View source for University of Hong Kong

{{Short description|Public university in Pokfulam, Hong Kong}}
{{Redirect|HKU|the MTR station|HKU station|other uses|HKU (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date = February 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = The University of Hong Kong
 | native_name            = 香港大學
 | native_name_lang       = zh-hk
 | image                  = University of Hong Kong coat of arms.png
 | image_upright          = .7
 | caption                = [[Coat of arms]]
 | motto                  = {{lang|la|Sapientia et Virtus}} ([[Latin]])<br/>{{lang|zh-HK|明德格物}} ([[Classical Chinese]])
 | mottoeng               = Wisdom and Virtue
 | established            = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1887|10|1}} (as Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese)<br/>{{Start date and age|df=yes|1911|3|30}} (as the University of Hong Kong)
 | type                   = [[Public university|Public]]
 | academic_affiliation   = {{hlist|[[Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning|ASAIHL]]|[[Association of Pacific Rim Universities|APRU]]||[[Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance|BHUA]]|[[Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance|GHMUA]]|[[Universitas 21]]}}
 | chancellor             = {{Hong Kong university chancellor}}
 | president              = [[Xiang Zhang]]
 | head_label             = Pro-chancellor
 | head                   = [[David Li]]
 | provost                = [[Richard Wong]]<ref name=VP>{{cite web
   |url=https://presidentoffice.hku.hk/smt/smt.html |title=President's Office
   |website=The University of Hong Kong
   |location=[[Hong Kong]]
   |access-date=15 June 2022
   }}</ref>
 | vice-president         = Gong Peng<ref name=VP/><br /> [[Ian Holliday]]<ref name=VP/><br />Max Shen<ref name=VP/>
 | academic_staff         = 9,288 (2023)<ref name=staffprofile>{{cite web
   |url=https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/staff-profiles
   |title=QuickStats – Staff Profiles
   |website=The University of Hong Kong
   |location=[[Hong Kong]]
   |access-date=2024-08-20
   |archive-date=17 September 2024
   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917105445/https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/staff-profiles
   |url-status=live
   }}</ref>
 | administrative_staff   = 4,427 (2023)<ref name=staffprofile/>
 | students               = 39,166 (2023)<ref name=studentprofile>{{cite web
   |url=https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/student-profiles
   |title=QuickStats – Student Profiles
   |website=The University of Hong Kong
   |location=[[Hong Kong]]
   |access-date=19 August 2024
   |archive-date=30 October 2018
   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030090747/https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/student-profiles
   |url-status=live
   }}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 18,491 (47.2%) (2023)<ref name=studentprofile/>
 | postgrad               = 20,675 (52.8%) (2023)<ref name=studentprofile/>
 | city                   = [[Pok Fu Lam]]
 | country                = Hong Kong
 | coor                   = {{Coord|22|17|03|N|114|08|16|E|type:edu|display=inline,title}}
 | campus                 = Urban
 | campus_size            = {{convert|17.7|hectare|sqkm}} (Main campus)<br/>{{convert|70.1|hectare|sqkm}} (Total)<ref name=HKUA>{{Cite web
   |url=https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/space
   |title=QuickStats – Space
   |website=The University of Hong Kong
   |location=[[Hong Kong]]
   |date=2022
   |access-date=12 September 2023
   |archive-date=28 October 2023
   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028080715/https://www.cpao.hku.hk/qstats/space
   |url-status=live
   }}</ref>
 | free_label             = Newspaper
 | free                   = ''Undergrad HKUSU'' (Chinese)
 | colours                = {{color box|#005A33}} Dark green<ref>{{Cite web
   |url=https://100.hku.hk/v1/index0b69.html
   |title=The 'HKU 100' Logo
   |website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Centenary
   |location=[[Hong Kong]]
   |access-date=1 December 2024
   }}</ref>
 | mascot                 = [[Lion]]
 | affiliations           = {{hlist|[[Association of Commonwealth Universities|ACU]]|Heads of Universities Committee|[[Self-financing Higher Education in Hong Kong#Quality Assurance|JQRC]]|[[Joint University Programmes Admissions System|JUPAS]]|[[Washington University in St. Louis#McDonnell International Scholars Academy|MISA]]|[[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|UGC]]}}
 | website                = {{Official URL}}
 | logo                   = University of Hong Kong Logo.svg
 | logo_upright           = 1.2
 | module                 = {{infobox Chinese
  | child     = yes
  | s         = 香港大学
  | t         = 香港大學
  | p         = Xiānggǎng Dàxué
  | w         = 
  | mi        = 
  | j         = Hoeng1gong2 Daai6hok6
  | y         = Hēunggóng Daaihhohk
  | ci        = {{IPAc-yue|h|oeng|1|.|g|ong|2|-|d|aai|6|.|h|ok|6}}
  | order = st}}
}}

'''The''' '''University of Hong Kong''' ('''HKU''') is a [[public university]] in [[Pok Fu Lam]], [[Hong Kong]]. It was founded in 1887 as the [[Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese]] by the [[London Missionary Society]] and formally established as the University of Hong Kong in 1911. It is the oldest [[Higher education in Hong Kong|tertiary institution in Hong Kong]].<ref name=HKUHistory/>

The university was established and proposed by Governor [[Frederick Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard|Sir Frederick Lugard]] in an effort to compete with the other [[European balance of power#19th century|Great Powers]] opening universities in China. The university's governance consists of three bodies: the Court, the Council, and the Senate. These three bodies all have their own separate roles. The Court acts as the overseeing and legislative body of the university, the Council acts as governing body of the University, and the Senate as the principal academic authority of the university.

The university currently has ten academic faculties and 20 residential halls and colleges for its students, with English being its main [[Language of instruction|medium of instruction]] and assessment.

The university has educated many notable alumni in many fields. Among them is [[Sun Yat-sen]], the founder of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]], a graduate of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, the predecessor of HKU. Notable alumni in the field of politics include [[Anson Chan]], [[Carrie Lam]], [[Jasper Tsang]] and [[Regina Ip]].

The university is ranked 1st in Asia<ref>{{cite web | title=QS Asia University Rankings 2026 - Overall | url=https://www.topuniversities.com/asia-university-rankings }}</ref> and 11th in the world according to QS University Rankings.

==History==

===Founding===
[[File:HKU1912.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Main Building of the University of Hong Kong|Main Building]] in 1912]]

The origins of the University of Hong Kong can be traced back to the [[Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese]], founded in 1887 by [[Ho Kai]] (later known as Sir Kai Ho Kai). It was renamed the Hong Kong College of Medicine in 1907.<ref name=Mellor1980>{{cite book
|author=Bernard Mellor
|title=The University of Hong Kong, An informal History
|date=1980
|publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=36AlAQAAIAAJ
|access-date=15 December 2024
|isbn=9789622090231
}}</ref> The college was later incorporated as [[Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine|HKU's medical school]] in 1911.

The University of Hong Kong was founded in 1911. The [[Governor of Hong Kong|colony's governor]], [[Frederick Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard|Sir Frederick Lugard]] (1858-1945), first proposed in January 1908 during a graduation ceremony at [[St Stephen's College (Hong Kong)|St Stephen's College]] to establish a university in Hong Kong to compete with the other Great Powers opening universities in China, most notably [[Prussia]], which had just opened the [[Tongji University|Tongji German Medical School]] in Shanghai.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History – Hong Kong Library Association {{!}} HKLA |url=https://hkla.org/about-us/history/ |access-date=2025-09-01 |language=en}}</ref> Sir Lugard saw the establishment of the university as an opportunity to promote British culture to China and the Chinese people through education, in turn enhancing Britain's influence in the [[Far East]]. He quoted saying, "We must either now take those opportunities or leave them for others to take...".<ref name=HKUHistory/><ref>{{Cite book
|author=Tin Sun-pao 丁新豹
|url=https://hku.hk/visit/uploads/docs/trailpdf/HKU%20Heritage%20Trails%20HKU%20Story.pdf
|title=港大故事
|date=8 January 2012
|access-date=27 December 2024
|publisher=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Centennial
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|language=zh
|trans-title=HKU Story
}}</ref> [[Hormusjee Naorojee Mody|Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody]], an Indian [[Parsi]] businessman in Hong Kong, learned of Lugard's plan and pledged to donate {{Currency|150000|HKD}} towards the construction and {{HKD|30000}} towards other costs.<ref name="discretion">{{cite book
|author1=Sayer, G.R.
|author2=Evans, D.M.E.
|title=Hong Kong 1862–1919: Years of Discretion
|publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=1985
}}</ref> The [[Government of Hong Kong|Hong Kong Government]] and the business sector in southern China, which were both equally eager to learn "secrets of the West's success" (referring to technological advances made since the [[Industrial Revolution]]), also gave their support. The Government contributed a site at West Point. [[Swire Group]] contributed {{Currency|40000|GBP|linked=no}} to endow a chair in Engineering, in addition to thousands of dollars in equipment (its aim was partly to bolster its corporate image following the death of a passenger on board one of its ships, ''[[SS Fatshan (1887)|SS Fatshan]]'', and the subsequent unrest stirred by the Self-Government Society).<ref>Taikoo by Charles Drage published 1970, pages 170–2</ref> Along with donations from other donors including the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] and companies such as [[HSBC]], Lugard finally had enough to fund the building of the university.

