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The Report was submitted by the Review Panel on February 14, 2003. At that meeting, the Council decided to conduct consultations with members and stakeholders of the University from February 15 to April 15, to be undertaken by an Ad Hoc Task Group. During the intensive two-month period of consultation, the Task Group met on three occasions and its members attended 16 meetings and open forums with members of Senate, Faculty Boards, students, academic and non-academic staff, and alumni. Nineteen written submissions were also received and carefully considered by the Task Group. The Task Group concluded that there was overwhelming support from the University community for the general principles of the Panel's package of reform. Although some have made positive comments or expressed concern over the details of implementation, the Task Group felt that there was clear ground for the adoption of the report, and that matters of detail could be addressed during implementation. Accordingly, the Task Group has recommended, unanimously, to Council that the Fit for Purpose report should be adopted as a package, for immediate implementation. Discussions with stakeholders will continue in the reform process to ensure that they understand the rationale of the package. Council approved the Task Group's recommendation at the meeting on April 29. It was also agreed that there should be flexibility in implementing some of the recommendations, provided that the broad principles laid down by the Review Panel are not compromised.
The Council has also set up an Implementation Working Party, as envisaged in the Fit for Purpose report, to undertake the reform of governance and management. It will be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, and the membership includes senior officers and academics of the University, as well as lay members of the Council. Additional members will be co-opted, where appropriate, to assist in specific aspects of the reform. The Council has mandated the Implementation Working Party to put in place all the mechanisms and process by December 31, 2003, so that each of the recommendations can begin to be implemented by then.
'This is a very significant milestone for the University's governance and management,' said Dr Victor Fung, Chairman of the Council. 'I am most grateful to the Review Panel for providing us with a blueprint for the reform of HKU's governance and management structures that will make us fit for purpose. I must also express my deep appreciation to members of the University and the wider communities which we serve for their support during the review. With the Council's resolution, we can now bring closure to the review and move immediately on to implementation.'
Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, commented, 'We have a very important job to be done. The Fit for Purpose report has given us the philosophical basis and conceptual framework, based on international best practice, for reforming the governance and management structures at HKU. Under the steer of the Council and with the support of the whole University family, I am confident that we can deliver this package of reform, to better equip us to face the challenging times ahead in Hong Kong's higher education sector.'
Media enquiries should be addressed to Mr. Eric Ng, Senior Assistant Registrar (tel: 2241 5864).
HKU to reform its governance and management structures
29 Apr 2003
At its meeting on April 29, 2003, the Council of the University of Hong Kong adopted the Report, Fit for Purpose, produced by the Review Panel on University Governance and Management, comprising Professor John Niland, Professor Neil Rudenstine and the Hon. Chief Justice Andrew Li.
The Report was submitted by the Review Panel on February 14, 2003. At that meeting, the Council decided to conduct consultations with members and stakeholders of the University from February 15 to April 15, to be undertaken by an Ad Hoc Task Group. During the intensive two-month period of consultation, the Task Group met on three occasions and its members attended 16 meetings and open forums with members of Senate, Faculty Boards, students, academic and non-academic staff, and alumni. Nineteen written submissions were also received and carefully considered by the Task Group. The Task Group concluded that there was overwhelming support from the University community for the general principles of the Panel's package of reform. Although some have made positive comments or expressed concern over the details of implementation, the Task Group felt that there was clear ground for the adoption of the report, and that matters of detail could be addressed during implementation. Accordingly, the Task Group has recommended, unanimously, to Council that the Fit for Purpose report should be adopted as a package, for immediate implementation. Discussions with stakeholders will continue in the reform process to ensure that they understand the rationale of the package. Council approved the Task Group's recommendation at the meeting on April 29. It was also agreed that there should be flexibility in implementing some of the recommendations, provided that the broad principles laid down by the Review Panel are not compromised.
The Council has also set up an Implementation Working Party, as envisaged in the Fit for Purpose report, to undertake the reform of governance and management. It will be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, and the membership includes senior officers and academics of the University, as well as lay members of the Council. Additional members will be co-opted, where appropriate, to assist in specific aspects of the reform. The Council has mandated the Implementation Working Party to put in place all the mechanisms and process by December 31, 2003, so that each of the recommendations can begin to be implemented by then.
'This is a very significant milestone for the University's governance and management,' said Dr Victor Fung, Chairman of the Council. 'I am most grateful to the Review Panel for providing us with a blueprint for the reform of HKU's governance and management structures that will make us fit for purpose. I must also express my deep appreciation to members of the University and the wider communities which we serve for their support during the review. With the Council's resolution, we can now bring closure to the review and move immediately on to implementation.'
Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, commented, 'We have a very important job to be done. The Fit for Purpose report has given us the philosophical basis and conceptual framework, based on international best practice, for reforming the governance and management structures at HKU. Under the steer of the Council and with the support of the whole University family, I am confident that we can deliver this package of reform, to better equip us to face the challenging times ahead in Hong Kong's higher education sector.'
Media enquiries should be addressed to Mr. Eric Ng, Senior Assistant Registrar (tel: 2241 5864).
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