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
Dean
Faculty of Law
The University of Hong Kong