Hong Kong’s Open University head suggests national security law courses could be mandatory for students
- New president Paul Lam also says rebranding of institution to Hong Kong Metropolitan University is aimed at attracting global talent
- He tells press at first media briefing that he does not feel academic freedom has been affected by the security legislation
The new president of the Open University of Hong Kong has said courses on national security may be made mandatory for students, adding that learning about the Beijing-imposed legislation could prevent them from “getting into trouble”.
Paul Lam Kwan-sing, 61, who took the helm at the city’s biggest self-financing university this month, also said at his first meeting with the press on Thursday that he hoped the move to rename the institution the Hong Kong Metropolitan University would better reflect its status and attract more overseas talent.
“Under our generation education syllabus [for all first-year students], there are elements related to civic and moral education. I believe national security would also become part of those [courses],” Lam said.
“We must let students learn about the security law, and we will not rule out the possibility of making the [related courses] mandatory,” he said.
Lam, an environmental scientist and formerly a top administrator at publicly funded City University, said one of his priorities was to encourage students to be law abiding. “[Students] must not break Hong Kong laws and must observe university regulations so that they won’t get into trouble.”
The national security legislation, which came into effect last June, outlaws acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Schools and universities are required to promote national security education under the law.