Hong Kong university president vows to boost humanities amid AI push elsewhere

In a notable counter-trend to global higher education, University of Hong Kong (HKU) President Xiang Zhang has committed to increasing investment in humanities programs through a dedicated 'Humanities Fund.' Speaking at a spring media reception, Zhang highlighted that while institutions like China's Fudan University and several in Australia are slashing humanities funding—deeming them lacking in direct economic value—HKU will bolster these disciplines. He emphasized that humanities are 'extremely important' as a source of creativity and imagination for tackling complex world challenges, positioning HKU as a potential outlier.

The announcement comes as HKU's medical faculty simultaneously revealed it would abandon its target for 75% of its intake to come from local university entrance exams, aiming instead to recruit the 'best students' globally. This dual strategy suggests HKU is pursuing a distinct educational philosophy that values both specialized STEM talent and broad humanistic thinking. Zhang's stance directly challenges the prevailing narrative that AI advancement necessitates deprioritizing non-technical fields, arguing instead for their foundational role in a technologically driven future.