Tuan quits as CUHK president after new governance rules come in

Rocky Tuan has announced his resignation as president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), stating that the implementation of a new governance structure – pushed through despite significant opposition – made it an “opportune moment” for him to move on.

Professor Tuan, who has led the institution since 2018, said that he would step down in January 2025, ahead of the end of his term the following year. The news followed the passing by Hong Kong’s governing body of a controversial bill that significantly lessens the role of staff and academics in decision-making.

The legislation downsizes CUHK’s governing council from 55 to 34 seats, with 23 of those reserved for external members. Internal representation has plummeted from 27 to 11 seats.

Local media linked the plan to legislators’ perception that Professor Tuan had been too soft on students involved in Hong Kong’s 2019 protests – a claim the university denied. But more than 1,500 people signed a petition against the reforms, warning that they could erode academic freedom at the university, giving lawmakers on the body outsize influence over decisions made by its administration.

One of the reformed council’s first decisions was to dismiss one of CUHK’s vice-presidents, Eric Ng, who also served as university secretary, citing a “loss of confidence” in his ability to support their work. Mr Ng, who had signed the petition opposing the new university ordinance, later said the dismissal left him “extremely shocked, aggrieved and sad”, according to local media.

In a statement, Professor Tuan said that he was “deeply grateful to the entire CUHK community for their support throughout my tenure”.

“As the new governance structure is implemented following the amendment of the CUHK ordinance, I believe now is an opportune moment for the university to search for a new vice-chancellor and president. Serving the CUHK community has been an extraordinary honour and a privilege,” he said.

Speaking to Times Higher Education last year, Professor Tuan had claimed that the academic brain drain from Hong Kong – driven by its strict Covid-19 measures as well as the controversial National Security Law, which prompted the protests at CUHK and elsewhere – was beginning to reverse.

“That was a little blip, but that blip is over,” he said. “Some folks who moved from Hong Kong, they’re coming back.”

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com