Academics fear loss of pay peg to scales in civil service

Delinking academics' salaries from civil service pay scales should be implemented cautiously to avoid instability, university chiefs have said.

Polytechnic University president Poon Chung-kwong urged caution because many questions needed to be answered first.

Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung announced this week that the government had adopted the University Grants Committee's recommendation in March that universities set their own salary levels, part of its review of higher education.

Professor Li said the proposal would not be enforced but would be left to individual institutions.

Professor Poon told the South China Morning Post that the proposal could allow universities wide flexibility in luring outstanding academics. But he said some staff, particularly those hired on contract terms, were worried about pay and conditions.

'It's unavoidable that some staff may have their pay cut if universities offered higher salaries to poach star academics,' Professor Poon said.