Rocky Tuan’s replacement as president of Hong Kong’s Chinese University must be given degree of independence, says former head
- Former vice-chancellor and president Ambrose King says clearer working relationship between academic head and university governing council also needed
- Some staff say Tuan’s sudden departure after criticism by Beijing loyalist politicians will damage morale and recruitment of academics
The academic appointed to replace Rocky Tuan Sung-chi as head of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) should be given “reasonable room” to make independent decisions, a former president of the institution has said.
Ambrose King Yeo-chi, who led CUHK from 2002 to 2004, on Wednesday added that only a clearer working relationship between the president and the university’s governing council could make the institution thrive.
Tuan was a target for pro-establishment politicians after lawmakers last year pressed ahead with legislation to change the make-up of the governing council.
Legislators wanted to see an increase in the number of external members on the council and new procedures for the appointment of presidents.
Tuan was earlier embroiled in controversy in the wake of the 2019 anti-government protests and his university became the first to promise to condemn “any proven case” of police violence.
But King, a sociologist and a former vice-chancellor and president of CUHK, told the Post he regretted Tuan’s resignation and that no individual should be held responsible for a university’s response to a citywide protest.