strong opposition from them.
In February, more than 5,000 of the 15,000 staff at Hong Kong's eight tertiary institutions signed a statement opposing an end to the link with the civil service pay scale.
Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung said yesterday he understood the concerns of staff but that delinking the pay scale would not be enforced mandatorily. It would be left to individual institutions on whether, when and how to implement it.
He said the government would not cut back resources based on any savings the universities make upon severing the link.
'I understand the staff at universities are against delinking because they would rather play safe in a highly competitive market these days,' Professor Li said. 'But if savings from the deregulation are spent on research and facilities, that will be good for the institution and the students.'
Lord Sutherland, chairman of the Steering Committee for the Higher Education Review, had said in releasing the report at the start of the year that breaking the link was a 'categorical imperative' as star academics could take up positions anywhere in the world.