In response to an investigation initiated by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) into suspected fraudulent admissions materials, the Hong Kong government has announced that the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will review admission procedures across all eight publicly funded universities.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education, Christine Choi Yuk-lin, disclosed this in a recent parliamentary session, highlighting the ICAC’s role in evaluating admissions processes, providing recommendations, and establishing anti-corruption guidelines to safeguard fairness and integrity within the admissions system.
Choi emphasized the severity of falsifying academic credentials under Hong Kong law, which can lead to a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment. This follows revelations from HKU Business School that several master’s students used forged documents, potentially involving up to 100 cases.
Dean Cai Hongbin of HKU Business School indicated in an interview with Caixin that the fraud primarily implicated “illegal agencies,” often facilitating applications with falsified documents from universities outside Hong Kong and mainland China. He pledged enhanced scrutiny of applications to prevent future incidents and urged other Hong Kong universities to shore up their defenses against such exploitation.
While addressing concerns about the university’s reputation, Choi acknowledged isolated cases of fraudulent submissions and assured rigorous disciplinary actions, including expulsion and legal referrals, against perpetrators. She underscored universities’ ongoing efforts to combat misinformation and illicit activities related to admissions.
The scrutiny comes amid a surge in advertisements on Chinese social media promising guaranteed admissions to Hong Kong universities without standardized tests or language requirements, underscoring the challenges posed by unscrupulous intermediaries exploiting the competitive admission landscape.
HKU reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on academic misconduct and clarified its stance against any form of agency claiming special access or influence over admissions decisions. They emphasized the university’s adherence to stringent verification protocols and vowed swift action against any confirmed breaches.
As Hong Kong prepares to increase the quota of non-local students at its public universities, starting from the 2024-25 academic year, authorities are keen to strengthen oversight and enforcement mechanisms to uphold the credibility and fairness of the admissions process across higher education institutions in the city.
