Ex-HKUST professor sentenced to 20 weeks in jail for bribery in student admission case

A former professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for his role in a bribery scheme to secure admission for an unqualified student. Liu Hongbin, who held the position of chair professor at HKUST at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges.

The court heard that Liu accepted HK$40,000 in bribes in March and May 2025 from a friend, an insurance agent. The money was intended to help a student from mainland China gain admission to the Master of Science in Environmental Health and Safety program, a course Liu directed. Despite the student lacking the necessary qualifications, Liu instructed a lecturer to interview the applicant and recommended their admission.

Following the student's conditional offer from HKUST, Liu distributed portions of the bribe money. He gave HK$5,000 to the lecturer involved in the interview and HK$1,000 to another admissions staff member. However, the lecturer promptly reported the bribery to their department manager and handed over the money, with the other staff member also returning the funds to the department.

During the sentencing, Liu's defense cited his research team's disbandment and subsequent depression as mitigating factors. However, acting principal magistrate May Chung rejected this argument, emphasizing Liu's long residency in Hong Kong, high level of education, and his position as a university professor. HKUST confirmed that Liu has since resigned from the university.