University of Hong Kong student publication Undergrad shuts down after 74 years

Undergrad, a student magazine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has announced its immediate shutdown, marking the end of its 74-year history. The publication cited its inability to recruit sufficient members for its editorial board as the reason for its closure.

Founded in 1952 by the Hong Kong University Students’ Union (HKUSU), Undergrad was a significant voice for students, reporting on campus issues and local news, including politics. The magazine had previously published controversial works, such as a 2020 issue titled “Displaced” and a 2013 book called Hong Kong Nationalism. In 2014, it featured a cover story on Hong Kong people deciding their own fate, which drew criticism from then-chief executive Leung Chun-ying.

The publication's operations had been scaled down since 2021, when HKU ceased recognizing the HKUSU and barred it from using campus facilities. In recent years, Undergrad's social media presence became sporadic. The closure follows two unsuccessful recruitment drives for a new editorial board since September. The 2025 editorial board stated in a social media post that the closure was a natural end to its historical role, not a cause for sorrow.

Undergrad's demise reflects broader trends affecting student unions at Hong Kong universities. At least six universities have seen their student unions disbanded, evicted, or stripped of institutional ties. Another HKU student publication, Campus TV, also posts infrequently.

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Today, Undergrad’s historical role in society has come to an end. This is not something to lament with sorrow, but simply the natural ebb and flow of history.