Former HKUST professor charged with bribery

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has charged a former professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and a friend of his with accepting and offering bribes to help a student gain admission to a master’s programme. Then Chair Professor Liu Hongbin and his friend Priscilla Lam jointly face one count of conspiracy for a public servant to accept an advantage. Liu, 63, also faces two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant. The two defendants were released on bail and will appear at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts on Wednesday to enter pleas, the ICAC said. Liu was a programme director of the department of ocean science at HKUST and was responsible for reviewing applications and interviewing applicants for the master’s programme. The anti-corruption agency said it believes that between March and May 2025, he accepted a bribe of HK$40,000 from Lam to assist a student in gaining admission to the programme. It is alleged that Liu also offered red packets containing HK$5,000 and HK$1,000 respectively to two staff members who handled admission matters. The two staff members refused to accept the alleged bribes and reported the matter to the university, the ICAC said. Edited by Thomas McAlinden