Charles Eliot was appointed the university's first vice-chancellor.<ref name=discretion/> As Governor of Hong Kong, Lugard laid the [[foundation stone]] of the Main Building on 16 March 1910.<ref name=HKUHistory>{{cite web
|url=https://hku.hk/about/university-history/the-early-years.html
|title=The Early Years
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=30 November 2024
|archive-date=6 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106221600/https://www.hku.hk/about/university-history/the-early-years.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The university was incorporated in Hong Kong as a self-governing body of scholars on 30 March 1911 and had its official opening ceremony on 11 March 1912. It was founded as an all-male institution; women were admitted for the first time ten years later.<ref name="HKUHistory"/>

The school opened with three founding faculties: Arts, Engineering, and Medicine.<ref name="HKUHistory"/><ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://arts.hku.hk/aboutus
|title=About HKU Faculty of Arts
|access-date=10 June 2013
|archive-date=13 March 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313031536/http://arts.hku.hk/aboutus
|url-status=dead
|website=Faculty of Arts, The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> The Faculty of Medicine was previously founded as the [[Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese]] by the [[London Missionary Society]] in 1887.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.med.hku.hk/v1/about-the-faculty
|title=Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong {{!}} About the Faculty 
|website=[[Internet Archive]]
|location=[[San Francisco]], [[California (state)|CA]], [[USA]]
|access-date=20 December 2024
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328161704/http://www.med.hku.hk/v1/about-the-faculty
|archive-date=28 March 2015
|df=dmy-all
}}</ref> Of the College's early alumni, the most renowned was [[Sun Yat-sen]],<ref name=HKUHistory/> who led the [[1911 Revolution]], which transformed China from an empire ([[Qing dynasty]]) to a republic ([[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]]). In December 1916, the university held its first convocation, with 23 graduates and five honorary graduates.

===Move towards Chinese cultural education, and WW2===
[[File:Hku1946.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Main Building in 1946, with visible damage from the Second World War]]
After the [[Canton–Hong Kong strike |Canton–Hong Kong strikes of 1925 and 1926]], the government moved towards greater integration of Eastern culture, increasing the number of Chinese courses.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://i.imgsafe.org/7e7597a.png
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311074253/https://i.imgsafe.org/7e7597a.png
|url-status=dead
|title=University of Hong Kong Certificate Examination, 1935
|archive-date=11 March 2016
|website=[[Internet Archive]]
|location=[[San Francisco]], [[California (state)|CA]], [[USA]]
}}</ref> In 1927, a degree in Chinese was created. Donations from wealthy businessmen Tang Chi Ngong and Fung Ping Shan – after whom two campus buildings are named – triggered an emphasis on Chinese cultural education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=香港大学, The University of Hong Kong,香港大学排名,香港大学简介 |url=https://www.shinewrite.com/245_school.html |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=www.shinewrite.com}}</ref> In 1937, the [[Queen Mary Hospital (Hong Kong)|Queen Mary Hospital]] opened. It has served as the university's teaching hospital ever since.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} About Us {{!}} School of Chinese, The University of Hong Kong |url=https://web.chinese.hku.hk/en/general_information/history/ |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=web.chinese.hku.hk |language=en}}</ref> In 1941, the [[Battle of Hong Kong|Japanese invasion of Hong Kong]] caused damage to university buildings, and the university closed until 1945; during this period, the university's medical school moved to [[Chengdu]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong |title=HKUMed: 135 Years of Medicine in Hong Kong |url=https://135-med.hku.hk/ |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=HKUMed |language=en}}</ref>

===1945 to 2001===
After the end of the [[World War II|Second World War]], the university reopened and investment in law and the [[social sciences]] increased as post-war reconstruction efforts began in earnest. The Faculty of Social Sciences was established in 1967 and the [[HKU Faculty of Law|Department of Law]] in 1969. The student population in 1961 was 2,000, quadrupled from 1941, and in 1980 the number of students exceeded 5,500.<ref name=Mellor1980/>

In 1958, the librarian of University of Hong Kong, Mrs. Dorothea Scott, organized a meeting of over 40 library practitioners at the [[Fung Ping Shan Building|Fung Ping Shan Library]] on 3 April to determine and establish a library association for Hong Kong, the [[Hong Kong]] Library Association.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=History of Hong Kong Library Association
|website=[[Hong Kong]] Library Association
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://hkla.org/about-us/history
|access-date=20 December 2024
|language=en
}}</ref>

In 1982, the [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry|Faculty of Dentistry]], based at the [[Prince Philip Dental Hospital]], was established. To this day, it remains Hong Kong's only faculty training dental professionals. In 1984, both the School of Architecture and School of Education became fully-fledged faculties and in the same year the [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law|Faculty of Law]] was created. The Faculty of Business and Economics was established in 2001 as the university's tenth and youngest faculty.

After 1989, the Hong Kong government began to emphasise local tertiary education in order to retain local students who would otherwise have studied abroad in the United Kingdom. Student places and course variety were greatly increased in preparation for the [[handover of Hong Kong]]. By 2001, the number of students had grown to 14,300 and the number of degree courses to over a hundred.

===2001 to present===
[[File:Overlook The University of Hong Kong.jpg|thumb|The University's campus in present day]]
In 2002, ''Growing with Hong Kong: The University and Its Graduates — The First 90 Years'' was published by the [[Hong Kong University Press]] as a study of the impact of HKU's graduates on Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite book
|title=Growing with Hong Kong: The University and Its Graduates — The First 90 Years
|date=October 2002
|access-date=15 December 2024
|isbn=978-962-209-613-4
|url=https://hkupress.hku.hk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1326
|publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

In January 2006, despite protest from a portion of students and alumni, the Faculty of Medicine was renamed as the [[Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine]]
"to recognize the generosity of Mr [[Li Ka-shing|Li]] and his Foundation as well as the wish of the donors to support, in addition to the general development of the University, research and academic activities in medicine."<ref>{{cite book
|author1=Frank Ching
|author2=Frank Ching
|chapter=The Naming of the Faculty
|title=130 Years of Medicine in Hong Kong: From the College of Medicine for Chinese to the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
|journal=130 Years of Medicine in Hong Kong
|date=15 March 2018
|pages=435–472
|publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]]
|location=[[Berlin]], [[Germany]]
|doi=10.1007/978-981-10-6316-9_15
|pmc=7121639
|isbn=978-981-10-6316-9
}} {{open access}}</ref>

On 16 August 2011, [[Li Keqiang]], [[Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China]], began a three-day visit to promote development between Hong Kong and [[mainland China]].<ref name=hk818>{{cite web
|author=馬玉佳
|url=http://china.org.cn/china/2011-08/17/content_23226159.htm
|title=Li Keqiang expresses support to Hong Kong
|website=China.org.cn
|location=[[Beijing]], [[China]]
|date=17 August 2011
|access-date=3 December 2024
}}</ref><ref name="msn1">{{cite web
|title=港大人圍攻 徐立之含淚 千人校園悼自由 徐：完全支持學生
|language=zh
|trans-website=[[Ming Pao]] Website
|date=27 August 2011
|website=[[Ming Pao|明報網站]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=30 August 2011
|url=http://news.hk.msn.com/highlight/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5395726
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061541/http://news.hk.msn.com/highlight/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5395726
|archive-date=17 March 2012
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> The university was locked down. The mishandling by the police force caused the [[Hong Kong 818 incident]].<ref name=hk818/> In a statement to the HKU community, the university vice-chancellor [[Lap-Chee Tsui]] admitted that the security arrangements could have been better planned and organised, and apologised to students and alumni for not having been able to prevent the incident. He assured them that "the University campus belongs to students and teachers, and that it will always remain a place for [[freedom of expression]]".<ref>{{cite web
|last=Tsui
|first= Lap-Chee
|title=About The University of Hong Kong Centenary Ceremony
|url=http://hku.hk/hkumedia/818/bulkmail2.html
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=7 November 2011
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415070820/http://hku.hk/hkumedia/818/bulkmail2.html
|archive-date=15 April 2012
}}</ref> On 30 August 2011, the university council resolved to set up a panel to review issues arising from the vice premier's visit, to improve arrangements and to set up policies for future university events that are consistent with its commitment to freedom of expression.

From 2010 to 2012, the university celebrated its 100th anniversary and the opening of the Centennial Campus at the western end of the university site in [[Pokfulam]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://100.hku.hk/forward_to_the_second_century
|title=Forward to the second century
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Centenary
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=February 2013
|access-date=1 December 2024
}}</ref> [[University of Hong Kong–Shenzhen Hospital|The University of Hong Kong–Shenzhen Hospital]], one of the two [[teaching hospital]]s of the university, also opened in 2011.<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://nytimes.com/2013/07/15/world/asia/University-of-Macau-Moves-Over-the-China-Border.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
|title=University of Macau Moves Over the China Border
|first1=Calvin
|last1=Yang
|first2=Joyce
|last2=Lau
|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NY]], [[USA]]
|date=14 July 2013
|access-date=3 December 2024
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.shenzhen-standard.com/2011/07/28/binhai-hospital-to-open-before-the-year-ends
|title=Binhai Hospital to Open Before the Year Ends
|first=Jasmin
|last=Sasin
|newspaper=Shenzhen Standard
|location=[[Shenzhen]], [[China]]
|date=28 July 2011
|access-date=13 August 2013
}}</ref>

On 10 April 2015, HKU declared itself as the first university in the world to join [[HeForShe]], a UN Women initiative urging men to achieve more female rights.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://hku.hk/press/news_detail_12579.html
|title=HKU as the first world university launches HeForShe on campus: A UN initiative on gender balance
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Media
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=1 December 2024
}}</ref> The university promised that it would triple the number of female dean-level members by 2020, so that more than 1 out of every 5 deans would be women.<ref>{{cite magazine
|url=https://time.com/3845686/ceos-and-university-leaders-join-the-uns-heforshe-movement
|title=UN Women's HeForShe Movement Allies With CEOs, Universities
|author=Charlotte Alter
|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]
|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NY]], [[USA]]
|access-date=3 July 2015
|date=5 May 2015
}}</ref>

