Past and Present

PAST AND PRESENT

The University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary education institution in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1911, and opened in 1912 with teaching programmes in medicine, engineering and arts. Since then, the University has grown substantially, and now embraces a very wide range of teaching and research programmes. In 2017-18, the student population of the University (including postgraduate students) was approximately 28,600 headcounts and the professoriate staff population was around 1,090 headcounts. There are ten faculties: Architecture, Arts, Business and Economics, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences. Each faculty has a faculty office. Students needing advice on their studies and other academic matters should contact their home faculty office in the first instance.

GOVERNANCE OF THE UNIVERSITY

The University of Hong Kong is incorporated under the University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Chapter 1053 of 1964). The Ordinance defines the University's powers, duties, privileges and constitution. The Ordinance provides for the making of Statutes which set out important constitutional and procedural matters. It also empowers the University's Council and Senate to make regulations ordering the conduct of the University's day-to-day affairs.

The Ordinance and Statutes also define the responsibilities of the University's Court, Council, Senate and Boards of Faculties. All of these bodies may form committees and delegate their powers as they see fit.

The Court is the University's supreme advisory body, and comprises representatives of the University and other stakeholders. The Court offers a means whereby the wider interests served by the University can be associated with the University, and it provides a public forum where members of the Court can raise any matters about the University.

The Council is the supreme governing body and is responsible for the University's finances and investments, the management of estate and buildings, staff appointments and terms and conditions of service, and drafting of Statutes. The Council comprises University members (both staff and students) and lay members (i.e. persons who are not employees or students of the University), and the membership is specified in the Statutes by category of appointment. The Council has a lay majority and one of the lay members assumes the position of Chairman.

The Senate is the principal academic authority of the University. The President & Vice-Chancellor chairs the Senate which comprises mainly academic staff and students. Decisions of the Senate on academic matters which have financial or resource implications are subject to approval by the Council. Conversely, decisions by the Council which have academic implications are subject to consultation with the Senate, which is normally the initiating body in such matters.

The Boards of Faculties are responsible to the Senate for teaching and other work of the Faculties. There are currently ten Boards, supported by their own committees which exercise powers and perform duties delegated to them by the Boards.