Concern over renaming at HKU

The University of Hong Kong announced last week that it was going to rename its faculty of medicine, which conducts groundbreaking research into severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza, in honor of a local tycoon who recently donated USD $128 million. The decision prompted alumni of the faculty to formally protest this week (May 23), saying the deal amounts to a sale of the faculty's reputation and could undermine the institution's academic independence. The Li Ka Shing Foundation announced the donation on May 5, saying that while there were no strings attached, the foundation wished to support education and biomedicine. On May 18, the University Council formally accepted the donation and at the same meeting proposed the renaming the Faculty of Medicine in recognition of the donation.In a letter to alumni, the dean of the faculty, Lam Shiu-kum, said: "It will be the beginning of a modern era of community giving towards the future of Hong Kong, an era of strategic partnership between the community and its universities."However, the announcement immediately drew protests from alumni, who held a press conference to air their concerns on Monday. One of the dissenters was Kwok Ka-Ki, the city's legislative council representative for the medical profession and a 1985 alumnus of the university. He told The Scientist after the event that while he acknowledged the generosity of the donation, the naming was a concern. "If the university wants to acknowledge a donor in this way, there should be a transparent process and discussions based on some criteria, and I don't think the size of the donation should be the first consideration," Kwok said. "This involves the naming, not of a building, but of a 118-year history and tradition. You have to establish a name, you can't buy it," said Tse Hung-Hing, a pediatrician in private practice who graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1978. "The buyer is not at fault, it is the decision to sell the name that is disgusting. If a name can be sold, then everything else can be sold. What about research results?" he told The Scientist.The university pointed out that such renaming is a common practice in North America, citing the University of California at Los Angeles's David Geffen School of Medicine, renamed in 2002 after he donated USD $200 million; Cornell University's Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College, renamed in 1998 after a USD $100 million donation; and Canada's McMaster University, which renamed its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine in 2004 following a USD $84 million donation.But Kwok raised concerns about potential risk to the university's academic independence. Li is arguably the city's most influential businessman. His Cheung Kong Group has listed companies spanning property development, infrastructure, utilities, information technology retail, traditional Chinese medicine, and life sciences in Hong Kong, mainland China, and internationally. CK Life Sciences Int'l (Holdings) Inc. has developed products in eco-agriculture, bioremediation, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and dermatologicals. "Li is a tycoon with a special interest in biomedical sciences, and once the university has a very close connection with such a businessman, you cannot stop people wondering if the academic independence of the institution has been lost," Kwok said.However, Malik Peiris, a leading SARS researcher at the faculty's Department of Microbiology, supported the move. "One of the major problems in university education and research in Asia is that it has been totally dependent on public funding, which has made it very difficult even for universities with a long history of excellence like HKU. This donation is a major landmark forward, and it's only fair to recognize such a major step. This is the option the university has chosen, and I fully support it. It will not adversely affect academic freedom," he said. The speed with which the decision was taken has left some faculty members bemused. "People were surprised by the hurry to rename it. The dean and the vice chancellor did their best to make it appear as if consultation had taken place, but people couldn't comprehend the rush," said one faculty member, speaking to The Scientist on condition of anonymity. "There are also concerns that the naming could affect future donations. Li Ka Shing is not a totally noncontroversial figure, and naming the faculty after him might inhibit other donors," he said.A written statement from the university reiterated that the naming will not affect the governance, status, identity, or daily operation of the medical faculty. "Recognizing the faculty's continuous excellence, Mr. Li and his foundation give their wholehearted support to the faculty's developments in biomedicine, which include basic and clinical research as well as medical education," the statement said.Nevertheless, the next step for disgruntled alumni is a signature campaign. "It's a good time for the university to rethink its actions. It's very dangerous if they are only chasing bigger and bigger donations. By and large, the government is still bearing more than 95% of the costs, and the public should have a say. Purity of research and academic freedom cannot be measured in dollars," said Kwok.

Concern over renaming at HKU

Hong Kong Uni puts a donor's name on med school, triggering worries about academic freedom

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