Media

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is pleased to announce the appointment of two internationally renowned scholars as deans of two of its faculties to a fixed term of five years. They are:-

- Professor John P. Burns - Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences

- Professor Eric C. Chang - Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor John P. Burns, currently Chair Professor of Politics and Public Administration, will assume the Deanship from September 1, 2011. Professor Burns is succeeding Professor Ian M. Holliday who will return to his research and teaching work. 

Professor Eric C. Chang, currently Chair Professor of Finance and Quoin Professor in Finance in the School of Business, as well as Acting Dean of the Faculty since October 2009, will assume the Deanship from March 1, 2011.

Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice-Chancellor of HKU, is pleased that the Council has approved the appointments. He looks forward to seeing the respective faculties reaching new heights under the able leadership of the two professors. 

"Professor Burns is an internationally acclaimed academic leader in the field of comparative politics and public administration, specializing in China including Hong Kong.  He possesses proven administrative experience, as well as extensive exposure and connections with local and overseas institutions and government bodies.  He is a long-serving and dedicated senior professoriate member, and has made substantial and valuable contributions to the University on many fronts, "said Professor Tsui. 

Professor Tsui cited Professor Chang's distinguished academic credentials and his reputation as an internationally recognized scholar in his field and said: "Professor Chang has a most successful track record of management experience and leadership capability, and is admired as a fair leader with an open mind and a very high level of personal integrity. He is considered to be best placed to lead the Faculty at this stage and build further on its strengths, to achieve its vision to be a leading institution for business and economics education and research in Asia."

The biographical details of the two appointed Deans are:

Professor John P. Burns
Professor John P. Burns is currently Chair of Politics and Public Administration. He obtained undergraduate degrees from St. Olaf College and Oxford University, and a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University. He teaches courses and does research on comparative politics and public administration, specializing in China including Hong Kong. His research interests focus on public sector human resource management, civil service reform, party-state relations, and public sector reform. He is the author or editor of eight books, and his articles have appeared in the China Quarterly, Journal of Contemporary China, Pacific Affairs, and Public Administration and Development. He is a member of the Editorial Committee of the China Quarterly and served on the HKSAR Government's Civil Service Training and Development Advisory Committee from 1997 to 2003.

Professor Eric C. Chang
Professor Eric C. Chang is currently Quoin Professor in Finance and Chair Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Hong Kong.  He is also the founding director of the Centre of Financial Innovation and Risk Management of the Faculty. Originally trained as a civil engineer, Professor Chang received his B.S. degree from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, and his PhD in finance from Purdue University.  He began his academic career at the University of Iowa, moving to the University of Maryland in 1986, and becoming a full professor in 1994.  He joined the DuPree College of Management of Georgia Institute of Technology as Invesco Endowed Chair Professor of International Finance in 1995 and joined The University of Hong Kong as Chair of Finance in 1998. Professor Chang's research is in international finance, capital asset pricing, derivative securities, risk management, behavior finance, and mutual fund management. He has published articles in many leading finance journals and his work is recognised by many scholarly honors and awards.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606, email: pychoy@hku.hk  or Ms Melanie Wan (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk.