HKU’s Tsui Lap-chee reflects on his 12 years as vice chancellor
From Sars to a policing controversy to building a new campus, Tsui Lap-chee reflects on his 12 years as vice chancellor, which end on April 1
A government or society may change, but a university, through its missions and traditions, should remain constant, says Professor Tsui Lap-chee, outgoing vice chancellor of the University of Hong Kong.
"The HKU tradition has been carried on for more than 100 years now. Of course, there have been small changes here and there," says Tsui, 63, a genetics researcher whose term finishes on April 1. "But the overall template, like its DNA, stays the same."
As for himself, Tsui says: "My ideas and tricks have worn out and I have no more to offer to the university. So I think it's time for a new vice chancellor to take over and to bring in new ideas for the next development phase for HKU."
Tsui served two five-year terms after almost 30 months as the university's interim leader. Professor Peter Mathieson, the former dean of medicine and dentistry at the University of Bristol in Britain, will succeed Tsui as the university's 15th vice chancellor. Tsui has not said what he plans to do in the future.
Tsui's last months have been marked by tension, with some faculty members expressing concern that politics could be undermining academic freedom. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Tsui reflected on his 12 years at HKU. He said it was important for the university to learn from society.
"There are things we can learn from the society, such as social work and education," he says. "How would we know it if we don't work with it?"