The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) says it will change its name to Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), subject to approval from the Legislative Council.
The university’s president, Wong Yuk-shan, announced the proposed name change in a press conference Friday, according to HK01.
OUHK started surveying faculty, students and the public for possible naming suggestions in August. They received around 1,100 suggestions, which they narrowed down to three in November, with HKMU being one of them. Wong did not say what the other two were.
Wong noted that HKMU was suggested by the most people, receiving over 20 nominations. He explained that the word “metropolitan” is inclusive and academically neutral, offering the university more room for development in the future. Wong added that the name also reflects Hong Kong as a metropolitan city, as well as the university’s vibrant diversity.
Read more: PolyU bans documentary screening of bloody siege ahead of protest anniversary
The announcement of the new name provoked jeers online, with some saying it sounded like a nightclub or a hotel.
President of the university’s student union executive committee Lau Yu-kit told Apple Daily that he was disappointed by this decision. He said that the school did not consult the students openly, and suspected that the move was an attempt to attract more mainland students.
“It sounds like the London Metropolitan University, which isn’t even a well-known university,” he said, adding that many students thought the original name suited the school motto better.
When asked about the reason for the name change, Wong said it is a common misconception that OUHK only offers remote or part-time degrees, according to Apple Daily. This greatly hinders graduates when searching for jobs or conducting further research, Wong explained, so the university began exploring a name change two years ago.
Other potential names that were in the running included The Applied University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Arts and Science University and Hong Kong University of Professional Education.
Some rather bizarre names were also put forth, like Multiversity of Hong Kong and Kowloon University of Hong Kong were also put forth.
And there were names much better than Met U: https://t.co/wty8dW4348 https://t.co/EyHKVWVJaq pic.twitter.com/NPgL9fDFfk
— Galileo Cheng (@galileocheng) December 11, 2020
The proposed name will be subject to a final decision by the Legislative Council. The university will also hold a competition to design a new logo for the school to reflect the new name.
