City University of Hong Kong President Freddy Boey Resigns for Personal Reasons; Interim Appointment Made

Apr 24, 2026, 10:25

Introduction

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) announced on Friday that its president, Freddy Boey, had resigned with immediate effect, citing personal reasons. The university stated that a global search for a successor would be initiated shortly.

Main Body

Boey, a Singaporean national and expert in biomaterials engineering, became the university''s fifth president in May 2023. His five-year contract was due to end in 2028, meaning he left about two years early. The university council expressed appreciation for Boey''s contributions during his time in office. To ensure continuity, the executive committee of the council appointed provost and deputy president Lee Chun-sing as acting president, effective immediately. Lee, who holds chair professorships in chemistry and materials science and engineering, has served as provost and deputy president since 2023. His responsibilities include academic affairs and strategic development. The council affirmed its commitment to providing full support to maintain stability throughout the transition period. In response to media inquiries, a spokesperson for the Education Bureau stated that the government respected Boey''s personal decision and thanked him for his service. The spokesperson further noted that presidential recruitment falls under the institutional autonomy of CityU, as set out in the CityU Ordinance. The government has full confidence in the council''s ability to select a suitable candidate based on the university''s long-term interests.

Conclusion

The resignation of Freddy Boey, effective immediately, has led to the appointment of an interim president and the start of a global recruitment process. The university and government have expressed support for the transition, highlighting institutional autonomy and stability.

Vocabulary Learning

acting
Temporarily performing the duties of a particular role or position代理的，臨時的
Example:The executive committee appointed provost and deputy president Lee Chun-sing as acting president, effective immediately.
affirm
To state something firmly or publicly; to confirm確認，肯定
Example:The council affirmed its commitment to providing full support to maintain stability throughout the transition period.
continuity
The state of being continuous or unbroken; consistency over time連續性，持續性
Example:To ensure continuity, the executive committee of the council appointed provost and deputy president Lee Chun-sing as acting president.
initiate
To begin or start something開始，發起
Example:The university stated that a global search for a successor would be initiated shortly.
institutional autonomy
The right of an institution to govern itself independently, without external interference院校自主權
Example:The spokesperson noted that presidential recruitment falls under the institutional autonomy of CityU, as set out in the CityU Ordinance.

Sentence Learning

Lee, who holds chair professorships in chemistry and materials science and engineering, has served as provost and deputy president since 2023.
Relative clause 'who holds...' gives extra information about Lee, making the sentence more informative without starting a new sentence.關係子句「who holds...」提供關於Lee的額外資訊，使句子更豐富而無需另起新句。
The university stated that a global search for a successor would be initiated shortly.
Passive voice 'would be initiated' focuses on the action (the search) rather than who does it, common in formal reporting.被動語態「would be initiated」強調動作（搜尋）而非執行者，常見於正式報導。
The spokesperson further noted that presidential recruitment falls under the institutional autonomy of CityU, as set out in the CityU Ordinance.
Passive participial phrase 'as set out' provides background information concisely, showing the legal basis.被動分詞片語「as set out」簡潔提供背景資訊，顯示法律依據。
His five-year contract was due to end in 2028, meaning he left about two years early.
Present participle 'meaning' links the cause (contract end date) to the result (early departure), showing logical consequence.現在分詞「meaning」連接原因（合約結束日期）與結果（提早離開），顯示邏輯因果。
To ensure continuity, the executive committee of the council appointed provost and deputy president Lee Chun-sing as acting president, effective immediately.
Infinitive of purpose 'To ensure continuity' clearly states the reason for the action, organizing the sentence logically.目的不定式「To ensure continuity」清楚說明行動原因，使句子邏輯清晰。