Former HKMU Professor Alleges Defamation by Department Head, Seeks HK$2.92M
HK01 · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago6 MIN
Summary
Leung Tak-yan, a former associate professor at Hong Kong Metropolitan University's School of Business and Management, filed a claim at the District Court on November 10, 2026, alleging defamation by department head Sam Wai-cheong (岑偉昌). The lawsuit stems from a 2021 performance evaluation in which Sam, who had served as Accounting and Finance Department Head since approximately 2018, assessed Leung's work and recommended against renewing her contract. Leung claims the negative comments in her performance review were defamatory, damaged her academic and professional reputation, and directly resulted in the university declining to renew her employment .
Key Points
- Leung joined HKMU in 2012 and held the position of Associate Professor II in the School of Business and Management from July 2016 until August 2022
- Sam Wai-cheong evaluated Leung's performance from 2018 to 2021 and made recommendations regarding her 2021 contract renewal application
- The performance review meeting in late 2020-2021 lasted approximately 10 minutes and was conducted in a casual, informal manner
- Sam's report alleged Leung gave minimal feedback on student assignments in remote courses, failed to update course content with latest HKFRS developments, and lacked professional judgment during online proctoring in 2021
- Leung received a D-grade rating, and Sam recommended non-renewal on December 31, 2021; the university informed her on January 3, 2022 that her contract would not be extended
- Leung claims student evaluations of her courses were largely positive, and she is seeking HK$2.92 million in lost income plus defamation damages and an injunction preventing Sam from making similar statements
Why It Matters
The case highlights potential tensions between academic freedom and administrative oversight in Hong Kong's higher education institutions, raising questions about how performance evaluations are conducted and whether department heads can be held liable for comments that affect colleagues' career trajectories. The substantial damages claim and injunction request suggest this dispute could set a precedent for how performance feedback is evaluated in defamation terms within the academic sector .
The case highlights potential tensions between academic freedom and administrative oversight in Hong Kong's higher education institutions, raising questions about how performance evaluations are conducted and whether department heads can be held liable for comments that affect colleagues' career trajectories. The substantial damages claim and injunction request suggest this dispute could set a precedent for how performance feedback is evaluated in defamation terms within the academic sector .