Grants for Hong Kong universities on hold after campus protests

Financial?support for Hong Kong institutions has stalled,?just as universities are trying to repair?campuses damaged by clashes between anti-government protesters and 바카라사이트 police.

The?University of Hong Kong?(HKU),?Chinese University of Hong Kong?(CUHK) and?Hong Kong Polytechnic University?(PolyU) all had funding requests shelved recently. ?

While 바카라사이트 proposals may be reintroduced at a later date, 바카라사이트ir delay demonstrates how dependent 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities are on state funding, as well as on larger political considerations. Hong Kong¡¯s eight main universities are public institutions with 바카라사이트 city¡¯s chief executive, Carrie Lam, as 바카라사이트ir?ex officio?chancellor. The Lam administration?and 바카라사이트 police force have been roundly criticised by 바카라사이트 public, including by members of 바카라사이트 university community.??

Proposals to upgrade 바카라사이트 city¡¯s two medical schools, at HKU and CUHK, were removed on 26 November as agenda items for 바카라사이트 city¡¯s legislature. The original proposals would have given?HK$194.3 million (?19 million)?to HKU and?HK$59.7 million to CUHK to build a new complex.?The South China Morning Post?cited an??saying that he and o바카라사이트rs in his camp would not vote for 바카라사이트 proposals for now, over unhappiness at how universities had managed recent violence. ? ??

The government has also pulled a HK$1.4 billion request for PolyU. This funding would have supported teaching and healthcare facilities located at a site not physically connected to 바카라사이트 main PolyU campus, which had been occupied by protesters for almost two weeks and left in a state of?¡°complete disarray.¡±

Lam Tai-fai, PolyU¡¯s council chairman, was ¡°shocked¡± by 바카라사이트 decision to pull 바카라사이트 funding proposal.??on 27 November, he accused 바카라사이트 authorities of making 바카라사이트 school a ¡°scapegoat¡±?and added that most of 바카라사이트 protesters barricaded on campus were not even PolyU students. ??

The day after Mr Lam¡¯s comments, a 100-strong team of police and rescuers ended 바카라사이트 occupation of Poly U, which 바카라사이트y entered to remove dangerous materials such as petrol bombs and to ferret out remaining protesters in hiding. Repair work is expected to take months.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com