The City University of Hong Kong (CityU) intends to leverage AI tools, engage in partnerships with Chinese mainland cities, and collaborate with external companies to lessen the impact of potential reductions in government funding for universities, Freddy Boey Yin-chiang, the university’s president, announced on Thursday.

Speaking at Thursday’s Media New Year’s celebration, Boey said that the university understands the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s decision to reduce funding for eight public universities over the next three years due to a significant deficit.

“This university will stand by Hong Kong, sharing prosperity and challenges with the local community,” Boey said.

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He noted that while the university is reassessing how it allocates its resources, it will not reduce its staff, as skilled talent is “precious”.

Boey said that many universities around the world are facing funding reductions, such as those in the United Kingdom and Australia. However, he stressed that education expenditure should not be viewed merely as consumer spending but rather as a pivotal investment.  

“Education plays a crucial role in the economic and social prosperity of any city,” Boey said. “The essence of investing in higher education is investing in Hong Kong’s future and its youth.”

Boey said he believed that the government would give the issue its full consideration and that the funding reduction would be around 4 percent.

When asked about the effects of the US-China relationship on Hong Kong, Boey said that the city would inevitably feel the impact of this dynamic, but it is not easy to forecast future trends.

Boey said that due to political considerations, collaboration between American universities and Hong Kong institutions poses a significant challenge. However, he noted that this was not a bad thing, as the situation poses an opportunity for CityU to pivot towards fostering stronger partnerships with more countries globally, such as the UK, Germany, and France. “The uncertainties in the United States might also help attract American talent to Hong Kong,” Boey said.

During the celebration, Lee Chun-sing, the provost and deputy president of CityU, also shared the university’s efforts in tackling fraud issues.

Recent government reports have highlighted an increasing number of university students falling victim to scams, particularly those from the mainland. Police data reveals that there were 318 reported cases of mainland students studying in Hong Kong being defrauded last year, amounting to over HK$230 million ($29.52 million). In 2024, CityU recorded over 30 cases of students being defrauded, totaling approximately HK$15 million.

Lee said that the school has been assisting students in mitigating scams through various measures. Before students and parents arrive in Hong Kong, the university will suggest some precautions. After they arrive, they will see anti-scam posters around campus and get opportunities to listen to relevant lessons from teachers.

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Lee also noted that, commencing from the upcoming academic year, all CityU students will need to complete a fraud prevention questionnaire before commencing classes officially. Lee highlighted that the university also supports the police in furnishing students with relevant questionnaires during the visa application process.

The university has also collaborated with telecommunications providers in the mainland and Hong Kong to develop AI software aimed at blocking calls from scammers, Lee said.

Lee also noted that many mainland students use the “single-card-multiple-numbers” telephone service in Hong Kong. Telecom companies often assign consecutive numbers for this service, which may inadvertently help scammers in identify students’ identities. He said the university is asking telecommunication companies to refrain from issuing consecutive numbers to students to enhance their security.