Professor Anthony Bing-leung CHEUNG, GBS, BBS, JP (WYHK ’69)

Professor Anthony Bing-leung Cheung, GBS, BBS, JP is currently the Research Chair Professor of Public Administration at the Education University of Hong Kong and Visiting Professor at the Institute for Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

From July 2012 to June 2017, Professor Cheung was Secretary for Transport and Housing of the Hong Kong SAR Government, overseeing a large policy portfolio covering housing, transport (land, seaborne and aviation), port and logistics. As Secretary, he was also Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board, Chairman of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, as well as member of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, the Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited and Hong Kong Airport Authority.

Before he joined government in July 2012, Professor Cheung was the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (now Education University of Hong Kong) (January 2008 to June 2012). Under his leadership, the then Institute set out the blueprint for achieving University title under the “Education-plus” vision and strategy.

Professor Cheung graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1974 with a Bachelor degree in Sociology and Economics. He later obtained an MSc degree in Public Sector Management from the University of Aston, UK, and PhD degree in Government from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Aston in 2016 and an Honorary Doctorate of Education by the Education University of Hong Kong in 2017.

Professor Cheung joined the civil service upon graduation in the 1970s. In 1986, he commenced his academic career at the City University of Hong Kong, where he subsequently became Professor and Head of Department of Public and Social Administration. His research interests and writings have focused on governance, public administration and public policy. He has authored/edited over 10 books and more than 100 refereed journal articles and book chapters, plus numerous conference papers. He co-founded the Asian Association of Public Administration in 2010 and had been its president.

Professor Cheung has been active in community and public service over the decades. Notable positions held include: Non-Official Member of the Executive Council (2005-12), Chairman of the Consumer Council (2007-12), Chairman of the Subsidized Housing Committee of the Housing Authority (2007-12), and Chairman of the Pay Trend Survey Committee (2007). He had also served on the New Airport Consultative Committee (1991-98), ICAC Operations Review Committee (2005-07), and various civil service pay advisory bodies.

From 1995 to 1997, Professor Cheung was an elected Member of the Legislative Council. He co-founded the Democratic Party in 1994 and served as Vice-Chairman from 1994 to 1998. He was also one of the founding directors of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute (1995-2012) and founding Chairman of SynergyNet, an independent think tank (2002-05).

After stepping down from ministerial office, Professor Cheung was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education, Member of the Education Commission and University Grants Committee in November 2017. He chaired a government task force to review self-financing post-secondary education from October 2017 to December 2018.