Academia Sinica must implement a code of conduct for its scientists and research fellows, lawmakers said yesterday, following allegations that two professors cooperated with authorities to persecute students during democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧) told a legislative committee meeting that Academia Sinica president James Liao (廖俊智) has used delaying tactics and made false promises since requests were made in 2019 and in 2021 for the institution to draft a code of conduct.
Taiwan-born Way Kuo (郭位), a professor of engineering who was president of City University of Hong Kong from 2008 to last year, and Chinese national Zhang Xiang (張翔), a professor of physics who is president and vice chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, failed to protect students and even worked with authorities as the Hong Kong government cracked down on those calling for democracy in the territory in 2019, Fan said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Civic groups, Hong Kong rights advocates and DPP members in 2021 demanded that Academia Sinica strip the title of “academician” from both men, as they were presidents of their respective institutions during the protests.
“It is 2024, but there is still no code of conduct,” Fan said, accusing Liao of inaction.
“We are not asking for a unique thing... The top research institutes in the US, the UK, Australia and other countries have their own codes, which regulate the actions and behaviors of their executives, faculty and research fellows,” she said.
“For example, the US National Academy of Sciences has a code of conduct, prohibiting discrimination, sexual harassment and other behavior, while also requiring researchers to reveal their funding sources,” Fan said.
The lawmakers asked Liao to present a report to the committee about the budget and management of Academia Sincia, as it is the nation’s top research institute, is financed by the state and has the Presidential Office as its supervisory agency.
Liao said that Academia Sinica in 2019 initiated discussions to draft a code and had the issue on the agenda in 2022, but did not continue the work, as there was a change in chairperson.
A draft code would be drawn up this year, he said.
“We have referenced codes of conduct at other institutions, but would not draw directly from them,” he said.
Other lawmakers said that Academia Sinica, which is Latin for “Chinese academy,” should consider a name change, in part to prevent foreigners from misunderstanding the nature of the institution.
However, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝衣?) said there is no confusion.
The name should be kept, Hsieh said, adding that the institution “must remain focused on academic research and not become entangled in politics.”
“We have a democratic mechanism that is discussing name change issues,” Liao said, adding that Academia Sinica secretarial office head Tseng Kuo-hsiang (曾國祥) took up the issue three years ago, with surveys of faculty and academicians conducted, leading to a meeting that postponed the discussion.
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