On 15 December 2017, the university's governing council appointed [[University of California, Berkeley]] nanoscience professor [[Xiang Zhang]] to the posts of President and Vice-Chancellor with effect from January 2018. Zhang was the first vice-chancellor of the university born in mainland China and educated to undergraduate degree level there.<ref>{{cite news
|title=HKU announces recommendation of Chinese-American scholar Zhang Xiang as school's next vice-chancellor
|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2017/12/13/hku-announces-recommendation-chinese-american-scholar-zhang-xiang-schools-next-vice-chancellor
|last=Cheung
|first=Karen
|newspaper=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=13 December 2017
|access-date=13 December 2017
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|title=University of Hong Kong appoints Chinese-American scholar Zhang Xiang as vice-chancellor
|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2017/12/16/university-hong-kong-appoints-chinese-american-scholar-zhang-xiang-vice-chancellor
|last=Cheung
|first=Karen
|newspaper=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=16 December 2017
|access-date=17 December 2017
}}</ref>

On 4 September 2023, the university announced the appointment of [[Fraser Stoddart]], a [[chemist]] and [[Nobel Prize|Nobel]] [[Laureate]], as a Chair Professor.<ref name=Stoddart>{{cite web
|url=https://hku.hk/press/news_detail_26533.html
|title= Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart joins HKU as Chair Professor of Chemistry
|date=4 September 2023
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Media
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> Stoddart has been a Board of Trustees Professor of Chemistry at [[Northwestern University]], IL, USA for the past 16 years.<ref name=Stoddart/> Stoddart's ground-breaking research has garnered numerous accolades and awards, including the prestigious 2007 [[Faisal of Saudi Arabia|King Faisal]] International Prize in Science. In 2016, he shared the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] with [[Bernard L. Feringa]] and [[Jean-Pierre Sauvage]] for their work on the design and synthesis of [[molecular machines]].<ref name=Stoddart/> HKU was "deeply saddened" to report the passing of Stoddart on 31 December 2024,<ref>{{Cite web
|title=HKU deeply saddened by the passing of renowned Nobel Laureate and Chair Professor, Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart
|date=31 December 2024
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Media
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://hku.hk/press/news_detail_28022.html
|access-date=1 January 2025
}}</ref> at the age of 82.<ref>{{Cite web
|author=William Yiu
|title=Fraser Stoddart, Nobel laureate and professor at University of Hong Kong, dies
|website=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=31 December 2024
|url=https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3292928/fraser-stoddart-nobel-laureate-and-professor-university-hong-kong-dies
|access-date=1 January 2025
}}</ref>

====2015 political interference====
{{main|University of Hong Kong pro-vice-chancellor selection controversy}}

The HKU Council made headlines in 2015 for alleged political interference behind the selection process for a new pro-vice chancellor. A selection committee unanimously recommended the council appoint [[Johannes Chan]] to the post, which involved the responsibility for staffing and resources, and which had been left vacant for five years.<ref name=hkfpexplainer>{{cite news
|last1=Cheng
|first1=Kris
|title=Explainer: The HKU Council pro-vice-chancellor debacle
|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2015/09/30/explainer-hku-council-rejects-johannes-chan-appointment-to-pro-vice-chancellor
|work=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=30 September 2015
}}</ref> Chan, the former dean of the Faculty of Law, was a distinguished scholar in constitutional law and human rights and "a vocal critic on Hong Kong's political reform issues".<ref name=scmpchan>{{cite news
|last1=Ng
|first1=Joyce
|title=Johannes Chan's appointment vote at Hong Kong University: why it's a big deal
|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1862412/five-points-note-johannes-chans-appointment-vote
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=29 September 2015
|archive-date=2 October 2015
|access-date=4 October 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002012835/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1862412/five-points-note-johannes-chans-appointment-vote
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref name=reuters1>{{cite news
|last1=Pomfret
|first1=James
|title=Hong Kong university faces pressure from pro-Beijing opponents of liberal scholar
|url=https://reuters.com/article/hongkong-university-idUSL3N11Z2TV20150929
|work=[[Reuters]]
|location=[[London]], [[UK]]
|date=29 September 2015
|access-date=3 July 2017
|archive-date=6 November 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106193116/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/29/hongkong-university-idUSL3N11Z2TV20150929|url-status=live
}}</ref> Owing to his liberal political stance, Chan was roundly criticised by Communist Party-controlled media including ''[[Wen Wei Po]]'', ''[[Ta Kung Pao]]'', and ''[[Global Times]]'', which together published at least 350 articles attacking him.<ref name=hkfpexplainer/><ref>{{cite news
|last1=Ng
|first1=Joyce
|title=HKU law professors unite to denounce Wen Wei Po attack on Johannes Chan
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=13 February 2015
|page=A3
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|last1=Zeng
|first1=Vivienne
|title=State-run Global Times slams 'Occupy ringleader' Johannes Chan over HKU appointment row
|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/09/30/state-run-global-times-slams-occupy-ringleader-johannes-chan-over-hku-appointment-row/
|work=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=30 September 2015
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|last1=Cohen
|first1=Jerome A.
|last2=Cheung
|first2=Alvin
|title=Delay in HKU appointment of Johannes Chan makes a mockery of Beijing's pledged support for rule of law
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=25 September 2015
}}</ref>

Customarily the HKU Council accepts the recommendations of search committees for senior posts, with no prior recommendation having been rejected by the council.<ref name=scmpchan/><ref name=csm1/><ref name=voa1>{{cite news
|last1=Huang
|first1=Joyce
|title=Beijing Seen as Meddling in Hong Kong University Election
|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/beijing-seen-as-meddling-in-hong-kong-university-election/2986995.html
|work=[[Voice of America]]
|location=[[Washington DC]], [[USA]]
|date=1 October 2015
|archive-date=8 April 2025
|access-date=8 April 2025
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408183627/https://www.voanews.com/a/beijing-seen-as-meddling-in-hong-kong-university-election/2986995.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The council was criticised when it delayed the decision to appoint Chan, stating that it should wait until a new provost was in place. Finally, in September 2015, the council rejected Chan's appointment (12 votes to eight) through an anonymous vote in a closed meeting, providing no reason for the decision.<ref name=hkfpexplainer/> Political interference was widely suspected and the opacity of the council criticised.<ref name=csm1>{{cite news
|last1=Marquand
|first1=Robert
|title=China meddles in Hong Kong rejection of top university figure
|url=http://csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2015/0930/China-meddles-in-Hong-Kong-rejection-of-top-university-figure
|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]
|location=[[Boston]], [[Massachusetts|MA]], [[USA]]
|date=30 September 2015
}}</ref>

The decision is seen widely viewed as a pro-government act of retaliation against "pro-democracy leaders and participants" and a blow to academic freedom.<ref name=scmpchan/><ref name=csm1/> Six members of the council are directly appointed by the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]], who acts as chancellor of all publicly funded tertiary institutions in the territory.<ref>{{cite news
|last1=Lo
|first1=Alex
|title=Chief executive as chancellor of Hong Kong universities is an anachronism
|url=http://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1838191/chief-executive-chancellor-hong-kong-universities?page=all
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=13 July 2015
|archive-date=30 November 2024
|access-date=12 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130072452/https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1838191/chief-executive-chancellor-hong-kong-universities?page=all
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Five members are delegates to the [[National People's Congress]] in Beijing and, as such, are obliged to toe the Communist Party line or risk expulsion.<ref name=nytimes11>{{cite news
|last1=Forsythe
|first1=Michael
|title=Vote at Hong Kong University Stirs Concern Over Beijing's Influence
|url=https://nytimes.com/2015/10/01/world/asia/hong-kong-university-votes-against-promoting-johannes-chan.html?_r=1
|work=[[The New York Times]]
|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NY]], [[USA]]
|date=30 September 2015
|access-date=3 December 2024
}}</ref> In overall Council makeup, university students and staff are outnumbered by members from outside the university.<ref name=nytimes11/>

The decision was decried by student groups including the [[Hong Kong University Students' Union]] and [[Hong Kong Federation of Students]], faculty members, leading international law scholars, and legislators.<ref name=hkfpexplainer/><ref name=nytimes11/><ref name=swinging>{{cite news
|last1=Zhao
|first1=Shirley
|last2=Ng
|first2=Joyce
|last3=Au Yeung
|first3=Alan
|title=Going down swinging: University of Hong Kong's Johannes Chan decries political interference and wants reasons after appointment defeat
|url=https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1862650/going-down-swinging-university-hong-kongs
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=30 September 2015
}}</ref><ref name=ibtimes/> They noted that the decision would serve as a warning to other academics not to engage in pro-democratic politics and would severely tarnish Hong Kong's reputation for academic freedom and education excellence.<ref name=voa1/><ref name=ibtimes>{{cite news
|last1=Tejas
|first1=Aditya
|title=Johannes Chan Blocked From Hong Kong University Post, Raising Academic Freedom Concerns
|url=http://ibtimes.com/johannes-chan-blocked-hong-kong-university-post-raising-academic-freedom-concerns-2120232
|work=[[International Business Times]]
|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|NY]], [[USA]]
|date=30 September 2015
|archive-date=21 January 2025
|access-date=10 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121043455/https://www.ibtimes.com/johannes-chan-blocked-hong-kong-university-post-raising-academic-freedom-concerns-2120232
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The law faculty also refuted the allegations against Chan.<ref name=scmprow>{{cite news
|last1=Cheung
|first1=Tony
|title=University of Hong Kong's law faculty defends former dean Johannes Chan amid fallout from appointment row
|url=https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1864080/university-hong-kongs-law-faculty-defends-former
|work=[[South China Morning Post]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=5 October 2015
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|title=HKU faculty of law praises leadership of former dean|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20151005-hku-faculty-law-praises-leadership-former-dean
|work=[[Hong Kong Economic Journal]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=5 October 2015
}}</ref> Billy Fung, student union president, revealed details of the discussion to the public and was subsequently expelled from the council.<ref name=hkfpfundsus>{{cite news
|last1=Kilpatrick
|first1=Ryan
|title=Student Union 'whistleblower' Billy Fung barred from HKU Council meetings
|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2015/10/27/student-union-whistleblower-billy-fung-barred-from-hku-council-meetings
|work=[[Hong Kong Free Press]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=27 October 2015
}}</ref>

