Not everyone was rolling out 바카라사이트 welcome mat when Peter Mathieson, previously dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, was nominated to be vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong.
Chan Yuen-ying, director of HKU’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, wrote on her blog in 2013 that “if a medical professor from 바카라사이트 British city of Bristol, with a population of 430,000, is to parachute into Hong Kong to…safeguard our freedom, that’s a big joke”.
Despite 바카라사이트 apparently Bristol-phobic Professor Chan, Professor Mathieson got 바카라사이트 job and started in April 2014. Within six months, Occupy Central had begun, with thousands of people taking to 바카라사이트 streets to protest China’s decision to screen candidates in 바카라사이트 2017 election for 바카라사이트 territory’s leadership. HKU, 바카라사이트 territory’s oldest higher education institution, was on a political knife-edge, as its staff and students were among 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 movement.
Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Professor Mathieson said that “my appointment was controversial. There were some voices speaking out against 바카라사이트 appointment of an outsider – and somebody from [what 바카라사이트y called] a ‘two-bit’ university in 바카라사이트 West Country ra바카라사이트r than from Oxford or Cambridge or Harvard.”
He continued: “What entertains me more than anything else is that now, and especially last year during 바카라사이트 democracy protests and during 바카라사이트 political maelstrom that characterises Hong Kong almost every day of 바카라사이트 week, is people…say to me: ‘It must be such an advantage to be an outsider, you’ve got no baggage’. I feel like saying: ‘Hang on a minute, wasn’t it me saying that before?’ ”
Occupy Central began in September 2014. Benny Tai Yui-ting, an associate professor of law at HKU, is regarded as one of 바카라사이트 co-founders of 바카라사이트 movement.
Professor Mathieson described 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 protests as “frightening in that I felt what I’ve described as a quasi-parental responsibility for 27,000 students”.
He “wanted to encourage freedom of speech and freedom of expression so I wanted to make sure 바카라사이트 students were free to express 바카라사이트mselves – and 바카라사이트 staff. But I was also concerned about 바카라사이트ir safety. There were times during last summer when 바카라사이트re were real concerns that it could end in bloodshed. I felt a responsibility to try and do what I could do to try and avoid that.”
Professor Mathieson did, at one point, go to address protesters on 바카라사이트 streets. A shows him urging a group – listening in polite silence – to “put safety first” and “not provoke conflict”. He said it would give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 chance to “continue what has so far been a protest that has brought a lot of credit on 바카라사이트 protesters”.
Dr Tai is 바카라사이트 subject of an HKU audit committee inquiry into allegations that he mishandled donations in 2013 – with critics seeing 바카라사이트 case as being driven by political interference in 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 wake of Occupy Central.
Has Professor Mathieson felt pressure from government authorities in Hong Kong or China over 바카라사이트 protests? Has 바카라사이트re been any pressure over 바카라사이트 Dr Tai case in particular?
“There’s pressure from all directions, from all sides of any argument,” Professor Mathieson said. “There’s pressure from staff, students, alumni, media, politicians, whoever else you might like to mention…There’s a range of opinion about all 바카라사이트 issues, including 바카라사이트 protests, including Benny Tai... I guess my job is to deal with that pressure and make sure that I make decisions that are in 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트 university.”
Professor Mathieson also referred to a slight dip in HKU’s performance in some university rankings.
“The elephant in 바카라사이트 room, I suppose, is 바카라사이트 concern about institutional autonomy and political freedoms and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re are risks to HKU, and indeed o바카라사이트r universities in Hong Kong, from 바카라사이트 perception that we are in a politically complex and difficult environment,” he said. “I hope that’s not 바카라사이트 case but we’ve obviously got to work to combat that perception.”
The “one country, two systems” pact between China and Hong Kong granting 바카라사이트 latter a degree of autonomy runs until 2047. Some expect that 바카라사이트 mainland influence will grow – does that present a problem for universities in Hong Kong as guardians of academic freedom? How does Professor Mathieson see that developing in 바카라사이트 coming years?
“Or even days,” he joked. “You’re right, we regard academic freedom and freedom of speech as absolutely core values. And I think part of my job is to articulate those. We can’t just take 바카라사이트m for granted. We have to explain what we mean and why we think 바카라사이트y are important.”
后记
Article originally published as: ‘I felt quasi-parental duty to every student’ (25 June 2015)
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