高樓低廈,人潮起伏,
名爭利逐,千萬家悲歡離合。

閑雲偶過,新月初現,
燈耀海城,天地間留我孤獨。

舊史再提,故書重讀,
冷眼閑眺,關山未變寂寞!

念人老江湖,心碎家國,
百年瞬息,得失滄海一粟!

徐訏《新年偶感》

2015年2月5日星期四

港大法學院長何耀明公開信全文





The Faculty of Law’s Response to the RAE 2014 Report

There has been media interest in the last few days concerning the University Grants Committee (UGC)’s results of the Research Assessment Exercise 2014(RAE), particularly with the comparison between the law faculties of The University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

We begin by thanking the Law Panel of the RAE for completing a demanding and important task in such a professional manner, and we congratulate the Faculty of Law of The Chinese University of Hong Kong for its excellent achievement in the Exercise. It is a very good situation that all the law schools in Hong Kong SAR are collectively making a significant impact in Hong Kong, in the region and internationally.

What we wish to point out is well described on the UGC website and the Reading Guides of the RAE report:

“On the interpretation of the RAE results of each institution, [it has been] emphasised that due regard should be given to the institutions’ different roles, missions, discipline focus and history.” 

“The results are not for comparison purposes and not to be used in a standalone manner… [I]t is neither fair nor appropriate to compare the quality profiles of different institutions.” (Reading Guides 1 and 5) 

The Faculty of Law of The University of Hong Kong is the oldest and the largest of the three law schools in Hong Kong. Historically, it has seen its mission to be both a law faculty that responds to the needs of the legal system and legal profession in Hong Kong and as part of the international community of legal scholars. It has sought to produce high quality research and publications in a way which has a high impact in both Hong Kong and global legal discourse. As an institution the HKU Law Faculty divides its time and resources between them. The RAE report on us in fact reflects this dual mission.

The Faculty wishes to dispel the suggestion or implication made in some quarters that it is not doing well in terms of research. The Faculty was, and is, aware that serving its mission to contribute to the Hong Kong community in general and the legal profession in particular might mean that it will sometimes be at the expense of doing more work with a global focus, but that is a trade-off the Faculty is proud to make.

The Faculty does not, by any means, intend to convey the impression that it thinks that there is no room for improvement. It is the Faculty’s aim to be regarded amongst the top law schools in the world. The Faculty has been engaging in a wide-ranging exercise of institutional self-reflection and strategic planning. Many of the RAE panel’s suggestions on international collaboration and globally-focused research form a major part of our current research strategy. We shall, over the next few weeks, be discussing the RAE report very carefully to reflect on how we can do even better. Indeed, we are most grateful for the positive and critical feedback which the exercise has provided.

With the feedback gained from RAE and the continued support of the community, the Faculty looks forward to becoming even stronger in the coming years.

Michael Hor
Dean
Faculty of Law
The University of Hong Kong