The controversial plan to merge the University of Science and Technology with Chinese University was postponed yesterday after HKUST said it would not pursue the matter without government clarification on a number of key issues.
Speaking after a two-hour meeting, HKUST council chairman John Chan Cho-chak said members agreed that it would not be timely for the university to discuss mergers with other tertiary institutions.
'We will approach the government as soon as possible for clarifications regarding critical issues, including objectives of a merger, the funding implications, the research standard, and the culture of the two institutions,' Dr Chan said. 'After the government makes the clarifications, we may then consider the matter.'
A spokesman for Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung responded by saying the authorities welcomed the news that the university council had not rejected the concept of a merger.
'The government understood well the concerns of the university and knew about its wish to clarify with the government on several principle-related questions,' the spokesman said.
'The government will wait until a similar report has been completed by Chinese University before it carries out a comprehensive review on the issue.'
Even though Dr Chan sidestepped the question of whether the council had shelved the proposal, the decision has effectively halted progress of the merger.