New Polytechnic University head has Greater Bay Area ambitions, but Hong Kong students have concerns over mainland-born president’s goals

A mainland-born engineering scholar will head Polytechnic University from July, amid concerns from Hong Kong students over his “Greater Bay Area” focus for the school’s development, and anti-independence stance.

The university announced in a press release that its council approved the appointment of Professor Teng Jinguang, born in Zhejiang province, as its next president on Tuesday. Teng is expected to take the reins of the institution from July 1 for a five-year term.

Presently vice-president and dean of the graduate school of Guangdong’s Southern University of Science and Technology, Teng will become the second mainland-born president of the city’s eight public universities when he takes office.

The University of Hong Kong physicist Professor Zhang Xiang become its first mainland-born president when he was appointed last year.

Teng, who worked at PolyU from 1994 to 2017, pledged to work closely with various stakeholders of the university, and help it develop strong education and research programmes in emerging areas, such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

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He added that establishing a foothold in the “Greater Bay Area” would be one of the university’s focuses.

“I am committed to making PolyU a key player in this cause, setting examples of how education and research collaborations between institutions of Hong Kong and other GBA cities can best serve the long-term interest of the area,” he said.

Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai said the council was confident that its new president’s outstanding academic standing, effective leadership, and his good understanding of PolyU, the local and the mainland environments, would help the university to scale new heights.

Speaking after an hour-long session, PolyU student union president Derek Liu Kin-kwan said Teng spent most of the time discussing his vision for the school’s involvement in the Greater Bay Area, a national plan to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities on the mainland to form a world-class technology hub.

Teng was hard-selling the Greater Bay Area. He hopes PolyU will have a place in the Greater Bay Area, and to open up a branch there

Derek Liu, PolyU student union president

This included establishing a new branch in mainland China.

“[Teng] was hard-selling the Greater Bay Area,” Liu said. “He hopes PolyU will have a place in the Greater Bay Area, and to open up a branch there.”

Liu said he was concerned that a new branch could mean the school’s resources would be spread thinly.

“As a publicly funded university, does PolyU have the resources to do that?” he asked, adding that he was worried about funding for current programmes.

Liu said that Teng also did not respond to questions from students over his views on the “democracy wall” row.

“He said he was not familiar with the matter and did not respond directly,” the student leader said. “We are disappointed.”

Liu was referring to the controversial expulsion of postgraduate student Gerald Ho Jun-him. Ho and three other students were punished for clashing with school administrators over the use of a campus bulletin board known as the “democracy wall”, after messages advocating Hong Kong independence were posted on it.

One other student was suspended, while two others were ordered to do community service.

Liu said Teng told students they should not discuss Hong Kong independence on campus, as this was against the Basic Law, which is often dubbed the city’s mini-constitution.

Teng did not respond to media inquiries on Tuesday, despite a request by the Post to the university.

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