Opinion | Alumni sign petition against appointment of Zhejiang University head

Many influential alumni of the prestigious Zhejiang University have come together in a rare protest to oppose the government appointment of a chemist who is widely speculated to become the university's new president.

An open letter by the alumni from Zhejiang University in eastern China, one of the nation's top universities, said Lin Jianhua was "mediocre" and called for someone with “honesty, integrity and ability” to be appointed the university's president, a position that has been vacant for months.

Lin is the current head of Chongqing University and is rumoured to become the next head of Zhejiang University, a post that will be appointed by the Ministry of Education.

The open letter, which was widely circulated online, also said Lin indirectly caused the suicide of a Chongqing University professor because of "mismanagement". Faculty members had been unhappy with Lin , the statement said.

The letter was referring to the apparent suicide of Professor Liang Xichang, who worked in a mechanical engineering laboratory at Chongqing University. His death in May came during Lin's tenure and after the lab was taken off a list of state-sponsored facilities.