==Campuses==
{{main|Campuses of the University of Hong Kong}}

[[File:Main Building of the University of Hong Kong and clock tower.JPG|thumb|Main Building]]
[[File:University of Hong Kong.jpg|thumb|Main Building corridor]]
[[File:The University of Hong Kong.jpg|thumb|[[Eliot Hall and May Hall|Eliot Hall, May Hall]] and Meng Wah Complex]]
[[File:HKU Pillar of Shame in Orange Color 02a.jpg|thumb|The Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building and the [[Pillar of Shame#Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong|Pillar of Shame]]]]
[[File:HKU TTTsuiBuilding.jpg|thumb|upright|T.T. Tsui Building]]
[[File:Academic Conference Room of the HKU Faculty of Law at the Cheng Yu Tung Tower on the HKU’s Centennial Campus.png|right|thumb|Academic Conference Room of the [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law|Faculty of Law]] at the Cheng Yu Tung Tower on the Centennial Campus with the view of [[Victoria Harbour]]]]

The university's main campus covers {{convert|177000|sqm|sqft}} of land on [[Pok Fu Lam Road]] and [[Bonham Road]] in [[Pok Fu Lam]]<ref name=HKUA/> and on [[Lung Fu Shan]] of [[Central and Western District]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.eac.hk/pdf/distco/2019dc/final/dc2019a.pdf
|title=District Council Constituency Boundaries – Central & Western District
|website=[[Electoral Affairs Commission]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=2021-04-12
|archive-date=9 December 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209211630/https://www.eac.hk/pdf/distco/2019dc/final/dc2019a.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Hong Kong Island]]. The university also has a few buildings in [[Sassoon Road|Sandy Bay Gap]] in Southern District. Buildings of the university are some of the few remaining examples of British Colonial architecture in Hong Kong. The university lends its name to [[HKU station|HKU MTR station]], the main public transport access to the campus which had opened on 28 December 2014.

The [[Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine]] is situated 4.5&nbsp;km southwest of the main campus, in the [[Southern District, Hong Kong|Southern District]] near [[Sandy Bay, Hong Kong|Sandy Bay]] and [[Pok Fu Lam]].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Contact Us
|url=https://www.med.hku.hk/contact-us
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} [[LKS Faculty of Medicine]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=20 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820061951/https://www.med.hku.hk/contact-us
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The medical campus includes [[Queen Mary Hospital (Hong Kong)|Queen Mary Hospital]], the William M.W. Mong Building and research facilities. The [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry|Faculty of Dentistry]] is situated in the [[Prince Philip Dental Hospital]], [[Sai Ying Pun]].<ref name="Estates Office">{{cite web
|title=Our Campuses
|url=https://estates.hku.hk/campus-planning/campuses
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Estates Office
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=2 December 2024
|archive-date=4 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204004849/https://www.estates.hku.hk/campus-planning/campuses
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The university also operates the Kadoorie Agricultural Research Centre, which occupies {{convert|95000|sqm|sqft}} of land in the [[New Territories]], and the [[Swire]] Institute of Marine Science at the southern tip of [[Cape D'Aguilar]] on Hong Kong Island.

===Main building===
{{Main|Main Building of the University of Hong Kong}}

Constructed between 1910 and 1912, the [[Main Building of the University of Hong Kong|Main Building]] is the university's oldest structure and was sponsored by Sir [[Hormusjee Naorojee Mody]] and designed by Architect Messrs [[Leigh & Orange]].<ref name="Colonization2">{{cite journal
|date=30 May 2006
|title=From British Colonization to Japanese Invasion: The 100 Years Architects in Hong Kong 1841-1941
|journal=HKIA Journal
|issue=45
|pages=44–55
|url=http://www.hkia.net/en/pdf/journal/journal_issue45_03.pdf
|archive-date=18 February 2012
|access-date=17 March 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218084111/http://www.hkia.net/en/pdf/journal/journal_issue45_03.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref> It is built in the post-renaissance [[Edwardian Baroque]] style with red brick and granite and has two courtyards. The main elevation is articulated by four turrets with a central clock tower (a gift from Sir [[Paul Chater]] in 1930). The two courtyards were added in the south in 1952 and one floor in the end block in 1958. The building was originally used as classrooms and laboratories for the Faculty of Medicine and Engineering and was later the home of departments within the Faculty of Arts. The central Great Hall (Loke Yew Hall) is named after [[Loke Yew]], a Malayan benefactor of the university in its early years. It became a [[Declared monuments of Hong Kong|declared monument]] in 1984.<ref>{{cite web
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|title=Visit HKU Heritage Buildings: The Main Building
|url=https://hku.hk/visit/campusbuilding.php?m=heritage&t=dm&bdg=main
|access-date=2 December 2024
|archive-date=18 April 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418235451/https://www.hku.hk/visit/campusbuilding.php?m=heritage&t=dm&bdg=main
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Swire building===
Around 1980, the Swire Group sponsored the building of a new residential hall in the eastern end of the campus. The new student residence was named Swire Building in honour of this sponsorship. The building was officially opened by Mr [[John Anthony Swire]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} on 11 November 1980.<ref>{{cite web
|title=About Swire
|url=https://www.swire.hku.hk/introduction
|website=Swire Hall
|location=The University of Hong Kong, [[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=20 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820055630/https://www.swire.hku.hk/introduction
|url-status=live
}}</ref> In 1983, the colour orange was chosen to be the hall colour in the second Annual General Meeting since the colour was used as the background colour during the first open day of Swire Hall and no other halls were using orange as their hall colour.

In 1983, Mrs J. Lau (Director of Centre Media Resources) provided a design for the hall logo. The Swire Hall Students' Association, HKUSU, then made some amendments to that design. The logo shows the words 'S' and 'H'. The design of the word 'S' looks like two hands holding each other, signifying that all hall-mates should co-operate with each other, and promoting the hall motto 'Unity and Sincerity'.

===Hung Hing Ying Building===
{{Main|Hung Hing Ying Building}}

Financed by Sir [[Paul Chater]], Professor G. P. Jordan and others, it was opened in 1919 by the Governor of Hong Kong Sir Reginald [[Edward Stubbs]] and housed the [[students' union]]. After World War II, the building was used temporarily for administrative purposes. The East Wing was added in 1960. The building was converted into the [[Senior Common Room]] in 1974. It was named in honour of Mr Hung Hing-Ying in 1986 for his family's donations to the university. The building was subsequently used again for administrative purposes, and housed Department of Music and the Music Library until early 2013. It is currently used by the Development & Alumni Affairs Office. The two-storey [[Edwardian architecture|Edwardian style]] structure is characterised by a central dome and the use of red brick to emulate the Main Building opposite. The building became a declared monument in 1995.<ref name="Declared Monuments" /><ref>{{cite web
|title=Hung Hing Ying Building
|url=https://heritagefund.hku.hk/pages/various/hung-hing-ying-building
|website=HKU Heritage
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=20 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820062639/https://heritagefund.hku.hk/pages/various/hung-hing-ying-building
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Tang Chi Ngong Building===
{{Main|Tang Chi Ngong Building}}

The idea to establish a school of Chinese was proposed in the inter-war period. Construction of the premises began in 1929 following a donation from Tang Chi-ngong, father of the philanthropist Sir [[Tang Shiu-kin]], after whom the building was named. It was opened by Sir [[William Peel (colonial administrator)|William Peel]], Governor of Hong Kong, in 1931 and since then further donations have been received for the endowment of teaching Chinese language and literature. The building has been used for other purposes since the 1970s but the name remained unchanged. It housed the Centre of Asian Studies until 2012 and now houses the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole. This three-storey flat-roofed structure is surfaced with Shanghai plaster and became a [[Declared monuments of Hong Kong|declared monument]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Tang Chi Ngong Building
|url=https://heritagefund.hku.hk/pages/various/tang-chi-ngong-building
|website=HKU Heritage
|date=8 April 2025
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref><ref name="Declared Monuments">{{cite web
|title=Declared Monuments in the University of Hong Kong
|url=https://www.amo.gov.hk/filemanager/amo/common/download-area/pamphlet/DMs_in_The_HKU_pamphlet_20191115.pdf
|website=Antiques and Monuments Office
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=6 March 2022
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306065326/https://www.amo.gov.hk/filemanager/amo/common/download-area/pamphlet/DMs_in_The_HKU_pamphlet_20191115.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Centennial campus===

To provide additional space for students under the new four-year undergraduate curriculum the Centennial Campus was built at the western end of the main campus, which was previously occupied by the Water Supplies Department.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Heritage
|url=https://www4.hku.hk/cecampus/eng/key/map5.php.html
|website=Centennial Campus {{!}} The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=2011
|access-date=27 December 2024
|archive-date=27 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227135057/https://www4.hku.hk/cecampus/eng/key/map5.php.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The construction of the campus started in late 2009, and was completed in 2012, the first year of the introduction of the new academic structure in Hong Kong. In 2012, the Faculty of Arts, the [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law|Faculty of Law]] and the Faculty of Social Sciences moved to the Centennial Campus.

==Academics==

===Admission===
{{update section|date=July 2025}}
Admission to HKU is highly competitive. In 2016, the university received around 40,000 applications for undergraduate studies, over 16,000 of which were from outside the Hong Kong schools' system.<ref name=GAP2016>{{cite web
|url=https://aal.hku.hk/admissions/international/sites/default/files/HKU.GAP1617_Nov2017.pdf
|title=Global Admission Profile 2016–2017
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=7 Mar 2019
|archive-date=7 March 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307054157/https://aal.hku.hk/admissions/international/sites/default/files/HKU.GAP1617_Nov2017.pdf
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> For Mainland China applicants, the enrollment rate was 1 student for every 21 applications.<ref name=GAP2016/><ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://hku.hk/pubunit/review/2015.pdf
|title=The Review 2015
|access-date=25 December 2024
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|archive-date=12 November 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112202846/https://www4.hku.hk/pubunit/review/2015.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

Undergraduate candidates are selected according to their relative merit in the local public examination ([[Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education|HKDSE]]) and apply online via [[JUPAS]]. Other applicants, including overseas students or ones taking other examinations, are classified as non-JUPAS applicants who are required to apply via the official website,<ref name=admission>{{cite web
|url=http://www.als.hku.hk/admission/intl/admission
|title=HKU Admission
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=28 July 2014
|archive-date=17 August 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817085120/http://www.als.hku.hk/admission/intl/admission
|url-status=live
}}</ref> where postgraduate applications may also be made.<ref name=admission/>

===Teaching and learning===
Most undergraduate courses are 4-year degrees while the medical and nursing programmes require two and one more year(s) of studies respectively. English is the main medium of instruction, and the University's Senate has endorsed English as the campus [[lingua franca]]. Starting from 2012, local students are required to take Academic English courses and Chinese language enhancement courses; however, students who are native-speakers of languages other than Chinese, and students who have not studied Chinese language in their secondary curriculum can be exempted from the Chinese course requirement.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://tl.hku.hk/reform/#anchor-1
|title=Language Provision and Support
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=13 August 2013
|archive-date=2 July 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702223707/http://tl.hku.hk/reform/#anchor-1
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Cantonese credit-courses for Mainland Chinese and Taiwan students, and ''[[ab initio]]'' Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese credit-courses for international and exchange students are offered by the Chinese Language Centre, School of Chinese.

===Research===
The university is a founding member of [[Universitas 21]], an international consortium of research-led universities, and a member of the Association for Pacific Rim Universities, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, [[Washington University in St. Louis |Washington University in St. Louis's]] McDonnell International Scholars Academy,<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://global.wustl.edu/mcdonnell-academy
|title=McDonnell International Scholars Academy
|website=[[Washington University in St. Louis]]
|location=[[USA]]
|language=en-US
|access-date=8 December 2024
}}</ref> and many others. HKU benefits from a large operating budget supplied by high levels of government funding compared to many Western countries. In 2018/19, the [[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|Research Grants Council]] (RGC) granted HKU a total research funding of HK$12,127&nbsp;million (41.3% of overall RGC funding), which was the highest among all universities in Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web
|title=University Grants Committee: Customised Data Retrieval
|website=[[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|University Grants Committee]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://cdcf.ugc.edu.hk/cdcf/indepthAnalysis.action
|access-date=8 December 2024
|archive-date=8 November 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108023802/https://cdcf.ugc.edu.hk/cdcf/indepthAnalysis.action
|url-status=live
}}</ref> HKU professors were among the highest paid in the world as well, having salaries far exceeding those of their US counterparts in [[private universities]].

HKU research output, researchers, projects, patents and theses are profiled and made publicly available in the HKU Scholars Hub.<ref>{{cite web
|title=The HKU Scholars Hub
|url=https://hub.hku.hk
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 December 2024
}}</ref> 100 members of academic staff (>10% of professoriate staff) from HKU are ranked among the world's top 1% of scientists by the [[Thomson Reuters]]' Essential Science Indicators, by means of the citations recorded on their publications.<ref>{{cite web
|title=HKU Scholars in the Top 1%
|url=http://hub.hku.hk/local/top1pc/top1pc.jsp
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} The HKU Scholars Hub
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=24 December 2024
|archive-date=2 June 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602121104/https://hub.hku.hk/local/top1pc/top1pc.jsp
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The university has the largest number of research postgraduate students in Hong Kong, making up approximately 10% of the total student population. All ten faculties and departments provide teaching and supervision for research (MPhil and PhD) students with administration undertaken by the Graduate School. In 2025, about 434 HKU scholars are listed in Stanford University’s latest 2025 Top 2% Scientists for the “Single recent year” category, while another 376 made it to the “Career Long” category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HKU Scholars Achieve Distinguished Recognition in Stanford's 2025 Top 2% Scientists List |url=https://www.hku.edu.hk/press/news_detail_28626.html}}</ref> Among these scholars, [[Xiang Zhang]] (HKU President) and Guochun Zhao are both ranked the top 10 globally in their respective areas.

The [[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|University Grants Committee]] delivered the idea of “knowledge transfer” among the community and universities. From the academic year 2009/10, a yearly recurrent funding for universities to invest in knowledge transfer has been approved by the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/activity/knowledge.html#:~:text=%22The%20systems%20and%20processes%20by,is%20a%20two%2Dway%20process
|website=[[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|University Grants Committee]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|title=Knowledge Transfer and Sharing with the Community
|access-date=19 July 2024
|archive-date=10 September 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910185111/https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/activity/knowledge.html#:~:text=%22The%20systems%20and%20processes%20by,is%20a%20two%2Dway%20process
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Therefore, HKU has established the Knowledge Exchange Office in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/ugc/activity/kt/HKU09.pdf
|website=[[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|University Grants Committee]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|title=HKU 2009/10 Annual Report on Knowledge Transfer Recurrent Funding
|access-date=19 July 2024
|archive-date=13 July 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713014232/https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/ugc/activity/kt/HKU09.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Libraries and museums===
{{main|Hong Kong University Libraries|University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong}}
[[File:HKU FungPingShanBuilding.jpg|thumb|right|The University Museum and Art Gallery from Bonham Road]]

HKU Libraries (HKUL) was established in 1912, being the oldest academic library in Hong Kong with over 2.3&nbsp;million current holdings. It comprises the Main Library and six specialist branch libraries: the Dental, Education, Fung Ping Shan (East Asian Language), Yu Chun Keung Medical, Lui Che Woo Law, and Music libraries. They are located in buildings around the campus with varying opening hours. A web-based library catalogue, DRAGON, allows one to search HKUL's books, journals and other resources.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://lib.hku.hk/
|title=Libraries
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=14 June 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614152155/https://lib.hku.hk/
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The HKUL Digital Initiatives, through its digitisation projects, has opened up online access to local collections originally in print format. The first HKUL Digital Initiative, ExamBase, was launched in 1996 and other projects of scholarly interests were introduced. More digital projects are being developed to provide continuous access to digital content and services. It provides [[Open access (publishing)|open access]] to Chinese and English academic and medical periodicals published in Hong Kong.

The three-storey [[Fung Ping Shan Building]] was erected in 1932 originally as a library for Chinese books. Named after its donor, the building consists of masonry on the ground level surmounted by a two-storey red-brick structure with ornamental columns topped by a pediment over its entrance. Since 1962, the Chinese books collection, now known as the Fung Ping Shan Library, was transferred to the university's Main Library and the whole building was converted into a museum for Chinese art and archaeology. Among its collections are ceramics, pottery and bronze sculptures. In 1996, the lowest three floors of the new Tsui Building were added to the old building to form the University Museum and Art Gallery.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Fung Ping Shan Library
|url=https://lib.hku.hk/fpslib
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Libraries
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 August 2024
|archive-date=20 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820071433/https://lib.hku.hk/fpslib/
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=History
|url=https://umag.hku.hk/about/history
|website=University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=4 December 2024
|archive-date=3 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203231026/https://umag.hku.hk/about/history/
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

== Reputation and rankings ==
{{Infobox university rankings
| ARWU_W = 69 | ARWU_W_year = 2024 | ARWU_W_ref = <ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/the-university-of-hong-kong
|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024
|website=[[Academic Ranking of World Universities|ARWU]]
|location=[[Shanghai]], [[China]]
|access-date=19 June 2021
|archive-date=7 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207071325/http://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/the-university-of-hong-kong
|url-status=live
}}</ref>
|QS_W=11 
|QS_W_year=2026 |QS_W_ref=<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings
|title=QS World University Rankings 2026: Top global universities
|website=[[QS World University Rankings|QS]] Top Universities
|location=[[UK]]
|date=2025
|access-date=19 June 2025
|archive-date=4 January 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104115634/https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings
|url-status=live
}}</ref>
| THE_W = 35 | THE_W_year = 2025| THE_W_ref = <ref name=THE_World>{{Cite web
  |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking
  |title=World University Rankings 2025
  |access-date=29 September 2023
  |website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
  |location=[[UK]]
  |date=27 September 2023
  |archive-date=28 October 2014
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028092904/http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref>
| THE_Asia = 6 | THE_Asia_year = 2025| THE_Asia_ref = <ref name=THE_Asia>
{{Cite web
  |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2025/regional-ranking
  |title=Asia University Rankings 2025
  |access-date=19 June 2025
  |website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
  |location=[[UK]]
  |date=19 June 2025
}}</ref>
| QS_Asia = 1 | QS_Asia_year = 2026| QS_Asia_ref = <ref name=QS_Asia>{{Cite web
  |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/asia-university-rankings
  |title=QS University Rankings: Asia 2025
  |location=[[UK]]
  |website=[[QS World University Rankings|QS]] Top Universities
  |access-date=15 March 2025
  |archive-date=17 November 2021
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117195637/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/asian-university-rankings/2022
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref>
| USNWR_W = 44 | USNWR_W_year = 2025| USNWR_W_ref = <ref name=US_News>{{cite web
  |title=University of Hong Kong
  |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-hong-kong-505046
  |website=[[U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking|U.S. News]]
  |location=[[USA]]
  |access-date=19 June 2025
  |archive-date=9 March 2018
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309191133/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-hong-kong-505046
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref>
|THE_W_Reputation_year=2025|THE_W_Reputation_ref=<ref>{{cite web
  |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-reputation-rankings#!/length/25/locations/HKG/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc
  |title=THE World Reputation Rankings 2025
  |website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
  |location=[[UK]]
  |date=19 June 2025
  |access-date=19 June 2025
  |archive-date=15 May 2025
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515161240/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-reputation-rankings#!/length/25/locations/HKG/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref>
|THE_W_Reputation=49|USNWR_Asia=6|USNWR_Asia_ref=<ref name=US_News />|USNWR_Asia_year=2025}}

=== Overall ranking ===
HKU was ranked #11 worldwide and #1 in Asia in ''[[QS World University Rankings|QS]]'' 2026,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-18 |title=QS World University Rankings 2026: Top global universities |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings |access-date= |website=Top Universities |language=en |archive-date=4 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104115634/https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings |url-status=live }}</ref> #35 worldwide in ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]]'' 2025, #69 worldwide in ''[[ARWU]]'' 2024, and #44 worldwide in ''[[U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking|U.S. News]]'' 2025-2026.

The Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities (ARTU), which sorts universities based on their aggregate performance across ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]]'', ''[[QS World University Rankings|QS]]'', and ''[[ARWU]]'', found that HKU was the 42nd best-ranked university worldwide in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=Full Rankings {{!}} Rankings
|url=https://research.unsw.edu.au/artu/artu-results
|access-date=2023-01-25
|website=[[University of New South Wales]]
|location=[[Australia]]
|archive-date=28 June 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628200730/https://research.unsw.edu.au/artu/artu-results
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

HKU was ranked 49th in the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]] World Reputation Rankings'' 2025.<ref>{{Cite web
|date=2025-06-19
|title=World Reputation Rankings
|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-reputation-rankings
|access-date=2025-06-19
|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
|location=[[UK]]
|language=en
|archive-date=15 May 2025
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515161240/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-reputation-rankings
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

HKU is ranked as the most international university in the world in 2023 by ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]''.<ref name="Most_International">{{cite web |date=25 January 2023 |title=Most International Universities
|url=https://timeshighereducation.com/cn/student/best-universities/most-international-universities-world
|access-date=29 December 2023
|work=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
|location=[[UK]]
}}</ref>

=== Subject ranking ===

==== ''[[QS World University Rankings|QS]]'' subject rankings ====
In the ''[[QS World University Rankings|QS]] World University Rankings'' by broad subject area 2023:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Broad subject area
!HKU's world rank
|-
|Social Sciences & Management
|29
|-
|Arts and Humanities
|34
|-
|Engineering & Technology
|79
|-
|Life Sciences & Medicine
|29
|-
|Natural Sciences
|81
|}

==== ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|THE]]'' subject rankings ====
In the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]] World University Rankings by subject'' 2024:<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-27 |title=University of Hong Kong |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-hong-kong |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525204431/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-hong-kong |archive-date=25 May 2018 |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Subject
!HKU's world rank
|-
|Arts & Humanities
|54
|-
|Business and Economics
|39
|-
|Clinical & Health
|19
|-
|Computer Science
|53
|-
|Education
|6
|-
|Engineering
|43
|-
|Law
|20
|-
|Life Sciences
|43
|-
|Physical Sciences
|47
|-
|Psychology
|62
|-
|Social Sciences
|35
|}

=== Graduate Employability Ranking ===
HKU graduates ranked 47th worldwide in the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]'''s Global University Employability Ranking 2022,<ref>{{Cite web
|date=2022-11-23
|title=Best universities for graduate jobs: Global University Employability Ranking 2022
|url=https://timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-graduate-jobs-global-university-employability-ranking
|access-date=2022-11-29
|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]: Student
|location=[[UK]]
|language=en
}}</ref> and 10th worldwide in the ''[[QS World University Rankings|QS]] Graduate Employability Rankings 2022''.<ref>{{cite web
|title=QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022
|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/employability-rankings/2022
|access-date=4 December 2022
|website=[[QS World University Rankings|QS]] Top Universities
|location=[[UK]]
|archive-date=5 October 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005000519/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/employability-rankings/2022
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

==Student life==
Student welfare is served by several units, including the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS), which provides guidance for most areas of student life including career counselling, students activities, financial support and more,<ref>{{cite web
|title=Who We Are
|url=https://www.cedars.hku.hk/who-we-are
|website=CEDARS {{!}} Centre of Development and Resources for Students {{!}}The University of Hong Kong 
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> and the University Health Service, which provides health care, referrals, and preventive services.<ref>{{cite web
|title=About UHS
|url= https://www.uhs.hku.hk/mission
|website=University Health Service, The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

===Demographics===
The student population of the university was 39,166 in the 2023-2024 academic year, comprising 18,491 undergraduates, 16,541 taught postgraduates and 4,134 research postgraduates. The university has become a popular choice for mainland and international students, with 19,145 non-local students (excluding exchange students) on campus in 2023, comprising 47.2% of the total students.<ref name=studentprofile/>

===Halls and colleges===
{{main|Accommodation at the University of Hong Kong}}

[[File:University Hall (University of Hong Kong) exterior.JPG|thumb|right|University Hall]]
There are 20 residential halls and colleges for undergraduates, postgraduates and visitors.

The residential halls include:
* Main Campus – Swire Hall and Simon K. Y. Lee Hall, mainly for undergraduates. Graduate House and Robert Black College, primarily for postgraduates and visitors respectively.
* Sassoon Road Campus – Lee Hysan Hall, Richard Charles Lee Hall, Wei Lun Hall and Madam S. H. Ho Hall Residence for Medical Students.
* Jockey Club Student Village I (founded in 2001) – [[Lady Ho Tung Hall]] and Starr Hall.
* Jockey Club Student Village II (founded in 2005) – Morrison Hall, Lee Shau Kee Hall and Suen Chi Sun Hall.
* {{ill|Jockey Club Student Village III|zh|賽馬會第三學生村}} (founded in 2012) – made up of four residential colleges, Shun Hing College, Chi Sun College, Lap-Chee College and New College. They provide a total of 1,800 beds for students of whom 67% are non-local students.
* Jockey Club Student Village IV – made up of four residential colleges. They provide a total of 1,238 hostel places for students.
* Other historical student residences include [[St. John's College, University of Hong Kong|St. John's College]], [[Ricci Hall]] and [[University Hall (University of Hong Kong)|University Hall]].

Moreover, there are three non-residential halls:
* Hornell Hall (male only)
* Lee Chi Hung Hall (co-educational)

===Student organisations===
[[File:Hong Kong University Students' Union 1.jpg|thumb|The Students' Union Building before its revamp in 2011]]

Two officially recognised student body, formerly three, provides opportunities for postgraduate students to participate in extracurricular activities. The two being the Postgraduate Student Association (PGSA) and the HKU Business School Postgraduate Student Association (HKUBSPA).<ref>{{cite web
|title=STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS
|url=https://handbook.hku.hk/tpg/2023/association/association.html
|website=Postgraduate Handbook, The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> Undergraduate students participate in student societies registered with the university's Co-Curricular Support Office (CCSO).<ref>{{cite web
|title=Links to Student Associations
|url=https://www.cedars.hku.hk/campuslife/societiesactivities/associations
|website=CEDARS {{!}} Centre of Development and Resources for Students {{!}} The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=22 August 2024
|archive-date=22 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240822065830/https://www.cedars.hku.hk/campuslife/societiesactivities/associations
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The [[Hong Kong University Students' Union]] (HKUSU) existed as an officially recognised student body, which represented both undergraduate and postgraduate students, with a majority of its members being undergraduate students. It was established in 1912. The union ceased to be officially recognised by the university after passing a motion in memorial to a deceased assailant who attacked and severely stabbed a police officer on the street during the heights of the protests in 2021, and was later dissolved.<ref>{{cite web
|title=LCQ10: Students' unions of various universities
|url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202109/01/P2021090100301.htm
|date=1 September 2021
|website=[[Government of Hong Kong]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=Statement by the University of Hong Kong concerning the HKUSU Council incident
|url=https://hku.hk/press/news_detail_23017.html
|date=13 July 2021
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> Prior to its dissolution, the HKUSU offered more than a hundred student societies for students. Student societies are now registered with the university's CCSO.

This organisation was renowned amongst student activists, having been the main driving force behind evicting a vice-chancellor in recent years. There were controversies in 2011 when the President of the union, Ayo Chan, remarked that some of the protesters involved in the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre]] had acted irrationally. Many students believe his remarks to be offensive and subsequently ousted the President by a vote in under one week.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://app2.rthk.org.hk/pda/news/content.php?id=576943 
|title=RTHK Online News ON PDA
|access-date=24 June 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716034927/http://app2.rthk.org.hk/pda/news/content.php?id=576943
|archive-date=16 July 2011
|website=[[Internet Archive]]
|location=[[San Francisco]], [[California (state)|CA]], [[USA]]
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy-all
}}</ref>

===Study abroad programme===
Through the Exchange Buddy Program, students from abroad can choose to be matched with local students whom they can correspond with before they arrive in Hong Kong. These local students greet the visiting students upon arrival at the airport, help them to settle into student residence and offer advice and support during their stay.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=University of Hong Kong
|url=http://www.asialearn.org/Universities/UnivHongKong.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314182039/http://asialearn.org/Universities/UnivHongKong.htm
|archive-date=14 March 2008
|access-date=23 February 2024
|website=WorldStrides
|location=[[USA]]
}}</ref>

Every year, over 1,000 undergraduates participate in exchange programmes. As part of their HKU degree, they study at universities spanning 40 countries around the world with the support of the [[University Grants Committee (Hong Kong)|University Grants Committee]], University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development and Research, [[The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation|Hongkong Bank Foundation]], UBC Alumni Association (Hong Kong), Dr. Lee Shiu Scholarships for Hong Kong and South-East Asia Academic Exchange, Shell (Hong Kong) Limited, C. V. Starr Scholarship Fund, and others. The university welcomes a similar number of students from those 340 partner universities onto the HKU campus to study each year.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=Liaison
|url=http://www.hku.hk/liaison/oise
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409172302/https://www.hku.hk/liaison/oise
|archive-date=9 April 2023
|access-date=23 February 2024
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> HKU is also a member of the [[Laidlaw Scholars]] programme which provides funding for undergraduates to conduct research abroad, either independently or at another university in the network such as [[University College London]] and [[University of Leeds]].<ref>{{cite web
|title=The Laidlaw Scholars Programme
|access-date=9 December 2024
|url=https://tl.hku.hk/horizons/laidlaw/
|website=Laidlaw Foundation {{!}} HKU Horizons
|date=21 August 2017
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

==Organisation and administration==
===Governance===
[[File:HK QWB HKU SPACE.jpg|thumb|right|HKU SPACE Admiralty Learning Centre]]

====Chancellor====
Prior to Hong Kong's [[Handover of Hong Kong|handover]], the colony's governor was the de jure [[chancellor (education)|chancellor]] of the University. That role was assumed by the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|chief executive]] following the handover. The chancellor is officially the chief officer of the university and president of the Court, the duties and functions of the role are however delegated to the pro-chancellor, a person appointed by the chancellor.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book
|title=Guide and Code of Practice for Members of the Council
|url=https://hku.hk/f/page/7538/guide_n_code_2015.pdf
|publisher=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=23 December 2024
}}</ref>

The chief executive's role as the university's chancellor is enshrined in the ''University of Hong Kong Ordinance''.<ref name="Chancellor">{{cite web
|title=UNIVERSITY ORDINANCE AND STATUTES
|url=http://www4.hku.hk/pubunit/calendar/2016-2017/a/c/32-2016-2017/375-university-ordinance-statutes
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=20 February 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221105626/http://www4.hku.hk/pubunit/calendar/2016-2017/a/c/32-2016-2017/375-university-ordinance-statutes
|archive-date=21 February 2017|
url-status=dead
|df=dmy-all
}}</ref>

In the absence of the chief executive, the person for the time being assumes the duties of the chief executive is simultaneously appointed as the acting chancellor and has all powers and duties of the chancellor.<ref name="Ordinance">{{cite web
|title=University Ordinance and Statutes
|url= https://calendar.hku.hk/university-ordinance-and-statutes
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|date= 21 October 2021
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

For a list of pre and post-handover university chancellors, refer to the articles for the [[Governor of Hong Kong#List of governors|governor of Hong Kong]] and the [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong#List of chief executives of Hong Kong|chief executive of Hong Kong]].

====Vice-Chancellor====
{{See also|List of vice-chancellors of the University of Hong Kong}}
The vice-chancellor is the principal academic and administrative officer of the University.<ref name="Ordinance"/> The current office holder is [[Xiang Zhang]].<ref>{{cite web
|title=Officers of the University
|date=21 October 2021
|url=https://calendar.hku.hk/officers-of-the-university
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Calendar
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=19 August 2024
|archive-date=15 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815054116/https://calendar.hku.hk/officers-of-the-university/
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

====The Court====

The Court is a large overseeing and legislative body comprising University and lay members. The purpose of the Court is to represent the wider interests of the communities served by the University. It has the power to make, repeal and amend statutes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web
|title=Governance Structure
|url=https://hku.hk/about/governance/governance_structure.html
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=4 December 2024}}</ref>

The Court currently consists of:<ref name=":4">{{Cite web
|date=1 July 2023
|title=Membership of the Court at July 1, 2023
|url=https://calendar.hku.hk/membership-of-the-court
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823152705/https://calendar.hku.hk/membership-of-the-court
|archive-date=23 August 2024
|access-date=2024-08-23
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Calendar
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|language=en-US
}}</ref>

* The Chancellor
* The Pro-Chancellor
* The Vice-Chancellor
* The Deputy Vice-Chancellor
* The Pro-Vice-Chancellors
* The Treasurer of the University
* The Registrar of the University
* Life Members
* Members of the Senate and Council
* The Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and Clerk of the Convocation
* Five members from the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]]*
* Twelve members from the Standing Committee of Convocation*
* Five members elected by the Court
* Three members from the [[Grant Schools Council]]*
* Three members from the [[Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council]]*
* Not more than twenty members appointed by the Chancellor

<small>* Elected amongst their members</small>

====The Senate====

The Senate is the principal academic authority of the University. It is responsible for all academic matters and welfare of students. Its 50 members are mainly academic staff while there are also student representatives.<ref name=":0" /> The Senate is chaired by the vice-chancellor.

The Senate currently consists of:<ref name=":4" />

* The Vice-Chancellor
* The Deputy Vice-Chancellor
* The Pro-Vice Chancellors
* The Dean of each faculty
* The Chairman of each Board of the faculty
* Twelve professors*
* Six teachers*, not being professors
* The Director of the School of Professional and Continuing Education
* The Dean of the Graduate School
* The Librarian
* The Dean of Student Affairs
* Three full-time students*, at least one of whom being an undergraduate and one of whom being a postgraduate

<small>* Elected in accordance with regulations</small>

====The Council====
The Council is the body which governs the university. It is responsible for the management of financial and human resources of the university and for the university's future developments. The council comprises university members (both staff and students) and lay members (i.e. neither staff nor students of the university), with a ratio of lay to university members of 2:1 members are serving on the council as trustees in their personal capacity. The current chairman of the Council is Priscilla P.S. Wong.<ref name=:3>{{cite web
|title=The Council (membership)
|url=https://hku.hk/about/governance/governance_structure/the-court/council_membership.html
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=4 December 2024
}}</ref><ref name=:0/>

The current council consists of:<ref name=:3/>

* The Chairman of the Council
* The Vice-Chancellor of the University
* 6 persons, not being students or employees of the University, appointed by the Chancellor
* 6 persons, not being students or employees of the University, appointed by the Council
* 2 persons, not being students or employees of the University, elected by the Court
* Treasurer of the University
* 4 full-time teachers*
* 1 full-time employee of the University*, not being a teacher
* 1 full-time undergraduate student*
* Secretary to the Council
<small>* Elected in accordance with regulations</small>

The current council consists of 24 persons. The chancellor has the power to appoint the chairman of the council and six other members to the council. The vice-chancellor is in turn appointed by the council.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/academic-freedom-in-hong-kong-unsafe-harbour?page=0%2C1
|title=Unsafe harbour? Academic freedom in Hong Kong
|work=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Higher Education]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|date=10 September 2015
}}</ref>

=== Faculties ===
The university has ten faculties, namely the Faculties of Architecture, [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Arts|Arts]], Business & Economics, [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry|Dentistry]], Education, Engineering, [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law|Law]], Science, Social Sciences, and the [[Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine]], alongside a graduate school and a number of non-faculty academic units, which provide various study programmes and courses for students.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://hku.hk/faculties
|title=All Departments (A-Z), Faculties & Departments
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=4 December 2024
|archive-date=17 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217205503/https://hku.hk/faculties/
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The [[medium of instruction]] in most classes is English.<ref>
{{cite web
|title=HKU – Undergraduate Admissions
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=http://www.als.hku.hk/admission/faq/non-jupas
|access-date=19 June 2013
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607100727/http://www.als.hku.hk/admission/faq/non-jupas
|archive-date=7 June 2013
|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Additionally, HKU operates two associate institutions:
* [[HKU SPACE]] (School of Professional and Continuing Education), which was first established as the Department of Extramural Studies in 1956, and later renamed in 1992.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://hkuspace.hku.hk/milestones
|title=Milestones
|website=[[HKU SPACE]]
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=23 December 2024
}}</ref> It solely awards 2-year associate degrees, 2-year Diplomas, Advanced or Higher Diploma Programmes (2-years to 3-years), 1-year Certificates, and individual courses. It also partners with overseas post-secondary institutions, colleges and universities.
* [[Centennial College (Hong Kong)|Centennial College]], a [[liberal arts college]] established in 2012.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Centennial College
|website=Concourse 自資專上教育資訊平台
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://cspe.edu.hk/en/institution-details.html?instId=CC/01
|date=1 November 2024
|access-date=24 December 2024
}}</ref><!--<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.centennialcollege.hku.hk/en/about-centennial-college
|title=ABOUT CENTENNIAL COLLEGE
|access-date=28 July 2014
}}</ref>--> It has provided self-financed 4-year bachelor's degree programmes for [[HKALE]], [[HKDSE]] and other graduates from September 2012.

===Shield, motto and coat of arms===
[[File:University of Hong Kong.svg|thumb|left|150px|HKU's shield of arms, granted in 1913]]
[[File:University of Hong Kong coat of arms.png|left|thumb|HKU's full achievement of arms, granted in 1984]]
The design of the university's [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|shield of arms]] was proposed to the [[College of Arms]] by the university in October 1912.<ref name="HKUID">{{cite web
|title=Background
|url=http://www.hku.hk/uid/background.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409024441/https://hku.hk/about/uid/background.html
|archive-date=9 April 2023
|access-date=17 July 2014
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref> On 14 May 1913, the shield, along with two mottoes (one in Latin, one in Chinese) was granted by the College of Arms.<ref name="HKUID" /> The [[Field (heraldry)|field]] resembles the lions on the [[coat of arms of England]], whereas the book on the shield is a common reference to university's role in learning and knowledge. The official blazon and all authentic colour copies of the shield of arms were lost during the [[Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945)|Sino-Japanese War]], which the university obtained new ones from the College of Arms in 1958 while preparing for the [[Golden jubilee|Golden Jubillee]] set to happen 3 years later.<ref name=":2">{{cite web
|title=Coat of Arms and Letters Patent, University of Hong Kong
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|url=https://www.ica.org/app/uploads/2023/12/coat_of_arms_and_letters_patent_-_hku.pdf
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820165047/https://www.ica.org/app/uploads/2023/12/coat_of_arms_and_letters_patent_-_hku.pdf
|archive-date=20 August 2024
}}</ref>

The Latin motto ''Sapientia et Virtus'' is translated into English as "Wisdom and Virtue". The Chinese motto on the pages of the opened book, written from top to bottom, right to left in accordance with [[Horizontal and vertical writing in East Asian scripts|traditional Chinese writing direction]], contains two phrases: 明德 (''ming tak'') and 格物 (''kak mat''), meaning "illustrious virtue" and "the investigation of things" respectively. The first phrase ''ming tak'' makes homage to the opening sentence of classic [[Confucius|Confucian]] [[Classical Chinese]] literature the [[Great Learning]], in which the author discusses the three great duties of a ruler: illustrious virtue, the renewal of the people, and repose in the highest good.<ref name=HKUID/> The second phrase ''kak mat'' is a reference to the writing of Confucian scholar [[Zhu Xi]] 致知在格物 (lit. exhausting by examination the principles of things and affairs). The phrase occurs in discussion regarding how wise rulers set about cultivating wisdom and virtue. If one desires to rectify their heart, they must first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they must first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.<ref name=HKUID/>

In 1981, the year of the university's 70th anniversary, an application was made to the College of Arms for a full [[Achievement (heraldry)|achievement of arms]], which was granted in 1984, comprising the original shield and mottoes with the addition of a [[Crest (heraldry)|crest]], [[supporter]]s, a [[Helmet (heraldry)|helmet]] and [[Compartment (heraldry)|compartment]]. The supporters of the coat of arms are a [[Chinese dragon]] and a lion representing Britain, indicating the university's aspiration to blend [[East–West dichotomy|East and West]] cultures, from the foundation by British people in Hong Kong and the later development of the university's research and studies in both west and east culture and technology, whereas the compartment is an allusion to [[Hong Kong Island]], where the university is located. The university remains to this day the only university in Hong Kong to be granted a full coat of arms by the College of Arms.<ref name=":2" /> The other university in Hong Kong to have been granted a coat of arms by the College of Arms was [[The Chinese University of Hong Kong]] in 1961; it is, however, not a full achievement of arms owing to a missing crest.<ref>{{cite web
|title=CUHK's Coat of Arms
|url=https://www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/english/publications/newsletter/article.aspx?articleid=57447
|date=4 October 2013
|access-date=9 December 2024
|website=[[CUHK]] Newsletter
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== University Mace ===
The Mace is the symbol of the university's authority. Made of silver gilt, the mace is 40 inches long and weighs about 300 ounces, with the two collars of the mace being set with amber-red and green jade stones. The drum bears the university’s shield of arms, which is enamelled in colour and encircled within a buckled belt displaying the motto. On both sides of the drum are full-length four-toed [[Chinese dragon]]s. The original mace went missing during the [[Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945)|Sino-Japanese War]] and was replaced.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=The Mace
|url=https://hku.hk/hongrads/about/the-mace
|access-date=9 December 2024
|website=Honorary Degrees Congregation {{!}} The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|language=en
|archive-date=8 September 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908103530/https://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/about/the-mace
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|title=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Strategic Development
|url=https://sppoweb.hku.hk/sdplan/eng/looking-and-planning/mace.php
|access-date=9 December 2024
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} SPPO Home
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

A [[Mace-bearer|mace bearer]] is appointed by the vice-chancellor to bear the university's mace. The current mace bearer is Gordon Wong Tin Chun.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=The Mace Bearer
|url=https://hku.hk/hongrads/about/the-mace-bearer
|access-date=9 December 2024
|website=Honorary Degrees Congregation {{!}} The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|language=en
}}</ref> The university's mace is carried in [[Academic procession|university processions]] by the mace bearer, symbolising the university's authority. The mace bearer will always precede the presiding officer in the procession for this reason.<ref>{{Cite web
|title=About the Congregation
|url=https://hku.hk/congreg/about
|access-date=25 December 2024
|website=The University of Hong Kong
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
}}</ref>

===University Anthem===
{{overly detailed|time=April 2015|date=April 2015}}
The recording of the reconstructed University Anthem was recorded by the [[Hong Kong Sinfonietta]], the [[Diocesan Choral Society]] and the former [[HKU Students' Union Choir]] (now known as the [[HKU University Choir]]), conducted by the Sinfonietta's musical director, [[Yip Wing-sie]], with new orchestration by [[Chan Hing-yan]], Chairperson of the Department of Music.<ref>{{cite web
|title=The 1912 University Anthem
|url=http://100.hku.hk/doc/anthem.pdf
|website=The University of Hong Kong {{!}} Centennary
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=11 August 2014
|archive-date=20 May 2013
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520155234/http://100.hku.hk/doc/anthem.pdf
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://hkumag.hku.hk/hkuhistory6.html
|title=University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong
|website=hkumag.hku.hk
|location=[[Hong Kong]]
|access-date=3 July 2015
|archive-date=9 May 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509193655/http://www.hkumag.hku.hk/hkuhistory6.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Words in Latin !! English Translation
|-
| Finis hic operum! Domus
Stat potens Academia,

Unde ab occiduis recens

Ampliore flust plagis

Mox doctrina meatu.
|| Here end our labours!

Strong stand the buildings of the University,

whence modern learning soon will flow

from western land in more ample course.
|-
| Fons ubi est sapientia?

Et, Scientia, qua lates?

Pontus has negat in suis

Subditas latebris, negat

Has se Terra tenere.
|| Where is the fountain of wisdom?

And how, O science, art thou hidden?

The Sea denies that these are concealed

in his hiding-place

and the Earth denies that she contains them.
|-
| En! Dei reverentia

Hac scientia! Qui malis

Abstinet, sapit. Hoc diu

Munere assidue valentem

Exercete iuventam!
|| Lo! The fear of God–that is science!

Whoso abstains from evil, he is wise.

Long and earnestly may ye train

youth's vigour in this duty!
|-
| Pandite ostia!

Iam Deo gratias agimus.

Dei semper auxilio novum

Splendeat sapientiae

Lumen ex Oriente!

Amen.
||Fling open the gates!

Now we give thanks to God.

By God's grace may the new light of wisdom

ever shine out from the East!

Amen.
|}

==Notable alumni==
{{see also|List of alumni of the University of Hong Kong}}

The University of Hong Kong has educated many notable alumni in many varied fields. Among them is [[Sun Yat-sen]], the founder of
[[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]],
who was a graduate of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, the predecessor of HKU. Over 40 principal officials, permanent secretaries, Executive Council and Legislative Council members of the Hong Kong SAR Government are HKU graduates. HKU graduates also form the senior management teams of many large organizations in the private sector.

In recent years [[Guan Yi]] became a notable figure when his research and work on [[SARS]] led to the successful identification of the [[SARS-CoV-2|SARS-Coronavirus]] and its infectious source from live animal markets and helped the [[Government of China|Chinese Government]] successfully avert the second [[SARS]] outbreak in early 2004.

==See also==
{{Portal|Hong Kong}}
* [[List of vice-chancellors of the University of Hong Kong|Vice-Chancellors of the University of Hong Kong]]
* [[Education in Hong Kong]]
* [[Hong Kong University Students' Union]]
* [[List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong]]
* [[List of higher education institutions in Hong Kong]]
* [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation]]
* [[University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law|The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law]]
* [[Asian Institute of International Financial Law|The Asian Institute of International Financial Law]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{notefoot}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|University of Hong Kong}}
* {{Official website}}

{{University of Hong Kong}}
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